It’s the most wonderful time of year, though, without bursting your bauble… it’s not always the most sustainable. The season to be jolly can be, well… the least joyful for our planet. Wildlife and Countryside reported that up to 114,000 tonnes of plastic packaging is thrown away every Christmas. That’s 3.3 million penguins in plastic waste! The good news is together, we can make a difference without losing the magic of the season. From eco-gifting to delicious vegan recipes, plenty of planet-friendly ways exist to get into the festive spirit! So grab yourself a mince pie and read on – here are five merry ideas for a sustainable Christmas.  

Green food for thought

A belly-busting 4 million Christmas dinners go to waste yearly in the UK. That’s over 2 million turkeys! Now, there is no need to go hungry; what’s Christmas without a food coma? However, being mindful about what you eat is a delicious way to make Christmas more sustainable. Just ask Josie Clemens. Josie is an international vegan chef on a mission to create a better world. How? By instilling vegan menus in all major chains and restaurant groups and looking to make your diet a little more eco-friendly? Swap prawn cocktails for her Zero waste soup bread bowl this Christmas!

A few more tips…

• Good things come to those who plan, and Santa is watching… write a shopping list and try to stick to it! Do you need those extra twiglets and tub of Roses?
• Check those best-before dates. Please ensure they are not before Christmas, especially all the finger food! Keep your belly full, though. Try to keep the bin empty!
• The gift of giving… can’t bear to look at another potato? Instead of throwing food away, donating to food banks is a generous way to make Christmas more sustainable.

Get eco-friendly at home

Tis’ the season to get cosy… of course it is! However, keep the planet at heart as you snuggle up with a glass of eggnog… We all need to be mindful of keeping our homes more sustainable. Go for planet-friendly resources like bamboo, becoming the go-to for seriously soft bedding and homeware. And it’s no surprise as to why – feel it. Switching up your bedding for bamboo is a winner, winner Christmas dinner for you and the planet! And after wrapping all those presents and festive fun, you will want something silky soft to lay down your sweet head. Haven’t quite finished those Christmas present lists yet? Well, here’s a merry idea… you will find eco-friendly bed sets, eye masks and snoozing essentials galore right here on our site.

A few more tips…

Deck the halls with decorations that will last a lifetime – think wood, fabric, and glass over plastic and PVC. The best bit? They can be popped in a box and put back on the tree next year! Speaking of tree’s….

Go real – A sustainable Christmas doesn’t come much greener than choosing a real tree!

Make your cuppa ethical – There will be plenty of putting your feet up with a good cuppa over Christmas. Make it planet-friendly by using vegan milk like oat, almond, or coconut. Perfect with a few Xmas choccies. 

Go planet-friendly on gift wrap

When it comes to wrapping presents, you either love or hate it. Let’s face it: part of the fun of the big day is tearing off the paper. Who doesn’t love guessing what’s in the pretty wrapped boxes under the tree? Though wrapping paper and packaging can play a big part in the tonnes of waste that comes with Christmas. The good news? Searches for sustainable wrapping paper are on the up. Those presents won’t wrap themselves if you’re after somewhere to start making Christmas more sustainable. While we can’t provide elves, why not try one of these planet-friendly wrapping tips?

Go for an eco-friendly alternative – environmentally-minded brands have devised wonderfully kinder ways to wrap your gifts. Look for those using sustainable materials and embrace the spirit of planet-friendly gifting.

Waste not, want not – those straggly bits at the end of the roll that won’t quite wrap a box, don’t throw them away! Add them to other parts and put your style on pressies – call it ‘sustainable wrapping’.

Keep gift bags – Not a fan of wrapping? Save yourself the Sellotape and use gift bags instead. And remember not to throw this year’s away…it reduces waste, and you never know when you might need one.

Gift differently

It wouldn’t be Christmas without the gifts, would it? Despite it not being the most important part of the festive season, gifts are a big part of the celebrations. And when you’re thinking about what to buy for people, think a little differently this year. Opt for more sustainable gifts, and be sure to put a lot of thought into your choices rather than buying for the sake of buying.

Here are a few ideas to get you started…

• Choose experiences over things – most people don’t need more *stuff*. Fancy smellies, a multitool, another pair of slippers… these things often gather dust or end up being thrown away. Consider gifting experiences like a voucher for a spa treatment or tickets to a concert.
• Gifts that give back – another option is buying from businesses that donate to charity and give back to local communities. This might include brands with the Fairtrade logo or charity shops themselves. Shopping secondhand is another fantastic way to gift sustainably!
• Buy zero-waste gifts – shop for gifts specifically labelled as zero-waste. This might be reusable straws, cotton pads, digital subscriptions, or biodegradable products like phone cases or toothbrushes.

Try a virtual Christmas

A new trend that we’ve seen popping up is the idea of a virtual Christmas. Rather than driving or flying to see friends/family (and contributing to your carbon footprint!), you could opt to have a Zoom celebration instead – dinner, drinks, charades, cookie decorating… it can all be done via video chat, which is especially helpful if you’re trying to save money too. It’s something worth thinking about.

Well, that’s a wrap!

It only happens once a year, so please get stuck and make the most of it. May your Christmas be filled with love, joy and magic – in short, keep the planet in your hearts and homes while enjoying all the fun.

Merry Christmas!