Frugal and Green Ways to Wrap Last Minute Gifts!

You can use gift bags not directly related to the occasion with some ingenuity. I cut out candy images from an advertising mailing and put them on non-Christmas bags to make them more festive. This way I can use pink and violet bags, for example. Candy colors, no? Think of sugar plums!

You could save old greeting cards and paste/tape them onto gift bags or store bags. (I touched up the slight wear on a metallic bag with a permanent magic marker - They are wonderful!)

Collect colorful magazine images and newspaper ads, etc. and crumple instead of tissue. Coordinate with the colors of the gift bag(s).

P.S. Did you know that you can IRON tissue paper on a very LOW iron to refresh it? And many ribbons can also be ironed, just make sure you don't try that on the lurex (metallic) ones, as they might melt!

By pam munro from L.A., CA