Every year at Christmas time, we wrap gifts, stuff bags with tissue paper, and celebrate the holidays with an abundance of things that get thrown away immediately after. But there are some simple things you can do that make the holidays a little more green! One thing you can do is save all the bags you get as gifts. A lot of people already save their bags, and use them when they need to give a gift. You can also save the tissue that comes in the gift bags, or save the tissue paper or bags you give to other people. A lot of times they will just open the gift and throw it to the side, so why not save it? And once those bags and tissue paper get too worn to reuse, recycle them! Also, you can also give people gifts made out of things you already have. In fourth grade, I got a brick and painted it to look like Santa. I know this sounds kind of sad, but it doesn't cost a thing (unless you don't have paint) and it's more personal. I guarantee your mom or dad will love it! Or, you can always give people food or a sweet treat! This doesn't waste paper, and you can often package i t in things that are made out of reusable materials. So, this December, as a gift to the environment, save your paper and your bags, and try and think of gifts that don't require the excessive wasting of non-reusable materials.

I am the biggest recycler when it comes to the Holidays! Some of the things I do to save money and the environment is save paper shopping bags to reuse as gift bags. I paint them or glue on scrapbook paper to cover any logos. Also this year I am recycling plain coffee mugs from thrift stores to paint and give as gifts to family and friends. Making crafts out of things you already have is a great way to recycle and give personal gifts. You can even recycle items and make them into Christmas decorations. For example, you can save toilet paper rolls and make them into a Christmas Wreath! I found a tutorial online on how to make them and they look super cool! Check it out at http://www.handimania.com/diy/paper-rol … reath.html . For any other decorations you can save mason jars and glass bottles and make them into almost anything! Pinterest.com is also a great place to look for more recycling and re-purposing ideas. Even the little things you do to recycle  makes a difference in reducing your carbon footprint.

Those are all GREAT ideas!! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and I hope people read it and take some of your awesome gift ideas. Happy (super early) Holidays!!

My family saves bags, bows and tissue paper year round, but especially during the Holidays. One of my favorite things to wrap gifts in the comic section of the newspaper. This is really cute and also recycles rarely read news papers. Another simple idea is if you order a gift online you can leave the gift in the box it was shipped in, then wrap it. Your ideas are great!