You know the horrid, horrid waste in gift-wrap overindulgence? (If not, 
go here.)
Well, here’s 2 ideas for to use your home-town friendliness factor to
save the earth,
show everyone how fun frugality can be,
and draw attention to your shop
as well as your merchandise’s “giftability.”
Idea #1: Simple and no-cost:
Set up a “gift[WRAP] exchange”: Via bag-stuffers, in-store signage, blog, Facebook, Twitter, invite your clientele to come swap their gift-wrap, ribbons, trims, with others (It was a mistake to buy that giant roll of Santa paper last year, wasn’t it? Everyone’s seen it…but there’s so much left, you can’t just go out and buy something different…) Simply set a corner, a large basket, aside for swapping. It’s fun, free, and friendly. Not to mention newsworthy. Of course, you and your BFFs and family will start off the collection with your swappables!
Idea #2: Pretty simple, not TOO expensive:
Have a “Girls’ Night Out” event sometime mid-December, and invite folks to bring in their gifts to wrap together: a GiftWrapping Bee! Bring your gifts to wrap, your wrapping supplies, and an appetite for turning a CHORE into a community celebration! We’ll have cider and carols, cookies and drawings for gift certificates! You can even swap out wrapping papers and get great ideas from others. We’ll bring the Scotch tape and the tissue paper, you bring the laughter and happiness!
And of course you’ll have some of the no-paper wrapping suggestions here available from your for-sale stock. Wrap it in this scarf...tuck it in this cunning little box for a double-present…how about tying on those cute little measuring spoons or using that great hairbow….
If you can manage to have a “gift-wrap expert” on hand giving demonstrations and you can publicize that you’ll have how-to’s, this evening event will be even better.
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
[…] (Side note: Make this topic into a promotion for your consignment, resale or thrift shop. Two ideas from Too Good to be Threw.) […]
I like both ideas! I have started a crafting corner (I used a big shelf system with bins, that we inherited with our new lease) to appeal to teachers and recyclers. I think adding gift wrap and such will be a nice use of the space. I am not high end, so this is a space that I will leave up all year. I felt it was a perfect excuse to advertise straight to all of our local schools!! With each mailer I will also include a small gift certificate to use on clothes (since all of the teachers know students who are in need).
And I’ve wanted to have a wrap/bag exchange with our ladies at church for awhile and I think doing it at my store would be a smart move. Don’t forget that Christmas isn’t the only holiday to swap…we have constant baby showers, so all of the ladies who have recently had babies have entirely too many baby bags – perfect to share with all those who will need them for the next round of showers! Also perfect for swapping wedding bags too. All of the new moms will need cute boy/girl bags and won’t have much use for the baby bags. Just a thought đ
[…] A small-town, shop-local, be-a-part-of-the-solution gift wrap possibility. […]