No-Waste Gift-Wrapping Ideas

• Wrap the gift in a drawstring bag and use an inexpensive luggage tag for the gift tag.
• Decorate oversized gifts with just a bow that can be used again.
• Put toy animals in a cowboy hat and wrap a cowboy scarf around it.
• Use a jewelry box for some flea market 'jewels.'
• Use a knit hat to wrap a small gift. Close the hat with a barrette or a decorative hat pin.
• Games or toys for a child can go in a new backpack designed pillow case.
• For a person who is handy, wrap a gift in a tool box.
• Put blouses and other gifts in decorative hat boxes and tie with a hair ribbon.
• For the sewing enthusiast, wrap a gift in a fabric remnant and tie it with a piece of lace or ribbon.
• Any kitchen gift can be wrapped in a colorful dish towel. Kitchen utensils can pop out of an oven mitt.
• Place home-baked cookies in a reusable tin box, a kitchen container, or a decorated oatmeal box.
• Use a colorful tablecloth to wrap dishes or dining room gifts.
• For a reader, wrap a book in a reusable canvas shopping sack.
• Wrap tools for a gardener in the pocket of an apron, planter, or bucket.
• Hang earrings, bracelets, or necklaces right on the Christmas tree, or put them inside or around an open ornament.
• Search the flea market, garage sales, and thrift stores for interesting old boxes that can be used as decorative packages.
• Search the attic for old family photos and mementos and give them to your favorite relative wrapped in grandma's old hat and a lace curtain.
• Salvation Army and Goodwill thrift shops often have good prices on leftover holiday wrapping paper.
• Purchase gift bags from your local dollar stores and reuse them each year.
• Used, but attractive, gift baskets are often offered at local thrift shops.
• Christmas-theme fabric, with Velcro strips attached, can become reusable holiday wrap.

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/publiced/holidays/NoWaste.htm