Why do we keep buying wrapping paper that serves no other purpose than to be ripped? Is it not cheaper, more efficient and better for the environment to buy gift bags or wrap the gifts in newspaper?

Gift bags do not cost that much, they last for years and they don't need to be replaced since no one rips them up. Of course, it may seem lazy to just put the gifts in a bag but with ribbons and a few designs, you can make the bags look excellent with a Christmas sense.

If you do not want to spend the money on gift bags, you can wrap the gifts in newspaper. Now of course, this will seem very lazy and not look so nice under the tree, but it is environmentally sensible and no one will care what the gift was wrapped in after the gift is opened.

Other alternatives include just wrapping it in scrap paper, putting it in a plastic bag and simply not wrapping the gifts at all and only bringing them out on Christmas morning.

Don't feel guilty if you do not wrap a gift, there is no reason that every gift has to be wrapped every time. Once the gift is opened, most people will not care what the gift was wrapped in because it is just that, wrapping paper. You can easily make some excellent designs with paper. If you want to spice up the gift wrapped in scrap paper, make some origami puppets that will spruce up the gift.

It is the thought that counts when you buy a gift, and the thought has little to do with what the gift is wrapped in. This does not mean you should just forget about wrapping the gift, not that you have to, but at least put some sort of effort in so that the thrill of opening the gift still exists.

Perhaps, as a family, talk about how you will wrap the presents this year so no one is put out when they see their gift wrapped in yesterday's newspaper. Once you all know what to expect, no one will really care about the wrapping.