Countdown to Christmas! 🎄 A Sustainable Day

Merry Christmas! It's been a whirlwind this December and the time seems to have flown by!

We hope you've been able to slow down and enjoy the festive season so far while looking forward to spending quality time with your loved ones. 

And as the big day approaches we've pulled together a few tips for having a sustainable day and reducing your Christmas waste. 

1. The Tree 🎄

You may have had your tree up since the first of December but if you've left it until the last minute, consider making your own tree using branches gathered on a winter walk. These can be used to create a beautiful alternative when arranged in a vase or bucket and decorated with your usual lights and baubles.  And if you've started to think about alternatives for next year, why not invest in a planted tree in a pot which can live outside all year until the festive season when you can bring it indoors. This can become a lovely tradition as the tree grows with you each year!

2. Decorations ⭐️

Lots of Christmas decorations are made with so much plastic and plastic packaging that the waste from decorating alone can be huge. But if you're spending some time outdoors then make sure you keep an eye out for natural objects you could incorporate into your decorating. Pine cones, seed pods, and holly branches all look lovely strung around the house and can be painted if you want to add some colour. If you remember to keep hold of this year's Christmas cards you can repurpose them into next year's decorations!

3. Wrapping 🎁

If you've got lots of presents to wrap and you're looking for a more sustainable solution than buying lots of new rolls then try and think about what you've already got to hand. If you have old newspapers or brown packing paper you can jazz them up with brightly coloured ribbons or sprigs of festive plants to still create beautifully wrapped gifts. Or if you have some squares of fabric or old silk scarves they can be perfect when repurposed as wrapping. And don't forget to keep hold of any paper you do use so you can recycle it next year.

4. Leftovers 🥕

One of the best things about Boxing Day has got to be the turkey sandwiches made with Christmas Dinner leftovers but some of the other festive fare can be trickier to use up. Why not try making soups or puff pastry tarts with your leftover veg?  Use slightly stale pieces of Christmas pudding or panettone in a bread and butter pudding. And dried orange slices will make great decorations for next year.

5. Crackers 🎊

Most Christmas crackers are very hard to recycle and full of items you don't actually need. Reusable and self fillable crackers are a brilliant alternative, which reduce waste and ensure that you can fill them with items you know your guests will love. You could add some little packs of sweet treats, usable items like scrunchies, small candles or unusual tea bags, and even decorate your own crowns to suit each person. 

6. Sales 🛍️

While lots of Boxing Day sales can be tempting with their promise of huge savings, remaining mindful of what you actually need can save you more in the long run. A lot of discounts aren't as good as they might seem initially and might be encouraging you to stock up on unnecessary extras. And in the spirit of making the most of the holidays, extra time spent with your loved ones might be a more relaxing way to make use of those precious days off!

It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of waste generated by Christmas and the pressure to keep buying but try to remember that it's also a time for you to slow down and simply be with your family and friends without feeling guilty for it!

So Merry Christmas from all of us at the Y.O.U team and we wish you a peaceful and restorative holiday. 

For more festive inspiration...

Check out our Sustainable Gift Guide

Ideas for Sustainable Decorating

And if you've forgotten any gifts, we have email vouchers to help you out!