Time to call it a wrap for wrapping paper?

Some dream of a 'green Christmas' without the gift wrap, while others can't give up the element of surprise it brings.

from the December 20, 2007 edition

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If the objective of wrapping paper is to create excitement, Mr. Lilienfeld says, why not hide the presents around the house or, for those living in a warm climate, outside?

That's exactly what Lindsay Randall, an environmental sustainability expert at Purchase College in New York plans to do with her 3- and 5-year-old nephews this year.

"They're used to hunting for things at Easter. Plus, they're so young they don't know that wrapping paper is a big tradition, so it's easier for change to come about," she says.

Ms. Randall thinks this year is the start of the green Christmas. "With more kids growing up without gift wrap, not wrapping gifts might become the tradition in the future."

Lionette's not sure yet if she will just put the presents under the tree or try to keep a little surprise alive by creating a scavenger hunt for her 3-year-old son. But she's not worried he will feel that he's missing out. The experience can even contribute to his fledgling environmentalism, she says.

And it's not just the kids who can learn something from giving gifts au naturel. Lionette says she's received positive reactions from everyone she's told about her plan, and now her friends are seriously considering it. "They say, 'I haven't really thought about [wrapping paper] before, but it is really wasteful,' " she says.

Ms. Post, on the other hand, says there are ways to compromise between extravagant wrapping and abandoning the tradition altogether.

"I'm a huge fan of people's efforts to help the environment," she says. "You can buy gift wrap from UNICEF or other charities made from recycled paper."

Lilienfeld says a lot of people are switching to reusable ideas, like putting presents in gift bags or dish towels, or replacing bows with natural accents, like pine cones.

Alternative wrapping ideas can be part of the gift itself and shows more thoughtfulness than generic paper, says the Sierra Club's Ms. Hattam. For example, for a friend who likes to travel, she'll wrap a vacation guide in an old road map she has lying around.

The whole issue of how to decorate gifts is only an issue if the presents are things, as opposed to giving experiences, says Colin Beavan. He's the No-Impact Man, made famous for his family's ecolifestyle in New York City without electricity, elevators, or toilet paper. "For gifts this year, we're giving experiences that we'll do together rather than things, which means no wrapping paper is necessary," he says. "Plus, spending more time together makes us happier as a family."

Lionette's not ready to dispense with gifts altogether, but likes the idea of at least putting a small dent in her family's seasonal rubbish pile. She says, "It's a small step, but it makes you stop and think about the consequences of overusing paper and all the stuff we throw away this time of year.

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