green is universal

Green Gift Re-Wrap Mishap

Posted at 10:51 AM on December 19, 2007 comments (0)

By Mary Beth Gonzalez, iVillage.com

Feeling the call to Green more than ever this year, I vowed to be as Green as possible in how I wrapped our presents. For me this meant making a commitment not to buy any new wrapping paper, bags, bows, tinsel or tags. It just seemed more Green (and more creative) to "re-wrap" and re-use what I had been accumulating since last Christmas then spend energy seeking out companies on the web who could ship me eco-friendly wrapping paper.

But as I looked at my very large pile of pre-wrapped presents and my smaller collection of last year's gently used holiday bags and bows, I realized that demand definitely exceeded supply. I would need to get more creative to keep my vow.

I ran to my closets for inspiration for my green re-wrapping goal. What else could I use, as the paper supply dwindled? Sheets? No, that was too radical. Dishtowels? Well, maybe. Magazines? Yes, I could see wrapping gifts in flashy fashion mag pages. But then I had a better idea - cloth eco-grocery bags! YES! And retired hair bows! Perfect. And how about Sarah Jessica Parker style flower pins? Definitely.

Of course, my new approach to wrapping also requires some coordination between the gift and the re-wrapping so my brother doesn't end up with the gift covered in InStyle fashion holiday spreads with a huge pink flower. In the beginning I mapped it all out before I dove in and began my re-wrapping adventure. As I neared the end of both my gifts and my re-wrappings, I realized that my 3 year old nephew wouldn't likely appreciate his Scobby Doo DVD wrapped in the only item I had left... a navy silk scarf. And then I looked closely and saw a fish pattern on the scarf and convinced myself that he just loves fish.

Shortly into my re-wrapping, I realized that the re-use concept could easily be extended to the gifts themselves, so back to the closets in search of very gently used "extra" items my dearly beloveds would love. I know re-gifting is generally considered tacky, even uncouth. So I decided to be bold and announce my re-gifts with pride in their eco- friendly repurposing. These were extra gifts anyway... so no one should feel slighted. Right?

A ha! A rarely used tea kettle for my kettle-less "let's make tea in the microwave" sister-in-law; a large wooden "looks like new" jewelry box for my brother's wife; a never worn pink cashmere scarf/glove/hat set from last Christmas for my mother-in-law and a purple sweater my husband never wore for my Dad...

It all seemed like a great idea yesterday but as I look at my gifts this morning, I'm having second thoughts. Did I go overboard in my effort to be Green? Will my sincere efforts be appreciated or will my less Green family just think I needed to clean out my closets? Good thing I have a few more days before Christmas to mull this over. I can always make a mad dash for Bloomingdale's where for $10.95 they will wrap anything.

Mary Beth Gonzalez
iVillage.com
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