Do you save and re-use bows?

[KBecks]

My family always re-used bows and decorations. My husband's family crumples them up with the paper and throws them away. I was wrapping gifts this morning and I need more bows so I thought this would be an interesting poll.

My parents were older and were kids during WWII, their parents experienced the Depression. I wonder if anyone else saves bows or if this is a rare thing?

We never saved paper... but that's interesting too.

[jgenie]

We don't do bows generally. I save gift bags, boxes & tissue paper to reuse. Might not be good enough for another gift but will somehow use it again. I hate to think of all that paper being wasted.

ETA: I also save all those odd size scraps of paper leftover after wrapping a gift.

[hez]

Always saved bows. Still do. It seems silly not to. Paper mostly went into the fireplace.

The exceptions were two pieces that got reused again & again, partially as a family joke/tradition. One was a paisley Christmas print my mom & grandfather exchanged, and one was a holographic print my brother was in love with. Both were reused 'til they were pretty tattered. I just found a holographic print similar to the one my brother liked, and bought him a roll as part of his Christmas present this year :)

[JenaW]

We save bows if they are in good shape, but not paper. My grandma saves every single piece of paper - gently unwraps gifts and removes the tape if she can, and refolds the paper neatly. In fact, when looking for something in the basement the other day, I found a stack of saved paper from my wedding shower (over 10 years old!!!). No clue how that survived two moves!

~J

[egoldber]

We save bows if they are in good shape. I have taken to using ribbon over the stick-on style bows in the last few years because it can be re-used indefinitely and still looks very nice.

As for wrapping paper, again over the last few years I started investing in sturdy gift bags and decroative gift boxes so that we don't generate as much waste. I try to stock up after the holidays when things are on clearance, that way the bags and boxes are inexpensive. :)

[MontrealMum]

My parents (OK, my mom) saved bows as well as longer ribbons and gift bags, and I do all those things too. Something interesting though is that DH's family saves paper. Not something I'd ever encountered before, but they are a decade older than my parents so age may have something to do with it. It's always funny to get your gift wrapped in paper that you used 5-6 years ago!

[Fairy]

I'll come out for the other side. We never save bows. We save gift bags if they're generic enough to be used again and if they're in excellent shape. The minute they get a crease in them, they're recycle fodder.

I don't mind getting a bow or bag that's been used before. But I will fully admit that it annoys me to see a gift that has a really worn bow or a gift bag that's seen much better days. It just seems cheap to me. There are so many ways to get cheaply creative that there is no real need to use something in bad shape.

Me, myself? I never save bows. I do, however, take them and stick them on my head or around my neck so that by the end of Xmas I look like a ribbon bouquet ready to walk down the aisle at the rehearsal dinner . . .

[elliput]

Yes, if they are in good shape. If crushed or smooshed, no.

[mdb78]

We never used bows. If there was a bow, unfortunately it would go straight to the trash. We only save gift bags (if in good condition).

[octmom]

I've never liked most of the stick-on bows, so I don't use them often. If I have lots of time (and I never do since I am usually a last -minute wrapper), I will try to use ribbon. I do save that to re-use if it is real ribbon (not curling ribbon), but it often ends up becoming something the kids run around with until it gets tattered. I save gift bags to re-use if they are in good shape. Problem is that I tend to buy more when I see a good deal (after Christmas) and I end up with a stockpile at home. I also don't usually write on tags attached to gift bags when I give a gift to someone else, so that they can re-use it. Silly, I suppose, but it's a habit.

[egoldber]

I also don't usually write on tags attached to gift bags when I give a gift to someone else, so that they can re-use it. Silly, I suppose, but it's a habit

I don't write on them either. And if I am re-using one given to us, I just tear off the written on tag and make my own. A hole punch and pretty ribbon/yarn makes a whole new tag.

We moved to the bags mainly to cut down on waste. It just KILLS me to throw away garbage bags of paper.

[hellokitty]

Lol, I'm going to be obnoxious and vote, "other." I sometimes re-use bows. I know it sounds really cheap of me, but if it is just bows for my own kids and DH, I will use a new bow, but just stick some scotch tape at the bottom, so the, "real" sticky is still new (so the wax paper is still on the sticky part). That way when I want to use the bow for someone else, it is still pretty much a new bow, b/c the scotch tape is on the wax paper part. My kids and DH don't care, so that is why I don't mind being thrifty about it and preserving the, unused sticker for someone else. I'll re-use curly ribbon bunches if they don't look used.

I do it this way, b/c my parents were totally ANAL about re-using bows. It always felt so tacky for me to re-use obviously used bows (with lint or other wrapping paper stuck to the bottom) and then dealing with the scotch tape not stay on well, etc.. Our own family didn't care of course, but it was embarrassing for me (I was the one who always wrapped all of the gifts) to give someone else, not in our immediate family an obviously used bow, b/c really they are so inexpensive, I think it looks kind of bad that you aren't willing to spend like 10 cents for a new bow, kwim?

[clb]

I save bows and bags.
I also save junk mail envelopes for grocery shopping lists. Envelopes are perfect for holding my coupons.

My parents were Depression children so we were also taught not to waste anything. I remember my grandparents saved the plastic bags that bread came in to reuse it… blueberry cartons too. It is definitely a Great Depression thing.

I think it is a good thing, but it's sort of funny to me how society is starting to come back to this sort of way/attitude of the past, IYKWIM. Less waste is better for the environment. Open ended toys are good for children.

[kijip]

I save most bows, ribbons, bags and paper (it it is nice paper). I don't save smashed up or worn looking bows. We use real ribbon here and tie our own bows. Real ribbon is expensive and lasts forever, so I figure why not save it.

[MMMommy]

The bows I use are always the not so good, whatever is on sale, cheap bows. So hardly reusable b/c the adhesive barely works new!

[maiaann]

We save bows. When my DH and I first met, he thought I was insane for saving the bows. I can't imagine not saving them - unless they are damaged, of course. When I was a child, my entire family (cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.) would gather at my grandparent's house on Christmas Eve. After we finished opening gifts, someone would walk around with a gi-normous trash bag picking up scraps of paper. Someone else would walk around with another bag picking up bows. To this day, I remember my aunt yelling "save the bows," "don't throw away the bows." I guess it's just how I was raised.

BTW, shoe boxes & decorative popcorn tins are EXCELLENT for storing reusable bows.

[maestramommy]

I vote yes, even though I hardly save bows. One reason is I don't get them often. But I do save wrapping paper and gift bags. It seems like such a waste not to!

[MontrealMum]

My parents were Depression children so we were also taught not to waste anything. I remember my grandparents saved the plastic bags that bread came in to reuse it… blueberry cartons too. It is definitely a Great Depression thing.


This is my ILs to a T. My MIL saves bar handsoap and uses it for the dishes. She freezes in milk cartons and bags (we have a funny thing here called bag milk), and carries lunches in bread bags. DH does the bread bag thing too, though I've warned him that now that we have a kid I'm going to be needing those for DS's boots! She hand washes much of their laundry and hangs it all to dry - all year long. Talk about some stiff towels! If we ever need anything for the home, from doorknobs to carpets, we always ask them first. Their basement is like a hardware store...of course, some of the things like the space heaters might be better off not being used, but it's pretty impressive otherwise.

[C99]

The first time my MIL did this, I thought she was a fruit loop. I didn't realize how common the practice is until I managed to offend 2/3 of a message board I was on at the time. It was not something my family of origin did, and we were rarely around grandparents, aunts & uncles, etc. on the holidays to observe what they did. I voted that we don't reuse bows, but that is less because of family of origin practice as my own practice, which is not to use them at all. I don't even like using wrapping paper anymore and prefer to use either fabric or newspaper to wrap our presents.

[oneplustwo]

Yup, reuse bows and gift bags if they're in good condition. Also reuse birthday candles although I may be the only one in the world who does so. But they're lit for only a few seconds and they look fine after, so they get washed and put away for the next family birthday.

[egoldber]

Also reuse birthday candles although I may be the only one in the world who does so.

LOL! I do that too! Although I buy the numeral candles so they are bigger and more expensive.

My parents and ILs were Depression era, so I guess this all just came naturally to me. My MIL washes and re-uses toothpicks. I'm not that bad. ;)

[Asianmommy]

Yes, we save bows & ribbons, but not wrapping paper. Perfect-looking bows are too pretty to put in the trash.

[DrSally]

If they're still nice and not smooshed, sure.

ETA: I agree it depends on how you grew up. I also save pretty ribbon from packages, good giftbags, tissue paper if it's fun pattern, but not wrapping paper.

[elephantmeg]

Yup, reuse bows and gift bags if they're in good condition. Also reuse birthday candles although I may be the only one in the world who does so. But they're lit for only a few seconds and they look fine after, so they get washed and put away for the next family birthday.

not the only one. We do too!

[Melaine]

Yep, re-use bows, ribbon, bags, tissue paper, birthday candles....I mean as long as they are all still looking new-ish.
I mean, seriously, my budget for gifts is LOW (can you say BARGAINS). I buy inexpensive cards or make my own and re-use wrapping materials so you can have an extra $5 put into my buying your gift, ykwim?

[fivi2]

My mom used to save bows. I rarely use them.

Just wanted to add my cheap wrapping paper solution. Now that I have kids, I use their artwork as wrapping. I let them draw on paper (or some of the brown paper gift bags that are pretty cheap) and I just write their name and the recipient's name in marker on the drawing. Kind of like a card and wrapping in one :) I have done this for close family and for children's (my kids' friends) birthday gifts. I wouldn't use for other adults, though!

[jent]

This post hit such a nerve because it is such a point of contention between DH & me. Actually, not the reusing bows part-- I'm fine with reusing bows if they look nice, but I don't actually use them much.

DH & his family are rabidly environmentalist & have always saved and reused paper until it's falling apart. This drives me crazy for two reasons because 1) I like the gifts to look nice and 2) It takes so much longer to use rewrapped paper and make it look good. But, they've really opened my eyes to how much paper we've wasted. So now, each Christmas I feel guilty both ways-- for overusing new paper, and for having crappy-looking reused paper. At least the IL's don't mind if it looks crappy. We've sent back & forth a couple of the same pieces now.

Can you believe, I've actually thought up in advance what to tell my daughter if she notices that Santa reuses paper? "That's because Santa knows we're environmentalists, honey." Actually, I'm thinking of using "Santa bags" (like big stockings) each year instead of paper.

[shawnandangel]

I make my own bows every year and I reuse bows as well. I also reuse tissue paper and gift bags and gift boxes

[MontrealMum]

In addition to reusing paper, my MIL (who sews) makes fabric bags out of "festive" cloth to put gifts in. They look sort of like shoe bags and are actually quite nice for oddly shaped items, and for keeping things in afterwards.

[elektra]

I'm not sure if my mother has ever thrown a bow out in her life. We would get the most crumpled, smashed, ratty bows you can imagine.
I myself do still save them, but if they are too smashed they get tossed.

[C99]

LOL! I do that too! Although I buy the numeral candles so they are bigger and more expensive.

Me too! My MIL scrapes food back into the pot from my kids' plates. Yuck!

[niccig]

My mom used to save bows. I rarely use them.

Just wanted to add my cheap wrapping paper solution. Now that I have kids, I use their artwork as wrapping. I let them draw on paper (or some of the brown paper gift bags that are pretty cheap) and I just write their name and the recipient's name in marker on the drawing. Kind of like a card and wrapping in one :) I have done this for close family and for children's (my kids' friends) birthday gifts. I wouldn't use for other adults, though!

We have a stack of packing paper from when we moved 4 years ago. For the last 2 years, all kids gifts were wrapped in this with DS scribbling on the paper, putting stickers on them (I got books at $1 store). I then tie curling ribbon around it. No one minds. We did go to a party from preschool, and I used wrapping paper for that, don't know those parents too well yet. But next year's party, will be the packing paper again.

[clb]

Can you believe, I've actually thought up in advance what to tell my daughter if she notices that Santa reuses paper? "That's because Santa knows we're environmentalists, honey." Actually, I'm thinking of using "Santa bags" (like big stockings) each year instead of paper.

Santa bags sound like a great idea.
If it helps, when I was growing up, Santa only used white tissue paper to wrap presents.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Santa bags sound like a great idea.
If it helps, when I was growing up, Santa only used white tissue paper to wrap presents.

Santa used garbage bags when I was a kid- which is appalling to dh but I loved! :) There would be a nice bow tied on it but otherwise it was a garbage bags. Nowadays you can be all fancy with those Pottery Barn sacks. :)

Beth