Ottakee Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 I know that we reuse them several times but I didn't realize how much we reuse them until we found a bag that said "To Philip From Grandma" on it..........and he was a foster child we had as an infant who is now 13 years old. Guess we are frugal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 I am a believer in reusing gift bags until they are no longer presentable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piraterose Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Not only do we use the same bags, but we use them for the same purpose. I have a red gift bag with an angel on it that has a tag that says "To: 'Boo' From: Santa". Every year since my daughter was born, I have given that bag to her with her Christmas Eve pajamas and her annual ornament the night before Christmas. She has yet to realize it's the same bag (or for that matter, that it's mommy's handwriting). :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 We have a big plastic Garfield bag that says 'Now THIS is a gift" that has been in use since 1990. It's tradition. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Us too. I can't see any reason to get rid of them. They are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Not just bags but bows, tissue paper and shirt boxes. Every year after Christmas I smooth and flatten everything down and store it for the next year. I usually 'retire' anything too ratty and add a few 'fresh' items each year. Now the paper changes each year. We pick 'themes' for each year. This year is black and white. The tree and all the gifts look beautiful and classy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Yep, us too. I have a very large bag in which I keep all the smaller ones neatly folded and packed until the next year. I also have one with birthday bags. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 I reuse them, too. My mother-in-law and I used to have one that we gave each other back and forth. One year I'd give her a gift in it, and then I'd get it back the next. It got torn up when she moved from one house to another, and we haven't restarted the tradition yet. It'd be fun, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Buckin' Longhorn Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Again and again! THAT'S recycling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Yes. We reuse wrapping paper as well (no tape is used on packages, just ribbons- so nothing rips when the package is opened). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annandatje Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 We reuse gift bags until they appear very obviously used. Then we recycle them in cars as trash bag holders with plastic grocery bag removable "liner." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 We definitely reuse them. I have a whole box full of gift bags, even though I've never purchased a single one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 I reuse bags and tissue paper until they aren't presentable. Then I cut the bags up to use as project materials such as collages and I've reused the bag handles to hang small projects up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 :lol: I'm with ya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Yep. You may even get a Christmas gift bag for a birthday. It's all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 We (I) reuse them here. This year, though, DH wrapped gifts. I usually pull the bags with names already on them and try to match them up with the gifts. Not him, He took a sharpie and scribbled out the previous names and wrote new ones on the bags. They look rather tacky, but I'm still keeping them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Yep. We also reuse nice bows and ribbon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Now the paper changes each year. We pick 'themes' for each year. This year is black and white. The tree and all the gifts look beautiful and classy. Oooh -- I like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 I know that we reuse them several times but I didn't realize how much we reuse them until we found a bag that said "To Philip From Grandma" on it..........and he was a foster child we had as an infant who is now 13 years old. Guess we are frugal. Yes, we've reused gift bags b/t family members for about 10 years, and I don't see anything wrong with it. We have a large extended family on my side and we used to draw names for adult couples and buy for the kids. But, that was still hard for some of us when there were 12 or more kids to buy for. We have since stopped even drawing names and really just buy for our "own" kids. I still reuse gift bags when I can. Regarding birthdays....I know that my dd "inherited" a pre-owned bag with her gift in it. As long as it's not falling apart and in decent shape, I'm totally fine with this. That makes us frugal too. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Absolutely. We actually each have our own favorite gift bag for the holidays. When they wear out, I may make something a bit more durable, but they're holding up well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMW Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 As long as they look nice, still. I try to use new ones for gifts that leave the house... for others... That way I don't give them the bag they gave to us! I LOVE the idea of a color theme for wrapping paper. Today I was admiring mil's gifts. She buys the loveliest paper and bows and they look simply gorgeous! Maybe someday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 You mean some people DON'T reuse gift bags?! We pass them back and forth between me, my mom, and my SIL. Back and forth and back they go. Where they stop, nobody knows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 You mean some people DON'T reuse gift bags?! We pass them back and forth between me, my mom, and my SIL. Back and forth and back they go. Where they stop, nobody knows! That was my thought--who DOESN'T reuse gift bags?, lol. Ours also travel throughout the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Frugal. I like that! I have some boxes and bows that I was using before we moved here, which is now 13 years, so I was just thinking the same thing. Why not reuse them if you have someplace to store them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Oh yes, boxes, bows, bags, ribbon, tissue paper........Definitely! :D In fact I was wrapping some stuff yesterday and found a little box that has dd's name on it that I was able to use for her again. I think I got a little package of boxes on an after-Christmas sale 7, or maybe 8, years ago (after we moved to this house), and we're still using them. As a PP said, I flatten things out and put them in a bin to put with the Christmas stuff 'til the next year. We also have birthday and just "general" gift bags and tissue paper that we can use as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakereese Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 I am a believer in reusing gift bags until they are no longer presentable. :iagree: We also have a couple that have been used for years and are kind of a family joke. :) I haven't bought gift bag for a very, very long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaMa2005 Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Yes, yes, yes. I am so bad that when people are throwing away bags at baby showers, I ask for them. By now, all my friends know to save the bags for me (and some even refold the tissue paper). We haven't bought a bag in YEARS. I love being frugal!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Absolutely we reuse them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Yes, I do that with birthday and other gift wraps, too. I have one of those tupperware type storage cabinets in my storage room where I keep stuff. I don't break the boxes down, but just stack them on top of the cabinet.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 We reuse gift bags, tissue paper, and boxes until they look ratty. I have a shelf in my laundry room to store them. I can't remember the last time I bought a gift bag! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Oh, definitely. That is why we buy them - to put less trash on the planet. Now, I am regretting not doing more of that this year, but we have a couple gifts that I REALLY didn't want my kids to peek at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristavws Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 I am a believer in reusing gift bags until they are no longer presentable. I also reuse gift boxes. I haven't started reusing the wrapping paper....yet ;) Krista Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary in VA Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 I am a believer in reusing gift bags until they are no longer presentable. :iagree: Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted December 26, 2010 Share Posted December 26, 2010 We were just joking because my gift from dh was placed in a bag that I know we've had since gift bags were a "new" thing! 20 years? Possibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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