Who re-uses wrapping papper, gift bags & bows?

**favesis37** · 11-23-2005, 01:11 AM

i reuse anything i can

**Darlene** · 11-23-2005, 09:48 AM

I do! I get teased big time but others are starting to follow my lead.

Why pay for more if what you have is perfectly usable? Bows just neeed a dab of glue or two sided tape and they are good to go. Gift bags last forever practically. Pretty paper not too crinkled can be used on a smaller box and look just perfect.

**duckduckgoose007** · 11-23-2005, 11:52 AM

Yes I reuse gift bags, bows & paper if it isn't too wrinkled.

The last few years I have been buying Christmas gift bags at the $1 store...sure makes wrapping easy!

**thrifty gal** · 11-23-2005, 12:19 PM

I have always reused wrapping paper, and gift bags. I don't buy bows, so can't reuse them, lol.

**Scattymum** · 11-23-2005, 12:44 PM

I reuse any kind of packaging I can

Originally posted by ironmaiden

This year I'm thinking of giving the kids a big sheet of white paper and have them decorate it with paint - and use that for wrapping paper.

We quite often make our own wrapping paper by printing on it - its quick and fun to do! I quite often use the brown paper to pajage in and decorate with colourful ribbons and bows

**Minner77** · 11-23-2005, 11:20 PM

Yup, I reuse everything. My side of the family opens their presents very carefully so they can save the paper. If it happens to be heavier paper, people are really careful. If its just the cheap, then paper, then people tend to rip it. I reuse everything: boxes, bows, bags, paper, packing material. You name it. Of course, it has to be in good condition. I've even been known to iron it if it is a bit wrinkled.

I reuse everything I possibly can. It's been harder since I've been married, though: my DH thought it was appalling that I was carefully trying to separate the wrapping paper along the tape line, so he reached down and ripped it!

Growing up, we took great delight in reusing as much as possible. I wrapped presents one year for the family, and came across a piece of wrapping paper that had a tag still on it, addressed to one of us from our now-late grandmother. We never cared if the paper was wrinkled, and still don't (this is MY side of the family I'm talking about!). We've been reduce/reuse/recylers since before it was a craze.

Blessings,
Mary

**Mojjo** · 11-23-2005, 11:22 PM

gift bags yes
bows yes
paper..nope

**Minner77** · 11-24-2005, 12:38 AM

Just a clarification! I didn't use the "quote" function properly, so the first paragraph from my post above was a quote from SHOPMOM.

Blessings,
Mary

**frugalfarmwife** · 11-24-2005, 01:39 AM

My Mother in Law always give the most beautiful gift bags, then the next year we have them for my family

I also bought a large amount of bags on sale after Christmas a few years ago and still have some. Everyone gets home raised beef so no wrapping at all here!

KJ

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 11-24-2005, 04:46 AM

Boxes, bows and ribbon--yes

Paper--no

When I was a kid,w ereused the paper too. It was sort of neat to see the same paper year after year. We would reminisce about what had been in the paper the year before!

**peanut** · 12-05-2005, 12:02 PM

I reuse anything I can. I've reused Christmas cards by cutting the picture off the front and using it as a gift tag. I've reused fancy plastic bags by cutting them in strips for ribbon (white with black polka dots...made a stunning ribbon). I reuse bows all the time...and ribbons.

We do not reuse wrapping paper. Mostly because we don't use it to begin with. I sewed up some Christmas bags to put presents in. We tie with fabric ribbon, which is reused from year to year. We even keep our gift tags from year to year to be reused. What wrapping paper we do have was bought at garage sales.

We also reuse tissue paper and packing peanuts. We also shred used paper for packing material.

Brown parcel paper we buy at the art store much cheaper than the post office. I use masking tape to tape up the parcels.

**QuilterMom** · 12-05-2005, 02:08 PM

I've done this for years. Christmas cards get cut up and turned into new cards or gift tags.

**i.m.cheap** · 12-05-2005, 03:05 PM

I have gift bags that we have used for five years or more in a row. Most of them we received gifts in, so I didn't even buy them. We don't use "sticky" bows very much. I like the curling ribbon.