Folk have resorted to sending me rubbish through the post.
Honestly! If you don't believe me, have a look below.
It might look like some innocent newspaper but can you see the Royal Mail sticker? Someone's really sent me some rubbish.
WOW! That's never happened to me before (with the exception of Mrs Green's sellotape reel of course).
When I picked it up it felt quite weighty. There was obviously something inside.
Fish and chips perhaps?
Well what else could be wrapped in newspaper?
"There's more to this than meets the eye." I thought, so I opened it carefully.
And I smiled, for inside the layers of newspaper there was a very pleasant surprise.
It was a beautifully wrapped gift, packaged in blue and white checked fabric, accompanied by a note wishing me luck.
It was then that I remembered the conversation I had last week with a lovely chap called Hugo, whose business The Green Giving Company makes a product called the Kerchief, a fabulous alternative to wrapping paper, which embraces the fine Japanese art of gift wrapping, called Furoshiki. Hugo had promised me some samples to try out and kept to his word to put some in the post. Carefully reused newspaper is his packaging of choice, which is very sustainable when it comes to sending out orders.
And how exciting.
He had also sent me a gift.
How kind. I had told him about my challenge last week and I was grateful for this unexpected token of support.
So, under the eager watch of my 4 year old, I carefully untied the knots. I couldn't wait to see what it was.
Yet with the most amazing control, I slowly unfolded the gorgeous check fabric, in anticipation of a pleasant treat.
Could it be chocolate?
A book?
Or was it some other special gift?
Er...
.....nope.
It was....ahem....
Yep, it was ...
...........a pile of bin bags.
"Bin bags Mummy?" said my 4 year old, scratching his head like Stan Laurel.
"Yes" I laughed, looking at the black shiny things laid out against the beautiful fabric wrapping.
What a cheeky chap, eh!
But how I chuckled.
Hee hee, with the reputation I've acquired over the last twelve months, it'll be no surprise that I haven't bought a pack of rubbish bags during all this time. And Hugo thought I might need some.
And I might, if I ignore my conscience that's standing in the way of this week's challenge.
We'll see.
But in the meantime, the great news is I've already had an opportunity to try out one of the Kerchiefs on a present I had bought to cheer up a good friend who's been having a tough time of late. But being a Furoshiki novice, I popped over to www.thegreengivingco.com for instructions.
And look what I created. I admit I had my doubts over how a Japanese idea could translate into western culture, but I am really pleased with the results.
Of course this is a very simple wrapping technique but The Green Giving Company website has lots more ideas on using more advanced techniques. I particularly love this Rabbit, which is a great way of wrapping up those unpackaged chocolate Eggheads sold by Cadbury.
Isn't it gorgeous. And just in time for Easter.
So huge thanks to Hugo for giving me a real rubbish laugh and for the samples to try out. I think I am now a Furoshiki convert. And at just £1.99 per Kerchief, I'll most definitely be trying more out.
But I couldn't chuck the newspaper in the bin. It's gone into the compost instead, together with the sellotape that was used to seal up the parcel. And as for the bin bags, we'll just have to wait to see what fate awaits them.
I might ask the experts for some advice. You see, it's tomorrow that I am going on my sponsored Bin Round, where I will be hard at work sticking recycling stickers on St Edmundsbury's wheelie bins to raise some cool cash for Comic Relief.
So while I am doing that, please feel free to discover the art of wrapping presents with fabric. Here's a little video below, which reveals how it is so easy to say bye bye to disposable gift wrap for good.
Furoshiki gift wrapping from RecycleNow on Vimeo.
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