How to Substitute Recycled Items in Place of Ribbon on Your Presents – Think Green

Instead of plain old ribbons or bows, here are some unique ideas for tying up the old present this year! Think green and use recycled items to spice up your present.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Items from around your home

1. 
    

   Instead of bows I try to reuse small packages of free handouts I’ve collected over the year to decorate my presents. If someone I know is into the same powdered drink mixes I am, I will tie a few together with ribbon and use as a bow on their present. It makes one less thing they have to throw away! You can also use left over Halloween candy, mints from stores, cheese or pepper packets from pizza joints, ketchup or mustard packages and wipe packets from gas stations you may have collected.

2. 
    

   I love to use old silk flowers to decorate presents as well. If you pull them apart first, you can lay just one or two layers over each other and connect with double-sided tape. Place a leaf under the petals and a small flower in the center. Any color works! May still get thrown away, but it was probably going to anyway.

3. 
    

   Another great decorative wrap idea is to use outgrown wearables. If you are giving a gift to a child just smaller than yours, tie one of your child’s outgrown belts around it. It marks it as a child’s gift and they can decide to keep and use belt or pass it on to Goodwill. Adult scares, belts, shoe laces, and ties work too! Have someone retiring? Cut the tie!

[JSimpson]

on 1/28/2009 Great ideas! Thanks for ways to use common items to make a gift a little more thoughtful.