By T. J. BANKS

The holidays have a kind of sparkling magic about them, especially for children.  But when the magic has faded away, there’s all that wrapping paper, ribbon, glitter, and what-not to deal with.  And very little of it is biodegradable.

That’s changing, however.

Eco-friendly wrapping paper is now a “thing,” and it’s here to stay.  It’s made from recycled materials or sustainable alternatives – recycled paper, vegetable-based inks or plant-based materials, such as hemp or bamboo.  “Traditional wrapping paper often contains plastic coatings, glitter, and metallic inks that make it non-recyclable and contribute to pollution and waste,” Tutu’s Green World observes.  “By opting for eco-friendly options, we can reduce the demand for virgin materials, minimize deforestation, and decrease our carbon footprint.”

You can purchase a surprising number of sustainable alternatives to traditional gift wrap on-line.  But you can also find many close at hand:

Plain brown paper.  Remember those brown-bag covers you used to make for your textbooks back in grade school?  Same principle.  Also, framers often wrap up their finished work in large sheets of brown paper. Need I say more?

Stone paper.  It’s 80 per cent recycled limestone or marble, crushed and mixed with high-density polyethylene (HDPE).  It has a much smaller environmental footprint than virgin/recycled paper, and you save a lot of trees.

Newspapers, wallpaper remnants, and even some magazines.

Baskets and tins. They make for a charming, informal look and can be re-used in oh-so-many ways.

Plus, you can always head to the local thrift and antique shops.  These places are “great for affordable and sustainable gift wrap ideas,” says eco-savvy writer Aiden Wicker.  Tea towels, old maps, vintage tablecloths and handkerchiefs…all of these things can be turned into one-of-a-kind wrapping paper.  And for that decorative touch, you can always fasten a vintage brooch or ornament on the package. Now, that’s pretty magical, too.