Unexpected But Cute Ways To Wrap Your Holiday Presents This Year

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The holiday shopping season is underway! Gatherings this year may be a bit more scaled-down than in pre-pandemic days, but gifts will certainly be exchanged. And wrapped, of course. As author Joy Hendry states in "Wrapping Culture," "Wrapping is a chance to mark the occasion in an appropriate way, to introduce a festive air, a sense of ritual. It is simply the proper way to present a gift." Furthermore, a 1992 study by Daniel Howard on gift wrapping published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology supported the argument that "gift wrapping, through repeated pairing with joyous events in people's lives, has utility in cuing a happy mood."

So let the wrapping begin! But wait — because as much as we love festivity, tradition, and good moods, we also care about climate change and the health of this planet we call home. And all too often, as holiday revelers are parting and celebrating, their host is filling a large trash bag with wrapping paper, which will end up in a landfill shortly thereafter. According to a recent Stanford University study, Americans throw away a million more tons of garbage each week during the holiday season than at other times during the year.

What's the answer? Can we wrap our gifts in beautiful ways while not contributing to the global waste crisis? Yes! Absolutely. Check out the options we've found and let's make this holiday season joyous, peaceful, and more environmentally friendly than ever.

We're sold on the idea of sustainable holiday wrapping, and before we move on to options other than fabric, we wanted to show you these small reusable fabric wraps offered by a super cool company called Brightly. Brightly understands that nothing's going to stop climate change overnight and that none of us are perfect. But if we all do what we can, together, we can make a real difference. The company sells items like upcycled tote bags made of old water containers from Ghana and also produces a short weekly podcast called Good Together, which provides helpful little tips on living more sustainably each day.

These gift wraps (about 20" x20") are perfect for smaller presents and are incredibly easy to use. The gift wraps are made of organic cotton, and their cute green print is suitable for any time of year. Priced at $15 each, they allow you to decide if you want to keep the bags for yourself for future use or pass them on to your giftees as a way of introducing them to wrapping with fabric, too. It's kind of a gift-within-a-gift, if you think about it!

Another way to prevent waste is to wrap gifts in containers the recipient can keep and reuse for various purposes. And for people who tend to give small items like jewelry, hair clips, and cosmetics as holiday presents, these Encheng 7oz glass containers, sometimes known as yogurt or pudding jars, are perfect! They also work very well for gifts of homemade jam, spices, candy, nuts, and just about anything else you can think of. Have a side business making homemade skin care or cosmetics? These glass jars are the perfect — and small business-friendly price point option. Of course, the jars are clear, but you can keep the contents secret by "wrapping" them in a handwritten, recyclable note or card. Another option is painting the jars.

Made of glass, which is 100% recyclable, and BPA-free plastic lids, the containers can store hundreds of things long after the holidays are over. They're dishwasher-safe, and their price on Amazon ($19.99 for 20 jars at the time of this report) is hard to beat.

Single use-plastic food and drink containers present a huge problem for the planet. Our landfills and oceans are full of them, they're not biodegradable, and only 9% of the 9.2 billion tons of plastic produced on earth has been recycled correctly (per Supply Chain Solutions Center). Considering those numbers, we need industries that profit from single-use plastics to make dramatic and innovative changes (per The Street). But that doesn't mean we as individuals can't do small things to help.

For years, crafters have been discovering fun ways to decorate and upcycle plastic containers that would otherwise end up in the trash. You'll find thousands on YouTube and Pinterest if you're looking for ideas. As you can see, the crafter in this YouTube video has turned a standard soda bottle into a cute little gift box filled with nuts, candy, or just about anything else! The only tools necessary are a pair of sharp scissors, a Sharpie or other marker, an elastic band, a hole punch, and some string or ribbon. The crafter in the video decorates the finished container with pom poms made from yarn, but that's not necessary. You could also make a little card or gift tag and tie it to the top or add something meaningful for you and your giftee. Get creative, have fun, and keep a bottle out of the ocean!

We've been discussing ways to avoid using traditional commercial gift wrap, and we hope you're inspired. But what about wrapping supplies you already own? If you're like us, you've got a stash of cute gift bags in a drawer or closet that don't necessarily feel appropriate for holiday use. Like the one a friend used for your 30^th birthday present. Or some beautiful ones from your wedding. You can't bring yourself to throw them away because you plan to reuse them some time, but you also don't know anyone turning 30 or getting married anytime soon. So the bags sit there, gathering dust. Well, break 'em out and cut 'em up because Brittni from the Paper & Stitch blog has some great ideas about breathing new life into them.

No real instructions are needed — as you'll see on the blog, this process is where you create the pouches necessary for the gifts you plan to give. A sewing machine — or glue gun — is necessary, and a little crafting experience will go a long way. But if you enjoy the tradition of putting on music and wrapping gifts during the holiday season, you might enjoy upcycling your old gift bags too!

By now, it's clear: We really like wrapping in cloth as an alternative to paper. We've recommended places to purchase beautiful, reusable gift wrappings and shared suggestions on wrapping in towels and scarves. But all those ideas take a little planning since they require shopping. And yes, they save money in the long run — not to mention helping the environment — but add additional costs to your holiday budget, and not everyone has extra cash this year. Also, with our busy schedules, some of us barely have time to shop for gifts, let alone new types of wrappings. 

Do you have some beloved pajamas now that are too ripped to wear? An old flannel shirt with the elbows worn through? In other words, any used, clean clothing that may not be suitable for donating? Why not turn it into gift wrap (viaYouTube)? After watching the video, we think you'll agree that wrapping in pieces of old clothes is easier than using commercial gift wrap. A few safety pins are helpful, but you can use twine, ribbon, yarn, fabric scraps, or whatever else you have to keep the gift from popping open. And for a bit of garnish, try adding a twig or leaf (per Momtastic). And don't forget: Fabric wrappings are reusable, but please add them to your textile donation bag when you're done with them.