Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

We take Greene Christmas very seriously. Not only is it "Greene" Christmas, it is "green" Christmas. Complete with a recycling bin in the living room. And it has been that way even before it was the trendy thing to do. In the past, we would reuse the paper, but my mom just "can't find durable quality paper like they used to make." So, now it is off to the recycling bin. Note: ribbon and boxes are reused. And there was definitely a crunch for boxes this year. Thank you Emily for the gift I received that was oh so nicely packaged in a tampon box. Yes, it's true. She did. Personal hygiene packing aside, here is how the Greene gifting system works.

Clearly, gifts must be wrapped is a presentable fashion. The packaging is half of the present.


They also must be wrapped using the family member's designated paper. Gift tags are an unnecessary nuisance. This system eliminates the need for them all together. Unless of course you use the random Chinese take out box to wrap something. Then you need to use a gift tag. (I am willing to bet that my mom never saw that there...)

Here Emily is demonstrating the art of rolling the ribbon (to be used again next year). And she is displaying her paper for 2009. Side note: pelting ribbon rolls at others is a fun holiday pastime.

This system has worked beautifully for years. And my mom can coordinate all of the paper to be aesthetically pleasing as the gifts that lay under the tree. We truly have it down to a science or an art. I'm not sure which actually applies in that setting. Well, we almost have it down. You see, this year, my dad was so proud of the gifts that he wrapped. At least, he was so proud until he realized that he wrapped them all in the same paper. The yellow paper with holly to be exact. The paper designated for all of my mother's gift. Major Greene Christmas faux paux. So, he found himself with a bit of a dilemma. Does he rewrap all of the gifts he just wrapped and waste paper. Or... ::gasp:: does he use a nearly forbidden tacky name tag?

Well, since he is my dad, he did neither. Here was his solution:

He decided to cut a tiny square of paper to label each present. So now, this one clearly (sorta) belongs to Sarah.

Not quite the Martha Stewart Christmas my mom had envisioned. But it got a great laugh. In a Charlie Brown Christmas kind of way.

Now if only there was some way to reduce the noise level that the combination of competitive natures and super mario brothers creates. We are thankful that there is no homeowner's association to upset. And the police have only been out to the house twice.... I think my mom placed the anonymous complaint.