It’s a Wrap!
• Leftover Work Paper – Whatever your business may be, look around your office and see what paper could be used to wrap presents. I’m an interior designer and every year I accumulate so many large-scale house plans that I use the old ones for wrapping paper. People always get a kick out of it and they know who the gift is from! This would work with sheet music, real estate catalogues or sections from the newspaper, maps, posters — just about anything!
• Ribbon Replacement – Use twine or jute instead of ribbon and replace the bow with sprigs of red berries or green holly leaves and berries.
• Catalogues Paper – Tape together a few pages from a kids’ catalogue with brightly colored photographs of toys and Christmas items to make adorable wrapping paper.
• Re-Gift Tags – Save Christmas cards this year and turn the unwritten area into next year’s gift tags
Eco-Enlightened Table Setting Ideas
• A Berry, Merry Moss Centerpiece – Create an arrangement down the center of your table composed of green moss, river stones, red pomegranates, or berry clusters and votive candles (thrift store finds or fun glasses can be used as votives and reused later). It will create an elegant and natural display. Use bamboo or naturally woven place mats under the moss to incorporate another texture in the display.
• Festive Votives – Holly sprigs, twigs or berry clusters can be tied around votives, jars, or candles with jute or twine. Place candles in the middle of the votives for a great ambience.
• Holiday Hurricanes – For an elegant hurricane, place a pillar candle in the center of a pitcher, glass cylinder or vase and arrange a layer of moss on the bottom and then in between the glass and the candle add red cranberries; you can also use holly or berry clusters in place of the cranberries. Use beeswax or soy candles — they last longer than regular candles and are a greener choice than a standard burning candle.