When my daughters were younger, my oldest came up with the idea of making reusable cloth gift bags. They had a blast creating them, and we’ve kept up the tradition of using these Christmas gift bags for wrapping presents. Here’s a simple guide on how to make your own holiday gift bags for this season!
To truly appreciate these cloth gift bags, you need to hear about the 20-year-old paper gift bags. These bags have become famous for appearing every year. I grew up in a budget-conscious family, and while we never lacked what we needed, we certainly didn’t get everything we desired. Many of my favorite childhood gifts were from garage sales, and my kids even play with some of those now. One such gift was a gift bag that had a life of its own.
My mom was a pro at not wasting resources before eco-consciousness became trendy. She wouldn’t discard a perfectly good gift bag, so they were reused year after year. After Christmas, she would carefully fold the bags and save them for the next year. We also saved bags from birthday parties for reuse. I believe they don’t make gift bags like they used to because those bags lasted for decades. I discovered one recently that was given to me as a child, and it was over 20 years old!
Although it’s amazing that the paper bag lasted that long, I knew most modern bags wouldn’t. So, our family switched to reusable fabric gift bags, which have been a fantastic choice. They’re sturdy and didn’t cost much more to make than buying disposable ones. Plus, if you shop during Christmas sales, you can find materials like organic cotton or muslin at a discount, making them even more affordable.
While we use these for Christmas, they’re versatile for other occasions too. You can make pastel-colored ones for Easter, or create some for birthdays and baby showers. We use cotton bags, but burlap would also be adorable. You can craft tall pouches as wine bags or bigger ones for storage. Smaller bags work great for jewelry or party favors. I’ve even used small organza bags to make naturally scented drawer fresheners.
There are many great reasons to switch to cloth gift bags! Holiday waste is a major concern and continues to grow. In the US alone, over 4 million pounds of gift wrap are used every year, mostly ending up in landfills, along with an extra 2 billion pounds of garbage generated during the holiday season. Reusable bags help tackle this problem and eliminate the need to buy wrapping paper again!
Have you ever spent hours wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? With six kids and lots of family members, we do a lot of gift wrapping. These bags have cut my wrapping time in half. Just pop the gifts inside, tie a ribbon, and you’re done! Plus, no more dealing with partially rolled-up wrapping paper tubes in the closet.
Though it’s subjective, I think these bags are way cuter than regular wrapping paper. Add a kraft paper tag to the ribbon or string for a lovely touch. If you’re short on time or not interested in making these yourself, you can find charming drawstring gift bags online. Consider these festive large bags made with Christmas-themed fabric. Whatever you choose, consider reusable options to help ease the burden on landfills.
The only minor downside is a bit of sewing, but it’s an easy project. My girls first made these when they were between ages 3 and 8, and they loved it! For an even simpler no-sew option, try making DIY T-shirt bags that can double as shopping bags.
How do you wrap gifts? Have you tried making DIY wrapping like this?