Might seem a no-brainer, but included in the list of greeting cards to NOT recycle should be cards with sound or lights.

today

shred the old wrapping paper and use between gifts and in gift bags.
Use boxes with lids, wrap the box pieces separately in Christmas paper place a bow on top and the name of the person who's gift its is. Place under the tree for all the gifts for that person.. No more wrapping gifts everybody has its own box and all gifts can go in there if they fit. After the Season is over, the boxes will store the tree ornaments.

My grandma made a game of saving wrapping paper, bags, bows, and ribbons for year after year. We always joked about who got which bit of paper or which bow from the year before. Now I'm the paper saver in my family, and everyone comes to me for wrapping supplies. We use it to cover old fragile books, or boxes upcycled into office supplies as well. It also works as a drawer liner in a pinch too, and the little splashes of color bring joy.

I buy a lot of my holiday items at the good will outlet. I get new wrapping paper, cards, ornaments ets. I get new gift bags all the time there. I also recycle my wrapping paper whenever possible.