A more "sustainable" Christmas

[onedsrightnow]

Trying to be a bit more environmentally aware this year both through presents and all the trimmings. Any tips/ideas to have a more sustainable Christmas?

Dont buy huge amounts of stuff(just looking thru mumsnet you can have an idea of how much stuff people get).

Don't buy just for the sake of it, ask what people want/need and stick to it. If they say nothing then give them cash or organise a trip/evening/babysitting if you feel you need too.

Only send cards to those that you can't wish a merry Christmas in person or buy a pack of recycled/recyclable cards from a local craft person or charity so the funds are atleast being used ethically.

Brown paper, string and old cards or brown luggage tags to wrap. The kids can decorate or keep it simple. Use old fabric/new items to wrap instead of paper - I wrapped a cushion in a new t-shirt last year so it was 2 gifts in 1 and looked pretty cool! Tea towels and scarves work too.

Non-glittery or coated paper - it can't be recycled!

Make your own food where possible, try not to use disposable items for convenience.

Plan your meals and don't go OTT. We have a roast chicken and some honey roasted ham on Xmas day then use leftover meat and veg to make fried rice on boxing Day. I don't buy more than 2 meals worth because I know we wouldn't finish it.

Focus on doing rather than buying - turn Christmas prep into a family activity.

Consume less. In all aspects of Christmas.

Brown paper with potato-printed stars or similar. String or cotton ribbon not sellotape. Don’t buy for adults except OH and DPs. Try to limit plastic toys bought. Make gifts if possible. Make own food not loads of plastic pre-prepared stuff.

I will be trying to buy local or fair trade and to avoid unnecessary plastic. I’m also going to plan meals more carefully and not buy lots of stuff we don’t need.

Basically I think wildorchidz nailed it - consume less.

I’m also pleased to see this thread and will follow with interest to pick up some good ideas [santa]

Our DC are older so it will be minimal gifts and some family activities instead.

Everyone seems to be more aware this year, which is fab. We are looking at our travel carbon footprint, even more so at Christmas. So less trips to shops and more walking were possible and public transport. We all take so many trips over this period so we are trying to be sensible and travel less, and recently sold my car, making us now a one car household. Quite looking forward to taking our granddaughter on the train to pantomime this year instead of the car, it will be fun for her (even if we have to wear loads of layers)

Consumables as presents rather than that. Food, drink, toiletries or experiences.

No plastic toys

DH and I make each other a little stocking with food treats to open on Christmas Day and then otherwise spend what we would have spent on a gift for each other on a day out. We also have a huge family so now we do family secret Santa (including the kids) so that rather than piles of cheap stuff everyone gets one nicer present. In DCs stocking we put things like pants, socks, PJs that we would have bought anyway so they have things to open, but again less junk that gets thrown away after a week or 2.

As dc begin not believing in FC, we are following “something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read” as a guide for buying presents. 7-12 atm.

We’ve never wrapped presents and reuse gift bags.

Don’t use it as an excuse to over consume - plastic advent calendars and endless additions etc

I saw a post here from someone who had to buy Christmas sheets for all the beds

I've just sewn DS an advent calendar from scraps of material that I already had. We will be able to reuse it every year. Keep all wrapping paper, iron it and save for next year. Also keep ribbon. I usually make PILs a hamper with homemade food and drink such as mince pies, fudge, biscuits, florentines, piccalilli and cordial. I only send Christmas cards to a select few, such as grandparents and godparents. Cut up old Christmas cards into gift tags. Put useful things in stockings such as pants and socks. If you are doing presents for adults, vouchers (such as for a massage) are great, especially if you are not spending Christmas together as it saves on postage and packaging.

I've switched to giving experiences, day passes to attractions, annual subscriptions & vouchers. Saves on waste and money. The attraction passes have gone down well, my neice has had 6 trips to the zoo & other attractions this year after getting an annual family pass. We all clubbed together to but them a family merlin pass. Money well worth spent imo.

Instead of buying gifts for friends and extended family ask them if instead they want to meet up and spend quality time together.

Ditch the Xmas eve box

Buy a jigsaw puzzle from a charity shop as a family activity to do over the break
Drink one glass alcohol the next glass water

We attempted with all the extras last year, but are trying harder this year. TBH it’s partly environmental, partly financial and partly shock at the amount of stuff we (the kid) have!

• brown paper tied with coloured string/ ribbon. I use crafting stamps and ink that I already have to decorate
• homemade gift labels - Kraft card or bits from old cards.
• stockings are more ethically sourced and contain fewer items (DS1, so far, has a nice torch, handmade crayons, Tegu travel pack, winter hat).
• we only buy for nieces, our kids and our parents. We ask what they want (not that MIL will answer, as she like lots of surprises!).
• only send cards to people we don’t see and elderly relatives.
• we are only buying one main gift, one other toy, clothes and books for our kids this year. They get lots of presents anyway.
• we are encouraging granny to buy us a family season ticket to a local attraction.
• we have stopped putting little gifts in the reusable advent calendar. They now get various chocolates, wrapped in tin foil.
• we are careful not to buy excessive food, and meal plan to use up (I.e. we no longer buy lots of biscuits and snacks, but treat ourselves to one luxury box of chocolates. We also plan our Boxing Day meal so as to finish up the Christmas Day leftovers.

The money we saved by cutting back on excess last year, has paid for us all to go on a Santa Express train trip this year.

For the last few years me and my family have each drawn one name that we get a big present for and everyone else we get something from a charity shop for.

It is SO much fun finding ridiculous things in charity shop (and of course you are donating to charity and quite often these items go straight back to charity shop!) we have also had some really nice items - my favourite woolly jumper for example.

The big gifts aren’t objects unless someone really wants something specific. For example baking class, day out on canal boat.

Everyone’s shopping Bill is dramatically reduced, shopping stress reduced, food to charity, kind to environment.

Should say good to charity not good!

I give up baby crying!

I think one of the biggest things is to cut down who you buy for. There are people who I used to get gifts for but barely see. I’ve tried to gradually cut down so we’re not in a cycle of buying things we don’t want or need. Experiences work well as do consumables. My husband and I properly cut down on presents to each other as well.

I suspect I’ll buy my children too much but good quality toys can last for years. My daughter is playing with a beatiful wooden toy that was my mother’s and must be nearly 70 years old. My new test for toys is- will it be something I’d want to keep for my own grandchildren. I’m sure as my children get older they’ll want more fads but while I have control, I want things that will last.