If your mailbox is anything like ours, it's been jam-packed lately with holiday catalogs from anywhere and everywhere--despite the fact that we don't purchase anything from catalogs and are on the do not mail list! We've been recycling these... but last night as we were trying to figure out how to wrap some handmade pottery without using the last of our salvaged tissue paper (and knowing there wasn't any popcorn in the pantry), we had a marvelously green idea.
All we needed was one of the catalogs from the recycle bin and a paper shredder, and...
Voila!
Local, handmade pottery in a reused box (thanks Amazon) stuffed with a shredded Target holiday gift guide. (Hopefully the recipient of this gift won't check the blog today.) Green from start to finish. And we like the festive colors of the packaging from the holiday catalog, but any old magazine will do.
We've employed the same tactic for giving gift baskets--but for a classier look, we shred paper sacks from the grocery store and pack items on top of it. It's rustic, yet recycled.
Our goal for this holiday--besides keeping it focused on family and friends--is to wrap the few gifts we are giving with recycled materials. This has involved a few of Trent's ideas, like brown paper bags and regifted gift bags, but we've stepped outside of that box, too. So be sure to share your ideas for creative packaging, and good luck wrapping--only one weekend left!
Another good time to plug catalogchoice.org which is a free service that lets you set mail preferences for paper catalogs you no longer wish to receive.
view sillahee's profile
Agreed on using catalogchoice.org, and also suggest (if you can stand taking the time) calling the catalog companies directly and asking to be removed from their mailing lists. You can also fax them the sheet of the catalog with your name and adress with a post-it request to be removed. Good luck - I've been trying to climb out from under all my junk mail for years; I've made a good dent, but there are some that just keep coming back....
view redweather's profile