I recycle gifts - quality gifts that I think a relative, friend or child's teacher would appreciate - something I would have bought for them myself if someone hadn't given it to me first. Honest!

I also recycle boxes - interesting boxes. Mrs. Field's cookies come in an array of colorful boxes. Note card boxes are pretty enough to be jewelry boxes and my jeweler's boxes already look gift wrapped. I may be putting my foot in my mouth, but shoe boxes can be great gift boxes too if you cover the forever-stuck-on, size sticker with wide ribbon.

Because I'm gift wrapping challenged, a pretty piece of real ribbon around a unique box works for me. Besides...it's the thought that counts; and I am thinking outside the box.

In my family I was the middle girl and wore my share of recycled clothes. By the third grade I was embarrassed because I was taller than all the boys in my class, but the glass was still half full. I was too tall to wear my older sister's clothes anymore.

Thrift stores are Meccas for recycled clothes and provide opportunities to turn clothes you no longer wear into money for a worthy cause. Before my girlfriend has a chance to donate her clothes, her daughters recycle them into their closets - but worthiness, like charity, begins at home.

Being a parent makes you a human recycler and you hope your genes are put to even better use by your children - especially as you think of them as designer genes.

If your genetic offspring didn't think much of the Salisbury steak you served last night, add milk, bread and eggs and recycle it as meatballs.

Then there's your mother-in-law, who doesn't think much of your housekeeping. Tell her you're collecting the dust kitties to make hair for her grandchild's Halloween mask. A use and an excuse - it doesn't get much better than that.

Reruns are recycled TV and syndicated programs are recycled radio. Unfortunately, recycling can be negative. Gossip is recycled rumors and divorce recycles spouses.

Words spoken without thinking can't be recycled. Words spoken with thought turn into newspaper editorials, which are recycled opinions. There have been several occasions I've wanted to buy a bird. Then I could recycle some opinions about recycled politicians on the bottom of the bird's cage.