Recyclable Wrapping

Instead of feeling guilty while you stuff garbage bag after garbage bag full of shiny, non-recyclable wrapping paper on Christmas morning, do things differently this year. There are plenty of ways to wrap gifts that are good for the planet and just as beautiful under the tree as the shiny wrapping paper lining store shelves this time of year.

If you have a sewing machine and some fabric scraps — or an old shirt or sheet — cut two pieces of that fabric into the same size, sew three straight lines around the edges leaving one edge open, and you have a simple-to-make and reusable gift bag. If you don’t have a sewing machine, wrap a length of fabric around your gift and knot the ends together on top. Tie an ornament, a small gift or an evergreen branch into the ends of the knot.

Another fun and sustainable idea is to make the wrapping material itself a gift. Wrap a kitchen-related gift in a tea towel or baking dish. For a gardening related gift, find a clay pot and dish. Put the gift in the pot and hide the contents by tying the dish on top. Wrap a pretty shirt in a matching scarf. Wrap grandma’s gift in a piece of your child’s artwork. Or tuck a small gift into a mason jar or a cleaned-out jelly jar. Hide the jar’s contents with a piece of fabric or recyclable paper.

The dyes, glitter, plastic laminate and gold and silver foil in wrapping paper is what makes it difficult to recycle. So switch to wrapping paper that is recyclable. Paper shopping bags, plain craft paper, old calendar pages and colorful (and obsolete!) maps make colorful wrapping materials without adding to a landfill. Dress up a plain package by drawing a picture or design on it, or use colorful cotton string to make a bow for the package. Extra copies of Motif are hard to find these days — you guys snap this magazine up everywhere we put it! — but if your collection of back issues is getting too big, take a page from our sales director’s book and wrap gifts in old copies of Motif! Use the cover for a friend who loves local art, use the pin-up to please your teenage nephew without raising too many adult eyebrows or use the Eats and Drinks section for that aunt always looking for the next greatest restaurant. Just make sure you read it before cutting it up.

What about your Christmas card list? This year, consider sending out notecards that have wildflower seeds embedded in the paper. When spring comes around, your card recipients can bury your holiday card in a pot or in the backyard and water it lightly. When the flowers start to bloom, your friends and family will think of you with appreciation long after all of their other cards have been tossed in the trash. Gift tags embedded with seeds are available as well. If you have some paper-making skills, some seeds sitting around from last spring and a bit of time, try making the notecards yourself!

Your sustainably wrapped gift will stand out this year. It’ll look gorgeous under the tree, your friends and family will appreciate your thoughtfulness, and you can feel good about not adding to the season’s excess.