Is this post too late? Hopefully not – there are still a few days until Christmas. Continuing the theme, ‘Christmas doesn’t have to come at the cost of the planet’.

This is a time for joy, love, and giving BUT it often comes with a surge in waste and environmental impact. This year, let’s strive for a greener Christmas by making conscious choices.

Here are a few simple ways to make your festive season more sustainable – that means having no or little negative impact on the planet and its resources. Focusing on ‘shopping, ‘gifting’ and ‘eco-friendly decorations’ in this blog.

Shop Local, Shop Small

  • Support Your Community: By shopping local, you’re not only supporting your community but also reducing the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation. And if you are close enough, you can get some exercise walking there by leaving the car behind.
  • Unique and Personalised Gifts: Local businesses often offer unique, handcrafted gifts that are perfect for the holiday season. Look out for the craft fairs at local schools, libraries and community centres which are often excellent for supporting individuals and small businesses, keeping the economy local.

Sustainable Shopping

  • Ethical and Eco-Friendly Brands: Look for brands that prioritise sustainability, fair trade, and ethical practices. I’ve just written about Lagavulin/Diageo‘s sustainability programmes. A couple of other ideas to get you started, Divine chocolate, or my favourite Scottish chocolatier Explore Chocolate. Here’s another favourite, Stand4Socks – every pair you buy one pair of extra warm socks are donated to a homeless person. As a B-Corp Certified organisation you know they meet a high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. Look for other B-Corps too.
  • Recycled and Sustainable Materials: Choose gifts made from recycled materials, such as recycled paper or organic cotton.
  • Minimalist Gifting: Consider the impact of excessive gift-giving. Opt for quality over quantity, and focus on thoughtful, meaningful presents. This is where you can fast forward to the ‘Homemade with Love’ section.
  • Experiences and Sponsorships: Vouchers for experiences can be thoughtful and eco-friendly.  As can sponsoring a Raptor or an animal or a region like Antarctica, through one of the small bespoke charities. What about grouping the family together and having a coral reef put in the sea in your name? You can help the planet so many ways! Of course, here are a few that I write about often:
  • Secondhand Wonders: Give pre-loved gifts a new home. Charity shops, vintage stores, and online marketplaces are treasure troves for unique and sustainable finds. Give something a new lease of life!  

Homemade with Love

  • DIY Gifts: Homemade gifts are not only thoughtful but also environmentally friendly. Consider baking cookies, making candles, or crafting personalised artwork. Here’s a few below that I have made but also been given.
  • Upcycling: Give old items a new life by upcycling them into unique gifts. Think about what you already have and make something from those materials.

Busy making gnomes from local cones
A labour of love, my first attempt at a Christmas Tree Skirt for some very good friends. With a nod to my Scottish Heritage
Always a penguin…
A lovely young lady made this for me, at our local Pottery Cafe. I adore it!

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Eco-Friendly Decorations

  • Natural Decorations: Use natural materials like pine cones, dried oranges, and cinnamon sticks to decorate your home. Not only for yourself but for thoughtful home-made gifts.I have found they are really easy to turn into gifts and decorations for your own tree.
  • Sustainable Ornaments: Choose ornaments made from sustainable materials, such as recycled glass or wood.
  • LED Lights: Opt for energy-efficient LED lights to illuminate your home, both inside and outside.
These tree gifts and home decorations are made from larch cones from a nearby tree and wooden snowflakes with raffia hangers
Natural decorations of pine cones, friend oranges and limes looks suerper by on a tree.
This handmade wooden decoration from Lapland supports their local economy
So enjoyed turning cones into gnomes!

A Green Christmas Dinner

  • Local and Seasonal Produce: Incorporate locally sourced and seasonal ingredients into your Christmas dinner. There tend to be more markets around this time of year, so look out for the seasonable vegetables and fruit, its both better for you and supports the local economy, reducing those food miles.
  • It’s Only Two Days: The reality in the UK is that our shops are shut for one day – occasional two for some local food stores! Try not to overbuy food, if you run out of something, it won’t be long before you can pop to the shops! If like me, you are lucky enough to live in a really community focused street, with an active WhatsApp group where we share resources, I am positive if there is anything crucial you are without, you might ask your neighbours for a short term loan – just until the shops are back open.
  • Reduce Food Waste: Plan your menu carefully and avoid overbuying. Think about how you can utilise your freezer, especially for all of that extra turkey there is always left over! It could feed you for several weeks without getting tired of it.
  • Sustainable Packaging: Use reusable or compostable packaging for leftovers. They are worth investing in and will save both the planet and you money in the long run.

By making small changes, we can celebrate a more sustainable Christmas. Let’s embrace the spirit of the season while minmising our environmental impact.