Managing the mess on Christmas morning by: Chica This post may contain affiliate links and we may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking them.

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Imagine if you will... it's Christmas morning and your kids are tearing through their presents, tossing bits of wrapping paper all over the place. Sure, you tried to reduce the waste with gift bags or other reusable gift wrap, but there's always still some paper trash to be had. Then there's the packaging from the toys that you open, and the mess starts piling up. The solution for most folks? A garbage bag. Raise your hand if you've ever had a giant plastic bag nearby to shove all the trash into as you go. That's just the way it goes, right?

Oh, but we've got a better idea! A reader named Kathy told us about her family's way of dealing with the mess and we just love it. They take a large, empty box and wrap the sides, then set it near the tree. On Christmas morning, it's so easy to toss all the trash inside. She shared a photo with us of her family using the trash box on Christmas morning, and you'll notice that the box looks perfectly at home around all the people and gifts. Much better than an ugly plastic bag would look!

I created my own trash box for Christmas this year, and I soon realized it can serve double duty. My husband and I always spend Christmas day with family at my sister's house, and that means packing up our gifts in whatever bag or box we can find. Oooh, but what if we used the trash box as a carrying box, too?

Then once it's unloaded and the presents start getting opened, we can use it again for holding all the trash in style!

Last year I actually make two boxes, and I used one for holding recyclable items and the other for stuff destined for the trash. That made it easy to be as green as possible with our Christmas morning waste.

This trash box idea works for parties and other gift-giving events, too. Imagine how much more elegant a bridal shower would be with a lovely wrapped box for trash instead of a giant Hefty!

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