I got on a bit of a cleaning splurge today and that included my gift wrapping tote. It didn’t strike me until today how much I use … and reuse… gift bags. I wrap very little with wrapping paper, it seems. With 9 rolls of wrapping paper, 8 of those rolls are Christmas related and 7 of those 8 were picked up after Christmas on clearance. One roll I snagged at a garage sale for 25 cents.
For me, I think the appeal of gift bags is a) they can look amazing with little effort (cutting straight lines can be a challenge), b) the bags can be reused repeatedly, and c) gift bags are multipurpose. I have used gift bags just to transport lightweight items from Point A to Point B. They’re like grocery bags in that regard, with a bit more structure to them. I can fit many bags on my arms or in my hands just like grocery bags.
In hindsight, after wrapping a large birthday gift in a combination of Christmas and general wrapping paper last weekend, I need to keep a better eye out for bargain wrapping paper that’s more generic. Nothing says “Happy birthday!” at a 7 year old’s birthday party than a combo of green camouflage and Christmas trees wrapping paper!
Going Green In Texas 