Low Impact Ethical Christmas

[HoundOfTheBasketballs]

I thought it might be nice to have a thread to share ideas about what you are doing to reduce your impact/be more ethical over the festive season.

I have planted root veg on my allotment to serve with Christmas dinner.
We have a homemade quilted advent calendar my sister made years ago so I will just buy some chocolate coins to put it the pockets.
I won't be sending any Christmas cards.
DS has asked for tickets to an exhibition for his main present this year, so no pressure on me to buy excessive plastic tat.
I'm trying to think of something to have on the dinner table instead of crackers.
Just generally try to buy less of everything!

What does everyone else have planned?

Brilliant op

I'm.sure I've read somewhere that you can get reusable crackers?

I'm trying to make more sensible choices too. Lots of my friends will be getting beeswax wraps this year! Maybe I should look into making them?

Can't wait to read more ideas

I’m doing:
No crackers (adult offspring anyway they won’t care)
Brown paper wrap as recyclable
Minimal gifts- things we love and want no crap for the sake of it.
No cards

Trying to consider ethical gifts, the beeswax wrap is a good idea.

I have some little boxes that I put a 'table gift' in (usually a homemade chocolate florentine or similar) instead of crackers.

We're not doing gifts at all this year for adults other than for each other. For each other we'll be buying one thing we want as a couple and that's it. DSD is getting a handful of presents she'll really enjoy / use. So far we've got her a Lego set (she plays with her Lego constantly) and Jenga. We will get her a few other bits but won't go over the top.

I would love to not do cards but the family hit the roof if I even so much as suggest it!

I love the idea for brown paper wrap. Do you use that for DC too?

Oh we never do crackers.

Good idea OP!
I'm trying to buy things that are useful and needed instead of loads of plastic tat that the DCs don't actually really play with.
Also asking people in our families what they actually want instead of guessing.
For DH's family for the adults we do secret Santa so everyone only buys for one other person.
Last year I got MiL and she asked for hairdresser vouchers so that was very eco friendly.

I'm using up my stash of wrapping paper and have brown paper in reserve. I plan to make bags for wrapping presents next year, from my fabric stash.

So, going forward, wrapping will be reusable and / or recyclable.

We have had the same artificial tree for over twenty years, still going strong, so keeping that, rather than replacing or buying a real one.

Started a compost heap this year, so less food waste in the bin. Also not buying food to excess and will be cooking and serving up smaller portions (as we always eat too much and have plenty).

Haven't done cards for about five years now. I'm not sure anybody even notices.

Stopped doing crackers a couple of years ago. We just do a Secret Santa with a budget of £3 each, and have those as table gifts instead. It's usually something edible, or a miniature bottle of booze.

Brown paper wrap, with ribbons that I re-use (beg them back from people when giving the gifts!).

Buying mainly food/drink gifts - or books, other than for the dc. DC will get fewer items, but stuff they really want/need and will definitely use (towels, baking stuff, perfume, candles etc).

We do scratch cards instead of crackers.
I suppose they are not no impact but they're not as bad
Plus they are loads of fun

@PoesyCherish you could decorate the brown paper, eg with potato prints, if you and your DC like that sort of thing.

I'm planning on visiting charity shops more often, see what I can pick up there too

I like the idea of scratch cards instead of crackers.
I still have lots of wrapping paper left to use this year.
I have bought some fabric to make some table napkins for Christmas. Hopefully my sub-par dewing skills will be up to the job and they will last for years and years.

I try to buy tickets, memberships and vouchers (ideally e-vouchers) where I can. GoApe vouchers went down well with some of the older children in the family last year. Theatre, cinema, restaurant or garden centre vouchers can be good too. Or membership of a local attraction. Obviously I could just give money, but I enjoy getting vouchers myself sometimes as it encourages me to do something I might otherwise not have got round to doing.

I collect tissue paper / brown wrap over the year (mainly from online deliveries) & then decorate with ink stamps to look a bit more festive. I've also ordered a couple of pieces of fabric wrap this year which haven't arrived yet but look beautiful - I have a few pieces already that DH bought a few years ago & they really are the gist that keeps on giving . Reuse previous year's cards as gift tags (cut up). Ask for specific gifts to avoid receiving unwanted stuff (works with close family esp.).
I've taken to gifting 'ethical living' items to try & change others' behaviour by stealth. Generally test out new things in DH's stocking - last year it was reusable wax wraps which we loved & my whole family are getting this time; this year the lucky fella is getting some reusable bamboo kitchen wipes & a coconut hair scouring pad to try out!
I also try to spend my money responsibly - avoid the dreaded Amazon & big supermarkets / brands - and buy bits on Etsy, food orders from Farm Drop (expensive but we're both obsessed with good quality food so feel it's worth it), cards from local Xmas markets) and so on..

I am not a Christmas fan in the slightest and the amount of crap to buy in the shops at this time of year is appalling.

Many of the things we're doing are (to my way of seeing it) sensible! We don't send Christmas cards. I bought all my (recycled) wrapping paper in Oxfam last January and will do the same in the New Year. We have had the same Christmas tree for about 15 years. The tree is decorated with stuff the kids have made over the years along with decorations we've picked up along the way. I don't think I've ever bought supermarket baubles and I'm not starting now. We don't buy any other decorations for the house. (Reading a thread about how putting a massive net bow on your door is apparently a "thing". Who knew).

As for gifts, we don't got OTT. Stockings (which have also been around for decades) are filled with chocolate, pencils, soap... little things. I volunteer in a charity shop and we get so many lovely things handed in which are brand new. Trying to get as many gifts from there as possible. Bought a lovely painting for my parents and had it reframed. Yesterday picked up a cute little make up bag and a gingerbread man making kit for my sister in law. The local school has a Fair with local crafts people so I try to get the rest of my gifts from them rather than buying from the high street.

@PiperPublickOccurrences lovely ideas thank you. Curious, do you wait until January because Oxfam do January sales? Or is the recycled paper donated in January? Don't quite understand

Charity shops reduce things like wrapping paper, cards and crackers after Christmas so I buy them then.