Ten green tips for Christmas

Meet the excesses of the season head-on by following these simple tips for an eco-friendlier Christmas.

Use last year’s Christmas cards for gift tags

Save Christmas cards so you can cut out festive design elements for use as gift tags next year. You’ll reduce waste this year and rely less on manufactured gift tags next year.

Spread the sustainable seasonal spirit by including this tip in Christmas cards that you send.

Plastic-free advent calendars

Refillable advent calendars reduce waste, doubling as both decoration and gift. Designs vary: from fabric hanging designs and simple decorative boxes refilled each day, to large wooden containers with individual daily drawers.

The contents can be tailored with a range of possible options: from homemade chocolates and bakes, to inexpensive wooden toothbrushes, reusable straws, or natural bars of hand soap.

Plan your Christmas menu to reduce food waste

Food is one of the main highlights of Christmas for many, but it generates large amounts of waste. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce Christmas food waste, such as:

• planning meals over the festive period
• checking cupboards and the fridge before shopping
• asking guests if they intend to bring dishes
• finding out what people enjoy eating and creating a shopping list around this
• prioritising the storage and use of ingredients according to use-by dates

Sustainable drinks cabinets

Stock your drinks cabinet with more sustainable containers, such as glass bottles and aluminium cans, instead of plastic.

To reduce plastic waste, choose corked wine bottles with compostable stoppers rather than plastic screw caps.

Beverages from brands that utilise more ethical practices are always preferable. This could mean choosing:

• wines from companies that are carbon neutral
• beverages made only with organic ingredients
• brands with fairtrade agreements established along their supply chains

Choose living Christmas trees

Besides filling your home with the fresh, natural scent of pine, a real Christmas tree is more eco-friendly than a plastic imitation. Buy from organic, sustainable growers and either compost at home or in local authority garden waste after Christmas.

Living trees are an effective zero-waste option. Remember: they can be replanted once Christmas is over.

If you own a plastic tree, make the most of the resources used to create it by keeping it for as long as possible. Recycle and reuse what you can rather than disposing of it. For example, individual branches could be fashioned into wreaths.

Low-waste wrapping paper

Plain brown paper can be recycled or composted. Decorate it with natural rubber or potato stamps using vegetable inks, and tie packages with natural twine or ribbon.

You could also give presents a personal touch by cutting out images and articles from newspapers and magazines relating to people’s interests, and reusing these for wrapping.

Why not forego paper entirely? Wrap presents in reusable fabrics. Linen cloth can be reused around the home; beeswax wraps are useful in the kitchen and for food on the go; while scarves are great gifts on their own.

Find alternatives to plastic tape

Some leading brands have released zero-plastic, plant-based sticky tape. However, this tape must still be removed when recycling wrapping paper to avoid contamination. It is also unclear whether these products are home compostable or biodegradable, making it likely that they go to landfill.

Save time and confusion over disposal by using brown paper packing tape. It’s suitable for recycling with wrapping paper, so there’s no need to remove each piece.

Natural, plastic-free decorations

Nature provides the cheapest, most eco-friendly Christmas decorations available. Seasonal foliage such as holly, pine, and berries can be woven together with ribbon or twine to make decorative garlands or natural wreaths.

Dried slices of citrus fruits can be added to garlands or combined with cinnamon sticks and pine cones for aromatic seasonal potpourri. These can be composted once finished with.

Lights off overnight

Outside house decorations and Christmas tree lights are a central element of festive celebrations. Reduce the environmental impact of this Christmas tradition by using energy-saving LED bulbs. In addition, be sure to switch lights off overnight.

Give ethical gifts

One of the most impactful ways to be greener this Christmas is with considerate gift-giving. Focus on quality over quantity, and learn how to identify eco-friendly products so that you give meaningful presents which are less likely to be wasted.

Experiences or charity donations generate little to no waste, while creating lasting memories or impactful change. Plants and gardening supplies also make great eco gifts that last.

Creating a more sustainable seasonal celebration with FOOGO green

Here’s a bonus tip: you can also be more eco-friendly this Christmas by ensuring the tableware you use to serve your celebratory feast is also sustainable, reusable and compostable.

Palm leaf tableware provides the quality and reliability you would expect of traditional crockery or cutlery, but with the advantage of being completely biodegradable. Just pop it in your garden compost – no need to worry about washing up or sending breakages to landfill.

FOOGO green provides a broad range of eco-friendly dining utensils, making it easy to stock up in time for the big day. Take a look at our selection today.