Wrapping paper

There was a thread recently about wrapping paper. It may have been about recycled paper though there were definitely suggestions for decent ones.

I’ve got all recyclable paper, just ordinary brown parcel wrapping paper, and used Christmas ribbon to brighten it up. It’s much thicker than ordinary wrapping paper, it’s cheap and you can put it in your normal recycling bin. It actually looks really nice too.

I use brown paper too, and save the ribbons, or use string, with homemade gift tags.

Use ordinary brown parcel wrap and tie up with pretty ribbon or colour with paints. Also use cardboard boxes or fabric. This is the advice from my local council as apparently they are no longer able to recycle wrapping paper, as a huge proportion was exported until recent years when it went to UK paper mills who are now demanding higher quality paper.

Why bother? It's going to be thrown away anyway.

Alternatively, there are many versions of re-usable gift wrappings

- the little gift bags (apparently, in America, no one wraps presents any more)

- use cloth - Christmas prints or tea towels

- or a combination: Christmassy cloth tote bags.

- pretty boxes. No wrapping necessary. Expensive but can be re-used, like the bags. Or stick the wrapping paper to a box.

- wrap very loosely, ballooning the paper round the present like round a bouquet of flowers.

- You could do it the very old-fashioned way and wrap things in tissue paper first, then in the wrapping paper.

Sorry, I didn't mention any suppliers, but I don't live in the UK. I expect most supermarkets and stationery suppliers will have the gift bags. Tea towels possibly from charities like RHS.

Oxfam shops have (or have had for the past few years) rolls of recycled paper. It's good and strong and a decent size, and of course can be recycled afterwards. Win-win, as far as I'm concerned!

I do like the bags. I did try them last year and very easy they were too - trouble is I'm left with a number of small bags which are only useful for something the size of a small box of earrings for example.
I like the brown paper and ribbon idea.

Costco do the best wrapping paper ever. It's also double sided with a different pattern so you have two choices. It's quite substantial and unless you're extremely heavy handed it does the job perfectly

WH Smith’s have heavyweight luxury wrapping paper. It’s the only thing I ever buy there.

M&S paper is strong enough, and has a grid on the reverse to make it easy to cut straight.

I know ordinary brown paper is fashionable now, but to me it just looks boring - I want nice cheerful Christmassy paper for my presents. I do make sure it’s recyclable, though.

Witzend I second M&S paper and as ExD requested, you can order online.

I buy mine from Asda (after Christmas in the sale) when it’s cheaper. Nice long rolls too. Seems thick enough to me anyway I’ve never had a problem with tearing.

We don’t have any young children to buy presents for, so we have a huge roll of brown paper, it’s recycled so a bit stiffer than normal paper and I make things to hang on the parcels along with the gift tags. Pretty it up with saved ribbons and they look very festive.
I think I’d buy pretty Christmassy recycled paper if we had youngsters in the family, or my Mum, she would have hated brown paper and would have asked if we were too poor to buy ‘decent’ paper.

I bought at M&S. everything worked out for me firmly, with the corners ok

I use cloth bags. Friends and family usually give them back or use them for their gifts, one bag I recognise has been doing the rounds for the last three years!
I agree about the quality of most Christmas wrapping paper it is rubbish and because it is so thin sometimes you have to use it double thickness so no saving there.
One year I bought cream heavy duty paper tablecloth from JL and used that , tying everything with black ribbon - poor man’s Jo Malone.
I also like plain brown wrapping paper and tiny luggage labels using thin tartan ribbon or raffia and a gold pen to jazz it up a bit!

Paperchase have some good designs and they are good quality, this year I bought sets from house of Fraser with matching tags and ribbons included. Although they seemed expensive £10 for 2 x rolls, they are excellent quality and the rolls are 5 metres each. I also think that they are on sale now.

I get mine from The Range. Their wrapping paper is of a very good quality and really quite cheap too. I haven't had any accidental tears or corners popping out yet

M&S is good quality and as already said grid on the back for cutting I get a few rolls in January sale

Another vote for the Costco paper. Absolutely brilliant stuff. Huge roll, double sided, and it folds well.

I like m&s wrapping paper added bonus it has grid pattern on the reverse for neat cutting

Costco paper is strong and has cutting lines on the back.
Card Factory have lovely gift bags in lots of different sizes.

Why do people say ‘it doesn’t matter as it is going to be thrown away’? The fact is that it’s so much harder to wrap a present with cheapie, poor quality paper. I buy mine after Christmas in the various sales (will there be any this year?) so it’s good quality and less expensive.

Oxfam for me too. They have strong recyclable paper.