Waste - Free Christmas
Before you click out of here because you’re thinking “Zero waste = zero fun” please stay tuned.
We have to save the planet for our kids. We are quickly approaching the point of no return.
Notoriously Christmas is one of the worst times of year for garbage. In fact, an extra 30% of garbage is sent to the landfill every year during the Christmas holiday season. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, Christmas is a great time to reduce your waste and have a zero-waste Christmas.
And when you go with a zero waste mentality, you’d be surprised at how much money you save. You might even be able to do zero waste and zero spend!
Zero Waste Christmas Gifts for Kids
Or adults! Any of these zero waste Christmas gift ideas will work for all ages.
Give a Second-Hand Gift-By giving a gift that is secondhand you are extending the life of that item and reducing its carbon footprint over time. You’re also helping remove one more item that would have ended up in a landfill. There are a number of places you can shop for second-hand gifts including Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Op Shops.
Give an Experience-Rather than giving a physical gift give the gift on an experience instead. Not only are you giving the gift of the experience chances are pretty good that you will be included in that experience so you’re giving the gift of your time as well.
Reusable Wrapping Paper-If you are going to give a physical gift, or you want to wrap up the ticket for the experience you’re giving then try to use reusable wrapping paper, aka cloth. There's an old Japanese technique called Furoshiki, that's over 1,200 years old, very simple, very neat and also very cheap ! check a quick video HERE to learn a basic wrap.
Feel Free to Skip Some Christmas Traditions-When it comes down to it there are a lot of Christmas traditions that aren’t difficult to skip like the idea of having a “big gift” or having stockings. Even traditions of giving gifts to family members outside the home can be put aside for a year. Have family discussions on what is most memorable for everyone, and focus on those activities.
Give a zero waste gift-We have a wide range of eco-friendly and zero-waste products available for the whole family, check them out on our SHOP.
Zero Waste Christmas Decorations
Decorate with Nature-When it comes to decorations some of the very best come from outside in nature. Decorate with pinecones and branches from outdoors. You can also decorate with fruit, popcorn, dried flowers, and cinnamon sticks. Then when it starts to decay, or the Christmas season is over with these decorations can go into the compost and you can find more next year.
Buy Second-Hand Decorations-Another option you have available to you is buying decorations second hand. Before and after Christmas there are always people selling decorations they no longer want or need on Facebook marketplace.
Avoid Plastic Decorations-Whenever possible though, avoid buying plastic decorations. These are more likely to be damaged and thrown away. Their paint will chip easily and they are cheaply made. They aren’t built to last like other decorations are.
DIY Decorations-If you don’t have any decorations for Christmas this is a great holiday for DIYing. If you live in an area with pine trees you’ve practically got everything you need right there. Bring in some pinecones and other elements of nature. If you have some plain-looking candles sitting around you can spruce them up with some fresh pine needles. Look around your neighborhood and the local park to see what you can use to decorate.
Use Cloth Napkins and Placemats-Instead of disposable.
And over everything, have fun, spread the love and good vibes. It doesn't matter what you believe in, what matters are our actions towards people around us and our planet.