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This is the best wrapping paper alternative list I've seen! I love the look of nicely wrapped gifts, but can no longer let myself waste all that paper. I'll def be sewing some reusable shopping bags together to gift presents in!

Plain brown craft paper (which can be recycled). I use a needed small object as the bow/gift tag. For a woman, it might be a sqweshy (?) bath sponge. For a guy who likes to fish, maybe some lewers. Plus the dogs get to shred the wrapping paper (after all trinket bows are removed). Excellent play time for them and then the paper is off to the recycle bin.

Another option, my mother in full Martha Stewart mode made cloth gift bags one year. She reuses them every-year now. The fabric coordinates with her holiday decor so it makes the tree very elegant looking.

I'm using Furoshiki this year ... here's a great video to give ideas for bottles, books, boxes, and how to reuse the material afterwards: http://www.vimeo.com/2321507

The Japanese wrap their presents in cloth and such to help cut back on waste. I always thought it was a good idea and something we should all do here in the states. There should be a study on how much paper gets thrown into landfills during the Christmas holidays!

My mom usually reuses gift bags over and over. The only real present she will wrap is if its a weird shape and too big for a bag. I've wrapped presents in scarves I've made! It's part of the gift! :)

My family reuses gift paper. We're careful to unwrap gently and reuse year after year. This of course didn't work when my brother and I were young, but now that there aren't any little ones at Christmas reusing works great.

2=foil??

I do some combo of these... admittedly I have some half-sewn-together fabric bags... I think I'm moving more toward furoshiki because I can find scarves at thrift shops and Martha Stewart has some neat ideas, too. (I may have found this through one of the AT sites.)

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/recycled-gift-wrapping-how-to?lnc=a7367dbc53cee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=taxonomylist_crafts_recycling-crafts

http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=10bb9da2e1765110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&rsc=header_5&autonomy_kw=gift wrap

The one I liked from Body Soul can't be displayed :(

So the real problem is how to deal with a friend's giftwrapping party. The amount of paper there is just obscene! Maybe I could bring some scarves along and inspire people...

If you happen to be a knitter, or know one, scrap yarn makes great ribbon.

Being an eco-minded artist, I collect all of the wrappings from Christmas and implement them into my Papier-mache sculptures. I also use plastic bags, styrofoam peanuts, toilet paper roles and bubble wrap. You wouldn't know by looking that there is recycled items in my work, though!
I suppose it's called "up-cycling", and I'm happyt to do my part for the environment.

Happy Holidays : )
http://wallflowerstudio.blogspot.com

I grew up in a household that would have bags upon bags of Christmas wrapping/packing garbage every year, so when I finally had my own house and tree, I decided to use fabric and twine to wrap gifts. There are lots of fun ways to tie, fold and twist them into nice looking gifts. I scored a big bag of christmas/winter fabric leftovers a few years ago and had added that to my mix.

I am also a fan of the boxes that are already decorated (santas, snowflakes, etc) that come in different sizes. I use those every year, too.

I always try to give gifts in packaging that can be reused, and always keep the non-paper wrappings given to me.

So great to read about all the excitement regarding eco-wrapping. The segment on eco-friendly e-cards was not so encouraging. I don't understand. Why is everyone so open to green wrapping but when it comes to sending hundreds of cards and envelopes that just end up in the garbage dump, people won't agree to a "greener" option.

Mo-Mo, e-cards have a sad reputation of being something with no thought and programmed to happen unaware of the sender.

The pleasure of receiving and opening a package is not deleted by the green ideas.

Mailing a compost-laden seed packet as a greeting card. It is nice to open up the mail and find something wonderful.

Tea towels make fabulous wrapping material for small gifts.

My grandmother every year used to save all the Christmas cards she received. The following year she would take a pair of scrapbooking scissors and cut out parts of the card fronts and use these as tags for presents. It's a great way to re-use those holiday cards people are always going to give you.

You forgot to mention not wrapping. If you have little ones who need the thrill of opening the presents, try hiding gifts around the house and giving them clues. All the fun, none of the waste! Unless you forget where you put them all.

I'm having a gift bag making party this year! I bought several yards of remnant christmas fabric at goodwill and asked each guest to bring a few yards of their own. We will set up an assembly line and put together reusable gift bags that people can take home as their party favor.

I saw this on a friend's website:

http://www.midori-dori.com/

It's a reusable gift wrap that she bought to give as guest gifts at her child's one year birthday. This would be a great way to present Christmas gifts this year!