6 Eco-friendly christmas ideas we love!
When it comes to Christmas and decorations, there can be a lot of waste and plastic floating around. So we decided to scrounge around the internet to find some great eco-friendly ideas to turn this coming Christmas into a “Green Christmas”! Here are our top 6 eco-friendly Christmas ideas that we love.
1. Decorate your house with natural ingredients and materials from your kitchen
You don’t have to look very far to create a festive feel around your home with natural ingredients. Just pop your head in the kitchen, and see what you can find!
A fan favourite is the good ol’ dried orange slices garland to be hung on your tree, or around the home. Not only is it good to look at, but it can create a wonderful festive aroma dependent on the ingredients used.
Most people combine the dried orange slices with cinnamon sticks with a few cloves popped in between. But there are plenty other options that you can use like:
– baby pinecones
– dried rosemary
– dried berries
– greenery from the garden
There is no wrong or right… this is the time to play and find your style!
2. Upcycle with fabric wrapping!
Fabric wrapping actually comes from the Japanese art of Furoshiki, and was used to protect valuable goods during transportation back in the day.
In modern times, it has become a trendy and eco-friendly alternative way to carry your water bottle, wrap your gifts and more. Ready to give Furoshiki a try this Christmas? Ok, so let’s jump in… Here are a few tips:
1 – Make sure your cloth is square.
2 – Use a cloth with a reversible pattern.
3 – Make sure the thickness of the cloth can hold the weight of your gift.
4 – Use offcuts of material you have lying around or upcycle the shirt you hardly wore because it just did not fit right.
Check out this cool how-to-guide we found for tying the knots for different shaped items.
3. zero waste wreath
A time old tradition and a beautiful one at that! Dump the plastic versions that can be expensive and harmful to birds and wildlife if hung outside, and choose a freshly made wreath this Christmas.
It’s all about getting creative with what you have available in your garden. Look for sturdy greens that will hold for some time and then other colourful items like berries to really make your wreath pop.
Check out these awesome blogs on different styles and see what floats your boat:
4. origami holiday crafts
We all know how hard eco friendly crackers are to come by, so why not make your own with Origami this year. They can be a bit challenging, but worth it!
A little less challenging… origami ornaments! A great family project, or side crafting activity for the kids to dive into. Origami ornaments are not just fun to make, but are also useful in more than one area of the home as decor.
You can hang your origami ornaments on your tree, on a garland or stick them in windows.
Our top tip – Using interesting paper like newspaper, old sheet music or other colourful paper can really liven up your project, or create a certain mood.
5. Salt dough decorations
The only thing that limits you with these all natural eco-friendly Christmas decorations is your imagination and the amount of cookie cutters you have!
Useful on your tree, in your garland or wreath, and as table decor. These handy little items can help bring your festive season to life.
– paint them
– engrave them
– stamp them
– or leave them plain, it’s all up to you and what style you are going for.
Yet another craft that is great for the family as a whole and safe for kids. That’s because when we use what nature has given us, it’s good for you and good for the planet.
Salt dough recipe
6. buy sustainable/ethical gifts and/or support local small businesses
Sustainable gifts help reduce waste and embrace an Earth-friendly lifestyle. They can also help you make a strong statement about your values and beliefs.
Ethical gifts are products or services that are doing the morally right thing for society, the planet, and the people.
It only made sense that when we created our products for pro-earth explorers, we had words like “sustainable” and “ethical” on the forefront of our minds.
When it comes to supporting small businesses it’s all about helping to strengthen the local economy, possibly creating more jobs and reducing environmental impact.
So, when shopping for your Christmas gifts, have this in mind and make a change towards a greener Christmas this year.
