How to have a very merry, eco-friendly Christmas

Image: @lifeateightytwo_a

Christmas is not well-known for being a very eco-friendly time of year, but it’s a time when we should all be trying to do the most. This year we’ll be working harder than ever to have a very merry green Christmas, and we thought we’d share our tips and tricks on how to do it…

Rent a Christmas Tree

There’s a strong debate at the moment as to whether it’s more eco-friendly to go for a real or faux tree at Christmas. Although not yet available in our local area, we’ll be keeping our eyes and ears peeled for the first Christmas Tree rental service as this has been proven to be the most eco-friendly way to do it. Whilst we wait for a local rent-a-tree, we’ll be making sure we only purchase an FSC certified tree, which means it’s been sourced from a sustainable and well-managed forest (just like our wallpapers, murals and borders!).

Use scraps to wrap

We’ve been doing this one for years! We use all our leftover wallpaper ends and fabric scraps as Christmas wrapping paper for all our family and friends. It uses up the scraps, stops us buying more and as a bonus, it’s a really unique and beautiful way to wrap up gifts.

Shop local

We love supporting other local family businesses when it comes to buying gifts. Not only is it a lovely thing to do, it also keeps money in our local economy and leads to a more considered way of spending our money.

Second-hand wins

Whether it’s Christmas-themed clothing, decorations or even gifts, shopping preowned and second hand is another of our favourite ways to shop. We don’t believe in buying new when there’s no need, and you can often find items in pristine condition at a fraction of the original price. A win for us and a win for the environment.

Make your own

Our children love to sprinkle ‘Reindeer food’ outside on Christmas Eve, but did you know the shop bought stuff often contains plastics which could harm the local wildlife? Instead, we make our own using porridge oats and seeds (and it also happens to be a great activity to do with them too!).

Will you be having an eco-friendly Christmas?