Scientific journalist, author and fashion blogger from Montreal - Journaliste scientifique, auteure et blogueuse mode de Montréal
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Only one more sleep until Christmas and I’m still wrapping gifts! Ho, ho… hope, I’ll get ready in time. Perhaps, I should review my planning strategy for next year. Ah, well, maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be. At least, I enjoy wrapping presents. It relaxes me. I strongly believe that the wrapping is as important as the gift itself. So I try to get creative in my presentation —read: the wrapping should draw out Ohh’s and Ahhh’s. Just as dressing fashionably and socio-eco-friendly is a necessity to me I want my wrapping to be pretty without an environmental impact. See below some of the wrapping I have done this year. Hope these pictures and tips bring you inspiration for your last minute eco-friendly Xmas wrapping.
Reuse your old wrapping paper
Metallic paper is not an eco-friendly option (It contains plastics), but if you reuse the wrapping from the presents you’ve got last year you will reduce its environmental damage. Tied up with a colourful velvet ribbon and a nice pearl necklace found from a garage sale. Two gifts in one. Note: For small items, you can also reuse the packaging of a bag of chips. It’s silver on the inside!
Use brown kraft paper
Kraft paper, newspaper, old calendar and map make up great alternatives for wrapping gifts. Decorate with twine, pine tree springs, berries and tassels.
Hunt for great ornements and materials in local stores
You can find lots of cute trinkets, vintage scarves, fabrics and jewelry to adorn your presents from your local thrift stores, vintage and artisan boutiques.
Support sustainable artists
Art materials can be highly toxic. But a substantial number of artists are now proactive about ameliorating their footprint. For example, they use materials without toxic pigments or hydrocarbons. We should support these artists as its for the benefit of us all. These Christmas tags are made by Lisa Lawrence of Lismore Paper. Lisa uses multi-media to create beautiful and functional art. Visit her Etsy shop. Her artwork will sure grab your attention.
Wrap your gifts with the remaining fabric of your sewing projects
This is a great way to use your leftover fabrics. Add some glamour to your wrapping with old Xmas decorations and gemstones from a broken piece of jewelry.
Adorn your package with treasures from Mother Nature
You can find in the forest lots of beautiful natural materials such as fir tree branches and pine cones. Give them a white coat or just a touch of white with an eco-friendly paint. They will bring a lovely rustic vibe to your gifts.
Decorate with old Christmas cards and craft stickers
Old post cards and Christmas cards give a very personal touch to your presents. Write your wishes directly on your package and do some doodles or add some fun stickers that you can get from your local scrapbooking store. This is a fun activity to do with your kids too. Bet they will enjoy helping you adorn your gifts. And they’ll keep great memories of it as well. This is what Christmas is all about after all!
All Images by 3C Style
Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you so much for your support and kindness over the year. Wishing you all a season of peace filled with good times, good cheer and so much happiness. Hope you feel the love being sent your way. I’ll see you again in 2019.
Ohhhh……Ahhhh……😜
These look damn pretty. I I were in your place and I had to deliver these gifts I would have preferably kept them with myself. They look soooooo pretty.
Merry Christmas!🎄🎄🎉
Thanks. Your comment is so lovely. It made me smile. But I really can’t wait to give them tomorrow morning! Merry Christmas to you and yours as well. 🎄
Your packages are absolutely gorgeous and they are made even more spectacular because they are eco-friendly. You never cease to amaze me, my friend!!! A very Merry Christmas to you and your family. 🤗❤️🤗❤️🤗
Thanks Linda. Hope you had a nice Christmas Eve. I had a great time with my family and friends. Too much good food though. Christmas is always more relax at home. Kids will be up early and they’ll want to open their presents. So I should try to sleep at least a little bit. I will reply to your email tomorrow, ok. Merry Christmas to you and Bill!
Merry Christmas dear Dominique!!! 😍
You truly are the queen of gift wrapping! They look all much too beautiful to be opened!! 😁 And I so love the eco-friendly ideas you share here. I’m all for reusing old wrapping paper or use Kraft paper I can paint on – as you say, that’s also such a fun thing to do. And thanks for the tip about using the paper of chips packaging – just have been thinking that one should do something with it when I ate some yesterday! 😁 Now I have a good reason to snack on chips. 😉
Wonderful post as always, dear friend! Much love! xoxoxo 😄🎄🎀🎁❤
Hey Sarah! What a nice surprise. So happy to hear from you. I missed you dear friend. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your lovely comment. I also feel less guilty when I eat chips now that I know what to do with the packaging. 😉 I even have a good reason to buy the big bag. Merry Christmas and happy holidays. Huge hug. And lots of love. 🎄💕
Hehe! Here´s to big bags of potato chips! 😉 And what would be better than a lovely Coke to go along with it, eh? 😉
It´s lovely to be back, though quite a lot of work too, what with catching up! 😀
Missed you too, dear friend! Happy Holidays! Much, much love! xoxo ❤
Yes, I imagine that you received a lot of comments during your break. Take your time to answer and do not stress too much with that. It’s like a return to work, we go slowly, one day at a time. Much love and hugs! xoxo
I love wrapping gifts in fabric. Also, sometimes I will print a design on a large sheet of paper (I have an A3 size printer) and use that.. but I am sometimes still bad and using wrapping I shouldn’t… it’s a habit I’ve not yet overcome. But I will… I promise! 🙂 Great post.
I hope you’re having a happy Christmas and will have a great new year.
Wrapping gifts in fabric is a great way to add a little Je ne sais quoi to our presents. I often used vintage scarves to wrap my gifts. Two presents in one. Oh, I wish I had an A3 size printer but I’m pretty sure I would get carried away and print too many designs. Hihi… A habit I would have trouble to overcome! I have to admit, I’m more the “All or nothing” type of person. Thank you for visiting Val and happy holidays to you and your family! Wishing you a great 2019.
These are absolutely gorgeous my friend! I love the nature themes ones especially! Thank you for the mention as well💗💚💗💚 Merry Christmas! Lots of Christmas hugs and love!!
Hello dear Lisa. Hope you had a nice Christmas with your family. Of course I had to mention your shop. I couldn’t do a wrapping post without your beautiful christmas tags! Guess what? I’m going to visit an Alpaga farm in two days. And I keep thinking of your Alpaga artwork. It is so cute. I wish you and Darren were here with me. I know you both would love to visit this farm as well. I’ll take pictures. Merry Christmas. Hugs and love. xoxo
Oh my gosh! That is so awesome!! I cannot wait for you to visit. I wish Darren I were there, too! That will be such fun. I cannot wait to hear about your trip. Such cute critters! Much love and hugs my frien🤗😍❤️
Dominique I enjoyed all your ideas. This year we were more aware of our environmental impace. I used old Christmas cards to make gift tags and wrapped presents in brown paper which we decorated with stencils and pretty ribbons.
That sounds like wonderful wrappings. Christmas here was relax and I enjoyed it. Too many meals though. Thankfully, we will be walking a lot tomorrow as we are going to visit an Alpaga farm. Should be fun. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas too. Sending holiday hugs your way. 🎄🎄💕
Glad to hear that. 😻 It’s wonderful! Thanks for the hugs, Marie. Keep well. Looking forward to many more lovely chats with you in 2019. Wishing you peace, health and joy for the New Year! xoxo
You are welcome Dominique! And likewise as regards many more good chats. Thank you for your wish for the three best possible gifts…I wouldn’t ask for anything else!! Wishing you a year filled with love and interesting experiences! Xx
Thanks! Christmas here was relax and I enjoyed it. Looking forward to the new year. Thank you so much for visiting. Wishing you a wonderful and happy 2019! 🎄💕💖🎄
Unfortunately, I couldn’t go visit the farm because one of my kids was sick. We will go soon though. Your friendship and Lisa’s mean the world to me. 😻Sending super huge hugs your way and Happy 2019 dear friend. Live, love and create!
No, not yet. Darren was looking for flight tickets for the end of May, I think. Lisa, Linda and Bill will plan according to his dates. That would be awesome if you could come too. I’ll take you to the top of the Olympic Stadium. I know you like it so much. And you can’t help climbing things! 😄
It’s billed as a Christmas movie and for the most part it is but you can see it anytime. It’s got Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and a slew of notable names.
I must say, the craft paper, berries and pinecones are my favs. So very artistic and it’s eye candy. Merry Christmas & hugs.
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Thank you Alan. I know people usually don’t like gifts wrapping but I do. It’s almost therapeutic for me. Hihi… Happy holidays to you and yours. 🎄
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Ohhhh……Ahhhh……😜
These look damn pretty. I I were in your place and I had to deliver these gifts I would have preferably kept them with myself. They look soooooo pretty.
Merry Christmas!🎄🎄🎉
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Thanks. Your comment is so lovely. It made me smile. But I really can’t wait to give them tomorrow morning! Merry Christmas to you and yours as well. 🎄
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Your packages are absolutely gorgeous and they are made even more spectacular because they are eco-friendly. You never cease to amaze me, my friend!!! A very Merry Christmas to you and your family. 🤗❤️🤗❤️🤗
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Thanks Linda. Hope you had a nice Christmas Eve. I had a great time with my family and friends. Too much good food though. Christmas is always more relax at home. Kids will be up early and they’ll want to open their presents. So I should try to sleep at least a little bit. I will reply to your email tomorrow, ok. Merry Christmas to you and Bill!
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Sleep well! I just heard to bed, too. Have fun tomorrow!!!! 🎄💕💖💕💕💖💕🎄
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You too Linda. Merry Christmas! xoxo
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Wow! Beautiful collection of wraps, I could see your signature in all these wraps. 🙂
Merry Christmas & happy holidays!!
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What a nice thing to say. You are so kind. Thank you Megala. And happy holidays to you and yours! 🎄
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Thank you!
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🎀🎄💕🎁🎄🎀🎁💖🎀🎄💕🎁💖🎀🎄💕
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Merry Christmas dear Dominique!!! 😍
You truly are the queen of gift wrapping! They look all much too beautiful to be opened!! 😁 And I so love the eco-friendly ideas you share here. I’m all for reusing old wrapping paper or use Kraft paper I can paint on – as you say, that’s also such a fun thing to do. And thanks for the tip about using the paper of chips packaging – just have been thinking that one should do something with it when I ate some yesterday! 😁 Now I have a good reason to snack on chips. 😉
Wonderful post as always, dear friend! Much love! xoxoxo 😄🎄🎀🎁❤
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Hey Sarah! What a nice surprise. So happy to hear from you. I missed you dear friend. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your lovely comment. I also feel less guilty when I eat chips now that I know what to do with the packaging. 😉 I even have a good reason to buy the big bag. Merry Christmas and happy holidays. Huge hug. And lots of love. 🎄💕
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Hehe! Here´s to big bags of potato chips! 😉 And what would be better than a lovely Coke to go along with it, eh? 😉
It´s lovely to be back, though quite a lot of work too, what with catching up! 😀
Missed you too, dear friend! Happy Holidays! Much, much love! xoxo ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, I imagine that you received a lot of comments during your break. Take your time to answer and do not stress too much with that. It’s like a return to work, we go slowly, one day at a time. Much love and hugs! xoxo
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love wrapping gifts in fabric. Also, sometimes I will print a design on a large sheet of paper (I have an A3 size printer) and use that.. but I am sometimes still bad and using wrapping I shouldn’t… it’s a habit I’ve not yet overcome. But I will… I promise! 🙂 Great post.
I hope you’re having a happy Christmas and will have a great new year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wrapping gifts in fabric is a great way to add a little Je ne sais quoi to our presents. I often used vintage scarves to wrap my gifts. Two presents in one. Oh, I wish I had an A3 size printer but I’m pretty sure I would get carried away and print too many designs. Hihi… A habit I would have trouble to overcome! I have to admit, I’m more the “All or nothing” type of person. Thank you for visiting Val and happy holidays to you and your family! Wishing you a great 2019.
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Reblogged this on Rattiesforeverworldpresscom.
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Thank you. Merry Christmas! 🎄💕💖💕🎄
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Thank you ❤
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These are absolutely gorgeous my friend! I love the nature themes ones especially! Thank you for the mention as well💗💚💗💚 Merry Christmas! Lots of Christmas hugs and love!!
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Hello dear Lisa. Hope you had a nice Christmas with your family. Of course I had to mention your shop. I couldn’t do a wrapping post without your beautiful christmas tags! Guess what? I’m going to visit an Alpaga farm in two days. And I keep thinking of your Alpaga artwork. It is so cute. I wish you and Darren were here with me. I know you both would love to visit this farm as well. I’ll take pictures. Merry Christmas. Hugs and love. xoxo
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Oh my gosh! That is so awesome!! I cannot wait for you to visit. I wish Darren I were there, too! That will be such fun. I cannot wait to hear about your trip. Such cute critters! Much love and hugs my frien🤗😍❤️
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You and Darren will be with me in my thoughts! can’t wait to show you both the pics. Much love and sending big hugs, too. 🎄💕💖💕💕💖💕🎄
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Dominique I enjoyed all your ideas. This year we were more aware of our environmental impace. I used old Christmas cards to make gift tags and wrapped presents in brown paper which we decorated with stencils and pretty ribbons.
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That sounds like wonderful wrappings. Christmas here was relax and I enjoyed it. Too many meals though. Thankfully, we will be walking a lot tomorrow as we are going to visit an Alpaga farm. Should be fun. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas too. Sending holiday hugs your way. 🎄🎄💕
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Busy here with a really enjoyable family gathering, lots of chat and too much to eat! Enjoy your active day tomorrow! Warm hugs Dominique!
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Glad to hear that. 😻 It’s wonderful! Thanks for the hugs, Marie. Keep well. Looking forward to many more lovely chats with you in 2019. Wishing you peace, health and joy for the New Year! xoxo
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You are welcome Dominique! And likewise as regards many more good chats. Thank you for your wish for the three best possible gifts…I wouldn’t ask for anything else!! Wishing you a year filled with love and interesting experiences! Xx
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Thank you Marie! Sending lots of love your way.
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Merry Christmas C3, I hope you had a lovely Christmas with your loved-one’s.
Nice post dear.
✌️❤️
BY FOR NOW
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Thanks! Christmas here was relax and I enjoyed it. Looking forward to the new year. Thank you so much for visiting. Wishing you a wonderful and happy 2019! 🎄💕💖🎄
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Your welcome dear, that’s nice to hear dear.
✌️❤️
BY FOR NOW
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I absolutely love these ideas Dominique. You never cease to amaze me💕. And they all look so classy too, just as I would expect.
I hope the Aplaga farm was fun, even without me🙁. Thank you for your friendship this year and I wish you a wonderful 2019. Hugs. x
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Unfortunately, I couldn’t go visit the farm because one of my kids was sick. We will go soon though. Your friendship and Lisa’s mean the world to me. 😻Sending super huge hugs your way and Happy 2019 dear friend. Live, love and create!
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😊💕
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Im a bit late reading this. I must have bee n busy wrapping my presents 😉
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Lovely ideas Domonique i will remember thise next year. 😊
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No worries. I’ll probably do another one next year. I love wrapping gifts. 😊
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Haha… I have lots of catching up to do with my WP reading as well. Keep well, Alison. xoxo
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I know I am late in seeing this, but what great ideas! Next year 😉
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Thanks Dee-Dee! I’m late with so many things… Hihi, truly sis!
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Thank you for your understanding and support ALL YEAR! Life does get busy, doesn’t it!😉
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THANK YOU! I missed you. Darren, Lisa and Linda are coming in May. Could you make the trip too?
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Oh Wow!😲Do you have the dates yet?
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No, not yet. Darren was looking for flight tickets for the end of May, I think. Lisa, Linda and Bill will plan according to his dates. That would be awesome if you could come too. I’ll take you to the top of the Olympic Stadium. I know you like it so much. And you can’t help climbing things! 😄
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Have you seen the movie “Love Actually” where Rowan Atkinson is wrapping a gift for Alan Rickman. It’s a lot like this post.
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I haven’t seen the movie but now I am curious! Thank you for sharing.
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It’s billed as a Christmas movie and for the most part it is but you can see it anytime. It’s got Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and a slew of notable names.
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I will look for it. Thanks again.
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