Follow the dotted line: The ingenious hack that will save you big on Christmas wrapping this year

Beautifully wrapped gifts really do enhance the stash of gifts piled under the Christmas tree but wrapping paper is becoming expensive and it’s not always environmentally friendly. With many Aussies feeling the cost-of-living pinch this year, it could become a grudge purchase for some.

But one astute shopper has made a wrapping paper discovery that may well assist thousands cut their Christmas shopping spending this year and reduce the amount of wrapping paper destined for landfills.

Melbourne-based mum of three, Shantelle Conway, took to Tik Tok to share her discovery when she realised that Woolworths’ 25c Christmas shopping bags can double up as wrapping paper.

“I did my shopping at Woolworths the other day and I got their reusable paper bags,” she said.

“And at the bottom, I could see a little scissors. So not only are they reusable for your shopping, but you can them as wrapping paper.

“And I bought this really cute cheese board … so I decided to chop one of the bags up and give it a go.

“It was pretty easy. I just cut both long ends and then the smaller ends.

“Then I laid the paper out, folded it over and stuck it all down.”

@shantelleconway0 #woolworths #reusable #wrappingpaper #christmas #fyp #fypシ #foryoupage ♬ All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey

Shoppers were quick to praise the Melbourne mum for sharing the clever hack while praising Woolworths for their ingenious innovation.

“Genius! Well done Woolies!” one said.

“I noticed that about the bag yesterday. Such a clever idea.”

“What a great idea!”

“How it was done in the 80s early 90s before plastic bags. My mum always used the brown paper bags for wrapping paper.”

Others were surprised at how well the wrapping turned out.

“I actually love this idea they had. So good. It doesn’t look bad either, I thought it would look super tacky,” another added.

While others were enthusiastic about the potential to reduce landfill waste and that there was no branding on the bags.

“Absolutely fantastic Shantelle this will help many people save money and stop landfill waste xx”

“AND there’s no advertising material on it either. Love Woolies.”

Earlier this year, in keeping with their pledge to discontinue the sale of plastic bags around Australia, Woolworths commenced with the gradual removal of their 15-cent plastic shopping bags. 

While the move elicited mixed reactions from shoppers, the action is expected to remove over 9,000 tonnes of plastic from circulation annually throughout the country.

The retail giant reported that 80 per cent of its patrons already bring their own bags during shopping excursions, prompting the company to persist in its efforts to promote sustainability by urging shoppers to bring their own bags rather than purchasing them in-store. However, Woolworths has continued to offer paper bags and other reusable options to customers who require them.

At the time Woolworths Supermarkets Director of Stores, Jeanette Fenske said, “We’re proud to be the first major supermarket to commit to removing these plastic shopping bags from our stores, and this change is an important step towards more sustainable grocery shopping across the country.”