Is There a Better Way to Wrap Our Gifts?

When you think of presents, you probably imagine boxes of all shapes and sizes wrapped in colorful paper and tied up with bright ribbons. (Are you dying to tear into them yet?)

People have been wrapping gifts for a long time. About 2,000 years ago in Korea, presents were covered in colorful cloth. And after paper was invented in China around the year 100, it was eventually used for wrapping gifts of money. The gift-wrapping tradition arrived in America in the 1800s. Back then, it was a luxury for the rich. But in 1917, two brothers in Missouri started selling wrapping paper for only 10 cents a sheet. It sold out, and from that small store wrapping paper spread across the U.S.

Today, Americans spend billions of dollars a year on wrapping paper. But some think wrapping paper is wasteful. It’s literally meant to be ripped off and thrown away.

Is it time to start a new gift-wrapping tradition?

When you think of presents, you probably picture them wrapped in bright, shiny paper. (Are you excited to open them yet?)

People have been wrapping gifts for a long time. About 2,000 years ago in Korea, presents were covered in colorful cloth. Not long after, paper was invented in China. There, it was used for wrapping gifts of money.

Gift wrap came to America in the 1800s. Back then, it was just for rich people. But in 1917, two brothers in Missouri started selling wrapping paper for only 10 cents a sheet. It soon spread across the U.S.

Today, Americans spend billions of dollars each year on wrapping paper. But some think wrapping paper is a waste. It’s meant to be ripped off and thrown away.

Is it time to rethink the way we wrap gifts?

Some people argue that buying wrapping paper can be bad for the environment. Every year, billions of trees are cut down around the world, many of them to create paper products like wrapping paper. Trees create homes for wildlife and help clean the air.

What’s more, about 2.3 million pounds of wrapping paper are tossed in the trash every year! That’s more than the weight of five blue whales. Some people try to recycle their wrapping so it can be reused to make new paper products. But wrapping paper is often coated in plastic or decorated with glitter. So it can’t be recycled.

Instead of buying more wrapping paper, why not start a new tradition and create your own? You could make a collage out of paper scraps from your recycling bin or from drawings you or your friends create. People love receiving handmade cards. Why not add this personal, handmade touch to wrapping paper?

Some people say that buying wrapping paper can be bad for the Earth. Trees create homes for animals and help clean the air. But every year, billions of trees are cut down around the world. Many of them are used to create paper products like wrapping paper.

Plus, about 2.3 million pounds of wrapping paper are tossed in the trash every year! That’s more than the weight of five blue whales. Some people try to recycle their wrapping. They think it can be reused to make new paper products. But wrapping paper is often coated in plastic or glitter. So it can’t be recycled.

Instead of buying more wrapping paper, why not create your own? You could make a collage out of paper scraps from your recycling bin. Or you could use drawings you create. People love getting handmade cards. Why not add this personal touch to wrapping paper?

But others don’t think wrapping paper is a useless waste. On the contrary, it can transform any object into something special.

The idea of creating your own wrapping paper is nice, but is it really practical? Wrapping gifts can already feel like a chore. One survey even found that some people would rather wash dishes or shovel snow than wrap a gift! You already spent time finding the perfect present. Why spend more time crafting wrapping when you can buy eye-catching paper at the store?

Besides, you can use wrapping paper and still care for the environment. Next time you unwrap a gift, do it carefully. Then you can use that paper again instead of tossing it in the trash. Or you could use wrapping paper that’s made from recycled materials, so you’d know
no new trees were cut down to make it.

So what do you think? Should we stop buying wrapping paper and find an alternative instead?

But others don’t think wrapping paper is a waste. It can turn any object into something special.

The idea of creating your own wrapping paper is nice. But wrapping gifts can already feel like a chore. One survey found that some people would rather wash dishes than wrap a gift! You already spent time finding the perfect present. Why spend more time making your own wrapping? You can just buy fun paper at the store.

Besides, you can use wrapping paper and still care for the Earth. Just make sure to unwrap your gifts carefully. Then you can use the paper again instead of tossing it in the trash. Or you could use wrapping paper that’s made from recycled materials. That way, you’d know no new trees were cut down to make it.

So what do you think? Should we stop buying wrapping paper and find a new way to wrap gifts instead?