By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer

First: I'm not condoning the use of paper bags. Whenever possible, chose reusable: keep a few in the trunk of your car (I like the brown-bag sized ones they sell for 99 cents at Whole Foods), or have a fold-up one handy in your purse (I like Baggu bags that fold up super tiny).

Second: If you find yourself with a paper bag or two (when purchasing more than your reusable bags can carry, and your market is out of stock on the reusable supply), find a way to make use of them.

Yes, I'm the crazy green type that feels guilty carrying a plastic bag out of the drug store (would rather awkwardly stuff everything into my jacket pockets) or a paper cup out of a coffee shop. I've got to practice what I preach, right?

So last week, finding myself in the above said situation, and inspired by Katie Chamber's "Gift tags from TJ's bags" idea over at Ink and Post, I got creative. As little holiday gifts for some friends I bought a bunch of Seeds of Change organic chocolate bars (1% of net sales supports the cause of sustainable organic agriculture worldwide) and dolled them up. I simply cut up the paper bag so that the holiday graphics became a little bar wrap I could write on. I then gave it a little gold glimmer touch with a clip of ribbon, secured with tape on the back side.

So easy! New years eve party gifts??

Check out more of our reuse wrapping ideas here.