As I have written about before, I am not a fan of wrapping paper. All those trees taken down to create paper that is literally torn up and thrown away in seconds?! No thank you!! Instead, I usually use newspaper (my great-grandma used to use the comics section) or old paper shopping bags.
This Christmas, I am getting Evelyn involved, too. We spent part of this afternoon preparing presents for all her cousins — I wrapped using the blank side of paper shopping bags and she decorated using crayons and her imagination. It was such a nice way to introduce her to holiday traditions. And, with the weather outside being so cold, it was a good way to pass the time indoors. We had a lot of fun doing this together!
No money is wasted on wrapping paper, no trees are destroyed and we can recycle the paper once the gifts are opened. Its a win for this Homemade Mother and a win for Mother Nature!
Homemade Mothering is a movement that aims to simplify life and foster self-reliance while being kinder to our families and the planet. Its about encouraging people to get back to the basics when it comes to mothering and homekeeping. 
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We used paper grocery bags last year too! I agree that wrapping paper is such a waste- I love the idea of your letting the little ones scribble onto the paper, seems like it would be so much more special!
Here's another idea I love: keep pretty scraps of fabric from sewing projects throughout the year and use them with real ribbon to wrap gifts. You can re-use the wrapping "paper" forever, and it makes for such a pretty present.
I've been trying to avoid the wrapping waste lately by buying the appropriate size reusable bag (Marshalls, TJMaxx, Old Navy and other stores have all cute patterns and sizes for reasonable prices) and giving the gifts in that. People have told me they have gotten lots of use out of their 'gift wrap' to use for library books, shopping, etc.
Donna, I LOVE that idea! Not only does wrapping with a reusable bag avoid creating more garbage, but you are also encouraging your loved ones to skip plastic bags when they shop. Way to go!!
Santa doesn’t wrap any of our presents…they are just laying out under/around the tree. No wrapping paper used at all! Plus it gives Santa and Mrs. Claus a lot more time!
We spent a lot of my childhood in Germany, where St. Nicolas comes in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, not Christmas morning. As kids we would have to put our shoes outside of the front door and then stay in our rooms until our parents called us out. First you would go to see if there where little presents in your shoes (sometimes even a lump of coal), then we would go into the living room where a table would be covered in table lines which we pulled off to reveal all of our presents (not wrapped, but under the table clothes). Those are the fondest memories of Christmas. Plus no wrapping paper.
This year, for my kids teachers, I am crocheting them dish cloths, which I will use to wrap the jar of pepper relish. I do this for baby gifts too, I always get or make a blanket and wrap the gift with the blanket.
Thank You!~ You just saved me from wasting my money, time at the store and trees!~ I’ve been saying for days that I need to go and get wrapping paper. Then I read this, and it hits me: Use all the Brown Paper Shopping Bags I have from Whole Foods!~ I’m so excited now, I’m going to turn them inside out so it shows the blank side and have my kiddos color them!~
Wrapping paper causes me to cringe too! We don’t even use paper bags when we shop, instead we bring our own cloth or recycled bags. I love the idea purchasing these and putting the gifts in them for family members but for my toddler, I like to see him rip open his presents. Now I’m on a mission to find recycled wrapping paper online! Thanks for the inspiration! =)
The reusable bags are an awesome idea!~ Many Kudos Donna!~ We are however not fortunate enough to be able to afford those, I know you’re thinking they’re a buck a piece but we are a family of 4 living on about 800/mth. So for those of you that are able to please do!~ =-D