Recycle Your Christmas Wrapping Paper

Doesn’t it seem like such a waste to use Christmas wrapping paper once and then toss it out? Even if you are buying your wrapping paper after Christmas when it is half price (as you should be) many frugal consumers would like to find ways to reuse it. Here are some thrifty ideas for recycling your Christmas wrapping paper after the gifts have been opened.

Save money by using crumpled Christmas wrapping paper for packing your delicate Christmas ornaments. Tissue paper from inside the gift box will work well also.
Why spend money on those pricy ornament keepers when a plain storage box with a lid and crumpled paper can do the job.

Fill crumpled-up wrapping paper in unused hats and purses to help them stay in shape for storing. This is especially helpful for storing over long periods of time.

Re-wrap presents next year. If you had wrapped a large present, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem to use for a smaller gift. You can also make your own gift tags with scraps of Christmas wrapping paper cut into interesting shapes.

Did someone wrap a present in pretty paper that can be used year round?
Find a cork board that will fit into the paper and wrap it up. This is a great craft for children to try because they can tape the wrapping paper on the back and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Hang the cork board up to use as a message board, for art projects, etc.

Learn a new craft and recycle your Christmas wrapping paper at the same time. You can find books on origami at the library or look for instructions online.

Make a game of it this year this year to try to save as much wrapping paper as possible so that it can be used again in the following years.  Also try to find some more interesting uses for it. And while you are at it be sure to have a box on hand for storing bows and holiday gift bags so that you can get a few years out of them.