We know that Christmas is all about indulging but, in the wake of COP26, I think lots of us are looking at ways to make our lives a little more sustainable. I'm sure you've all felt guilty stuffing freshly torn wrapping paper into bin bags or scraping abandoned leftovers into the bin. So I've rounded up the easiest swaps for a more eco conscious Christmas.
Tips and Ideas for a less wasteful Christmas
To keep this manageable, I've broken down my simplest swaps into three categories that are often the most wasteful at Christmas - food, presents and wrapping.
So let's get started on creating a more sustainable Christmas without compromising on the festive fun!
Food.
Probably one of the most wasteful areas in any family home is food. Whether it's a long lost lettuce in the back of the fridge or mealtime leftovers hitting the bin, we've all been guilty of waste. Couple that with Christmas indulgence and our desire to stock the fridge and cupboards full of delights and there's a very high chance of wastage. My number one tip is plan, plan, plan. Decide which meals you'll be cooking and the foods actually needed. Jamie Oliver's Christmas book has some fabulous recipes for using up your turkey, stuffing and even cheeses.
Another tip is to use your freezer to the max, not just for storing ice cream and peas! Freeze fresh berries for desserts and batch cook staples like sausage rolls. Many meals can be frozen rather than heading to the fridge and gives you even longer to use up those leftovers.
Gifting.
Christmas for most families means gathering round the tree to open gifts and trying to be more sustainable doesn't mean this has to change. Instead try to shop more carefully for loved ones for gifts that are not only made sustainably but are designed to last.
Our oak crayon holder is not only beautiful to look at but designed to last a lifetime. Rather than opting for 'of the moment' plastic toys that will be unwanted all too quickly, our personalised crayon holder is made to last. As your child grows, the crayon holder can become storage for pens and pencils and even end up on their desk at their first job!
Another idea is to buy group gifts for couples or families. We've a wide choice of personalised family and couple presents from coat racks and paddle boards to tea light holders and key racks, there's a gift to suit every family.
Wrapping.
Wrapping is probably one of the most obviously wasteful Christmas traditions but luckily one of the simplest to change! Swapping plastic tape, ribbons and bows for paper tape and reusable ribbon can instantly make a difference. Try choosing paper that can be reused or better yet, tea towels or fabric offcuts look beautiful as wrapping and can be used over and over again.
