Our green wrapping dilemna...

[*Robin*]

So last year after the holidays, I went out and bought holiday fabric, so that this year I could make fabric bags for our gifts. It was a great idea, until we realized that most the gifts we give go to other people, so while wrapping the couple of gifts we give to our kids in fabric helps, it's not the bulk of our gift wrapping. We have a few gift bags leftover from last year, so I am using those first, but we are at a loss as to what to do. If I wrap the gifts in fabric, we'll end up spending money on more and more fabric every year because we'll be giving away our fabric bags. And I am not even sure that people would reuse them. Anyone else run into this problem? What do you do for gifts for other people? I guess we're having trouble juggling green earth vs. green money. And it's not really green if people aren't reusing the bags anyways.

[woodchick]

Can you ask for the wrapping back? We do Christmas morning at my parent's house and I bring their gifts wrapped in fabric (or in tins or fancy boxes). My folks open their gifts and I collect up the wrapping.

For gifts that are being given, but not opened right away I tend to wrap in paper, but like to use DD1's paintings. They're cool, personal, and she's going to paint either way so we might as well use them!

There might be a period of adjustment where people are figuring out what's polite in terms of giving/asking for reusable wrapping back- until everyone starts ditching the paper. I'd probably say something like, "Unless you think you'll use the bag again, I'd love to have it back for next year." I mean, who would take a Christmas bag if they weren't going to use it!

[*Robin*]

I suppose that's the best option, but DH especially doesn't want to ask for it back. He feels like we are already crazy enough for his family and now we want our wrapping paper back, too!

What do others do?

[IntuitiveJamie]

LOL at your response about Dh's family! I know the feeling!

Just wanted to say I am another one that justs asks for it back. People don't care. They don't want it anyways, and they might not feel bad for throwing away paper wrapping, but it will feel awkard to them to throw away fabric wrapping. Honestly, they will prob. just offer to give it back. Besides, you'll only have to do it once with each person and then in the future they'll just know.
If you are already weird to them, why not keep it up!

[SleeplessMommy]

Our local thrift shop has fabric at 50-cents a yard - I make lots of gift bags without ever buying fabric new

(and we just git one gift bag "returned" with something very nice inside!)

[philomom]

I shop all year for cute drawstring bags from the thrift store so that I do not have to ask for them back. I don't sew, so this works for me.

[woodchick]

One other thought I had was that you could try to wrap gifts inside other gifts. So if you were giving a kitchen gadget, for example, you coule wrap it inside a cute dishtowel. Or if you were giving dress up clothes you could wrap them up in a monogrammed cape for the recipient.

[FernG]

Originally Posted by woodchick

One other thought I had was that you could try to wrap gifts inside other gifts. So if you were giving a kitchen gadget, for example, you coule wrap it inside a cute dishtowel. Or if you were giving dress up clothes you could wrap them up in a monogrammed cape for the recipient.

Yes! Someone did this for me years and years ago. It was the first time that I thought about using reusable gift wrap.

I wrap gifts in fabric and don't worry about the recipient reusing them. Some of the recipients, I know will reuse them b/c they reuse paper gift bags. Other family members will make it a point to throw them away b/c throwing stuff away and buying new stuff somehow shows that you are no longer poor. For some family members, I bought either Pod shopping bags or Target shopping bags and used them for gift wrap and also as part of the gift. I only did that for ppl that I know wanted more reusable shopping bags.

[jrabbit]

this year, I've been making gift bags, ala Martha Stewart, with tiny tshirts. (18 month works best) purchased at thrift shops for under $1
http://www.marthastewart.com/article...ng-t-shirt-bag

they are small enough that they are easy to reuse.

I'll admit that I don't really give many gifts, though, and we haven't "bought" wrapping paper in years ... even though I freecycled a TON of wrapping paper last year, I still have enough that my kids can use to wrap presents because they are young and love tape.

If I ever run out of wrapping paper, I would have my kids paint paper to use for people who will just throw it away, though.

[simple living mama]

I use the newspaper end rolls to make our own wrapping. It's always pretty and can be used for fire starter.