Dec 11, 20213 min read

Create a Sustainable Christmas

In the changing times I think something that we are all thinking of is how do I have a sustainable and eco-friendly Christmas?

Think about the presents that you buy, is the item going to get used or just thrown away? Wrapping presents in kraft of similar recyclable material and decorating with natural decorations. Make your own Christmas crackers with decent presents and not just plastic rubbish which will end up in landfill! Buy sustainable or recyclable decorations.

Buying Presents

Every year we buy present for our friends and family. For lots this is important and we don't want to give it up and when it comes to buying presents we can make changes to be more sustainable.

Buy presents for friends and family which they will use. Ask them what they would like as a present and if you really love to give a surprise think about what they need, the interests and hobbies that they are interested in.
Think about where you are buying presents from, ask yourself if you know that the gift is sustainable. For example when buying clothes, do you know if theyre being ethically made. An example of an ethical clothing brand that I love is NA-KD. As well as selling sustainable and recycled clothing with offset CO2 deliveries and returns, they also have a preloved section where you can buy at a discount.
If you don’t know the recipient that well here is a list of sustainable gift ideas that is versatile.

Gift Examples:

Wrapping

Wrapping presents is a great way to get creative and to create something that the recipient will be so excited to open.

Lots of gift wrap contains a plastic coating and often means it cannot be recycled or gives off toxins when burnt. Kraft paper is one of the best ways to wrap your gifts, and if you don’t like the boring brown you can get this paper in different colours! You could even decorate the paper using paint and cut a potato to create a stamp. Secure the gifts with a natural product such as twine. You could also use natural product to decorate your gifts such as pinecones and candy canes make great ideas for kids presents.

Pictured coloured Kraft paper from Etsy - WreathArtGifts.

Christmas Crackers

Crackers are a staple at the table for Christmas, often we buy these from the supermarket, we pull them read out a cheesy joke, put on the hat and soon forget about the plastic magic trick or puzzle. You can now buy more eco-friendly crackers for only a little more than normal ones. Another option is to create your own, this way you could personalise the crackers for the individual who is pulling it.

You can either buy a kit or follow instructions here Here are some ideas for cracker gifts:

Buying Sustainable Decorations

Very much the trend this year is scandi decorations, this encompasses sustainable decorations. Decoration made from sustainable and natural materials are popular in Scandinavian countries. It's important to protect our environment and this has driven the popularity of this style of decoration. Natural materials include wood, paper and dried flowers. If you love the Scandi trend I have covered it in more detail here.

If you love to buy every year try to avoid cheap plastic decorations, and think about buying for the long term. Buy decorations that will stand the test of time and not fall into trends and fads that are for the short term.

Paper decorations can be handmade or bought. There are some amazing intricate designs of some paper decorations that are tricky but rewarding to make! Beaded wooden garlands are popular, an idea to style these yourself is to purchase and add decorations yourself for a totally personalised garland.

Paper decorations and beaded garland pictured are from Layered Lounge.