It’s the season for gift giving; homes will be filled with plenty of gifts, which come with wrapping paper and boxes. Unfortunately most of the wrapping paper and boxes will end up in the local landfill causing a 30% bump in landfill waste due to these gift add-ons over the holidays. Here are a couple ideas to minimize the waste and be more environmentally friendly.

Use some left-over fabric to make a gift bag. If you can sew, put together a 2 or 4 sided bag with some handles. If you can not sew, just take a large towel, lay the gifts in the center and then tie the top together with some ribbon and other decoration of choice.   These fabric gift bags can then be used later throughout the year by the one receiving the gift.

Use reusable shopping bags that are now becoming quite popular. Shopping bags come in an assortment of styles and colors.  Yes they may have a company’s logo or an ad on the side, so what, it shows you are a leader in being green.

There are many ways to make the wrapping part of the gift.  Don’t just give a movie DVD, give a movie night. Place the DVD, popcorn, bottle of wine and maybe some cheese into a large mixing bowl or food container.  You can also use scarves, bath towels and handkerchiefs to help decorate and package your items in the container.

This year, think outside the box.

We all have times when we need to buy gifts for both our friends and our
families. Some of these occasions will come along regularly once a year such
as birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas. Other occasions may not happen
that frequently but they still merit a gift. For example, you might buy
gifts for weddings, christenings, baby showers, exam success and graduation.
Sometimes these occasions that come along warrant an extra special gift.
You only pass your driving test or get your first job once, after
all.

Choosing the right gift

Buying the right gift does require some thought. A successful gift will
appeal to the person who gets it simply because they will like it. This
doesn`t mean that you have to give something obvious such as something that
relates to a hobby or interest. It simply means that you should put some
thought into what they would like to receive.

So, for example, you should think about the age and sex of the person who
will receive the gift. On paper your 90 year old grandmother may really like
a special box of chocolates but may not be so happy with the home brewing
kit that your father might prefer! But, if your grandmother likes home
brewed ale then this could be a good choice. Sometimes the personality and
likes/dislikes of the person you are buying for will buck standard
trends.

Conclusion

Finally, don`t forget about the card you choose here to go with your gift
which can enhance the overall message that you want to give. The verses
written inside, for example, can often be useful to look at here whether you
are looking for 1st anniversary gifts and presents or something suitable for a Golden wedding anniversary.

Roy at A1 Gifts