Is There a Better Way to Wrap Presents?

Imagine a present. You probably think of it wrapped in colorful paper. People have been wrapping gifts for thousands of years. But gift wrapping didn’t make it to America until the 1800s.

Back then, wrapping paper cost a lot of money. That changed in the early 1900s. Two brothers started selling wrapping paper for 10 cents a sheet. Their paper sold out quickly. Wrapping paper soon became popular across the country.

Today, Americans spend billions of dollars a year on wrapping paper. But some people think buying wrapping paper is wasteful. They wonder: Is it time to start a new gift-wrapping tradition?

When you think of presents, you probably imagine boxes of all shapes and sizes wrapped in colorful paper and tied up with bright ribbons. (Are you dying to tear into them yet?)

People have been wrapping gifts for a long time. About 2,000 years ago in Korea, presents were covered in colorful cloth. And after paper was invented in China around the year 100, it was eventually used for wrapping gifts of money. The gift-wrapping tradition arrived in America in the 1800s. Back then, it was a luxury for the rich. But in 1917, two brothers in Missouri started selling wrapping paper for only 10 cents a sheet. It sold out, and from that small store wrapping paper spread across the U.S.

Today, Americans spend billions of dollars a year on wrapping paper. But some think wrapping paper is wasteful. It’s literally meant to be ripped off and thrown away.

Is it time to start a new gift-wrapping tradition?

Other people say that making your own wrapping paper takes a lot of time and effort. Wrapping gifts can already feel like a chore. One survey found that some people would rather wash dishes than wrap a present!

Of course, it’s always nice to add a personal touch to gift giving. But you already did that when you picked out your thoughtful gift. So why not save time by picking out wrapping paper at the store?

Besides, you can use wrapping paper and still care about the environment. Next time you unwrap a gift, do it carefully. Then you can use that paper again, instead of tossing it in the trash.

Or you could buy wrapping paper made from recycled materials. That way no new trees would be cut down to make the paper.

So, what do you think? Should we keep buying wrapping paper or start a new gift-wrapping tradition? 

But others don’t think wrapping paper is a useless waste. On the contrary, it can transform any object into something special.

The idea of creating your own wrapping paper is nice, but is it really practical? Wrapping gifts can already feel like a chore. One survey even found that some people would rather wash dishes or shovel snow than wrap a gift! You already spent time finding the perfect present. Why spend more time crafting wrapping when you can buy eye-catching paper at the store?

Besides, you can use wrapping paper and still care for the environment. Next time you unwrap a gift, do it carefully. Then you can use that paper again instead of tossing it in the trash. Or you could use wrapping paper that’s made from recycled materials, so you’d know
no new trees were cut down to make it.

So what do you think? Should we stop buying wrapping paper and find an alternative instead?