Whether you're laying in bed dropping your phone on your face (OUCH!), you're procrastinating (EEK!) or you're sat with a cuppa after a long day (AAAAND BREATHE!), you're in for a treat tonight!
I've got sooooo many ideas of how you can make your Christmas more sustainable this year and I'm finally sharing my first 5!
The UK uses about 227000 miles of wrapping paper every year and most of it isn’t recyclable! This statistic actually hurt me a little bit!
You know that metro you pick up everyday or that free magazine that came through your door last week? Yes you guessed it! – it can be painted or tied with some beautiful ribbon that your giftee can then use for their own gifts.
Local craft stores also have rolls of white or brown recyclable paper that you can use plain or decorate it and add string/ribbon and a piece of foliage!
Instead of using sticky tape, use washi tape! You can get so many different colours, patterns and styles and its recyclable!!! (or just tie it extra tight with your string/ribbon.
Shoe boxes are also a great substitute for wrapping paper plus they’re really sturdy so good for more valuable/smashable gifts!
Prefer to use giftbags? If you're like me then you already keep the ones you get to use when you're gift giving.
If you fancy making your own, check out this video to show to how. It's particularly great for odd shaped gifts!
Upcycle a gift bag you already have - make it person specific or add some Christmassy decals to it!
If you don't fancy the DIY options, there are so many beautifully handmade tote bags that you can actually double up as a gift! Add a little gift tag to the handles and you’re set!
As you’re making the swap from your regular wrapping paper, you’ll probably find you’ll have no gift tags as they’re usually included!!
Plantable seed paper is becoming increasingly popular and have every clue why!! It’s the gift that keeps on giving! You can get pre-cut plantable gift tags or purchase paper and cut your own!
Write the name straight onto the wrapped gift – save yourself the hassle if you’d prefer and decorate your wrapper with your giftee’s name!
Be honest, what have you kept from any Christmas cracker you’ve ever opened?! It really is tat!
Beautifully made fabric crackers can be purchased from plenty of small businesses – yes they’re a little more pricier BUT in the long run, you will have these forever and can fill them with whatever you like so it’s 100% worth the extra cost this year!
A total alternative is to have a little bag (almost like a wedding favour) filled with goodies for each person. You can still have a dedicated time to open them together and share what’s in each bag.
DIY kits are available too so you can use recyclable materials to make and fill your own crackers - be sure to make your fillings usable or edible!
Or, controversially, you could scrap the idea of Christmas crackers altogether and put your time/money else ware to make something else a little extra special or keep that ÂŁ to yourself!
It takes 20 years of keeping your faux tree to make it worth it rather than a real one.
Get a real tree
Treat your faux one with a little extra care to make it last
Do you have a plant at home you could decorate for Christmas?
If you're feeling up for it, MAKE YOUR OWN out of wood or other materials!
Well, thanks for sticking around. I really hope you found these helpful and you have fun making your Christmas sustainable this year!
I'll be sending the next 5 ways to have a sustainable Christmas next week!
