What to do With Wrapping: 8 Green Tips

Do you remember the Tom Hank's movie "Splash" where he falls in love with a mermaid?  

Well, there's a scene where he buys her something from the jewelry store Tiffany's. When she takes the famously robin's egg-blue box out of the bag, she jumps up in delight and says something like, "Oh my goodness, it is soo beautiful! I love it."  Tom Hanks stares at her in confusion and says, "The gift is inside the box." She looks up at him and says, "You mean there's more?"

Do you ever wonder why we spend so much time and money lovingly wrapping gifts that inevitably get ripped off in a split second and tossed to the floor? There is nothing rewarding about it and it definitely isn't environmental. Here are a few tips on how to 'green' your gift wrapping this year:

1) If you are shipping books or gifts in boxes, skip the shipping paper and reuse a brown paper grocery bag. Or, wrap gifts in the paper bags and decorate them with stamps or kid's drawings.

2) Save and reuse all the of decorative gift bags you receive throughout the year to give gifts to others.

3) Save home magazines, newspapers, kid's drawings and old posters to wrap gifts in. It's fun, different and makes for great conversation.

4) Try using reusable containers like baskets, tins or Christmas stockings.  

5) Your local thrift shop will often sell a lot of affordable surplus wrapping paper from overstock.

6) If you do buy wrapping paper, make sure it isn't foil or plastic coated—because they can't be recycled.

7) Try making your own holiday cards from paper and pens around the house. It is a fun project to do alone or with your kids and really helps save the trees.  

8) If you do buy a card, look on the back for a recycling symbol that says "made from post-consumer products".

Happy Holidays!