How to have an eco-christmas

Giving planet-friendly presents isn’t as tough as you might think – here are some tips to help you along the way:

• Make something yourself! You can choose your own packaging, and the personal effort makes a gift priceless. We've got loads of ideas for things to make! How about making a Christmas wreath? 
• Look out for gifts that come with as little packaging as possible, or at least some you can recycle.
• Tote bags are a fun gift and a great way to avoid plastic bags at the checkout.
• Adopt an animal as a gift.

Choosing the gift is just the beginning - next you need to wrap it up!

• Shiny wrapping paper is pretty, but sadly it’s not recyclable. The same goes for glittery paper. Use brown paper or recycle old wrapping paper that you received gifts in last year!
• Sellotape is made of plastic, but don’t panic! You can get brown paper tape, or get creative with some ribbon or string. Better yet, go for a reusable option like a box, bag, or cloth!
• Don’t forget your Christmas cards while you’re at it – the same rules go for glittery and shiny cards! Have a go at making your own! You can cut up last years cards to make  new designs.
• Save any Christmas cards and cut them up to use as gift tags for next year.

We waste a lot of food throughout the year but figures reach a high over Christmas! Here's some things you can do to help:

• Compost vegetable waste.
• Eat your leftovers. Some of the tastiest meals are made from yesterday's food!
• Cut down on meat. Meat has a big carbon footprint so try out some vegetarian or vegan alternatives.

Chances are you have a magical cupboard at home full of sparkly Christmas decorations that come out every year. If so, great! Make the most of what you have and don’t throw them out unless you have to! BUT, if you want to add something new, make sure you think first!

• Avoid tinsel! Those little bits that end up sprinkled all over the house are plastic. So why not have a go at making your own decorations? How about some bunting, origami or pinecone decorations.
• Reuse your Christmas tree instead of buying a new one 🎄
• Get creative for nature. You could make your very own wreath that’ll feed the birds as well as look great!
• Turn off your Christmas lights overnight and when you are out the house to save energy.
• Avoid buying Christmas crackers which often contain plastic toys. Instead make your own using toilet roll tubes!
• Make your own natural table decorations - holly leaves look fantastically festive.