A Greener Christmas 5 Easy Tips!

Living a more sustainable lifestyle, doesn’t have to be difficult, just a few small steps will help you on your way to having a more sustainable or “greener” lifestyle. Christmas is the time when many of us notice excessive lifestyles, just think about the excess packaging and food waste, so what better time to make small changes? Here are our tips to A Greener Christmas in 5 (easy) Tips!

1. Gifts.. Choose quality not quantity..

Only buy gifts which you know your recipient will love, those plastic joke presents – avoid them. They may be fun on Christmas day but where do you think they end up on Boxing day? If you really can’t resist buying some of those little gifts, check out your local charity shops, you’ll be amazed what you can find! Some Charity shops sell new ethically sourced gifts, and many get set donated unwanted gifts. Focus your shopping on ethical brands, or choosing items which might help your recipient to have a greener lifestyle – something as simple as a Bamboo travel cup for that friend who loves takeaway coffee!

2. Think how you wrap..

Most Christmas wrapping paper can’t be recycled, so why not treat your giftee to some paper you can plant from Eden’s Paper, paper with seeds in it, so your wrapping paper will grow into flowers! Or have a go at making your own wrapping paper out of paper which can be recycled? If you’re looking for a really easy but cool option, use vintage scarves (you can often find these very cheaply in charity shops) to have a go at Furoshiki – it’s quite easy honest!

3. Don’t WASTE it!

How much rubbish do you create over Christmas? I know from experience we tend to end up with full bins (both rubbish and recycling) actually The Guardian reported back in 2014 that around 25% more rubbish is generated during the festive season. Think about what you’re buying, do you need pre-packed carrots or would loose ones be just as good (and often cheaper). Remember to recycle as much as you can, did you know you can recycle those foil mince-pie cases?

4.  Don’t throw it! Up-Cycle it!

That Christmas jumper from last year? You hate it this year so you put it in the bin.. NO! Upcycle it into something fabulous, jumpers are really great fun to upcycle – a cushion is super easy to make from an old jumper! Or if you have a plain jumper you’re a bit bored of, why not refashion it into a fabulous and UNIQUE Christmas Jumper?

5. Decorate carefully

We keep our decorations year on year, I have some really cool vintage decorations which I found at a charity shop a few years ago, people always comment on them as they’re a bit unusual. I add to decorations with fir cones we find on walks, pop them into a bowl with cinnamon sticks which give a wonderful festive – natural scent, no need to buy an artificial home fragrance! This year I’m going to have a go at these spectacular ice lanterns!