Five ways you can make your family Christmas more eco-friendly…

Go eco-friendly with your gifts

Cut down on plastic beneath the tree by opting for toys from eco-friendly brands. Look for gifts that are durable, and have the potential for lots and lots of playtime. Quality over quantity is the key, and make sure you’re supporting independent and local businesses. Getting little ones involved in crafting gifts is also a great way to go more green with your gifting. Decorate some gingerbread together or make some cute decorations. Experiences, like tickets to a Christmas show, or family trip away, are also a good alternative to physical items.

Recycle and upcycle decorations

Reuse and upcycle your decorations from previous years. This is the perfect opportunity to get the kids involved and make it into a festive craft session. You could also go foraging together to collect natural items like acorns, seashells, and pinecones. Vases full of branches and winter foliage are perfect for hanging your homemade decorations.

Make sure your tree is sustainable

If you’re planning to get a real tree, make sure it’s from a sustainable source and that you’ll be able to easily recycle it after the festive season. Christmas trees are 100% recyclable, but sadly seven million of them are dumped in January rather than recycled. Choose one from a local farmer, to support the rural economy. If you have a garden, think about getting a potted tree that you can plant and use again next year.

Reduce your food waste

Little ones are obviously the worst offenders for wasting food. Try to get them involved in food prep over Christmas, to get them excited about what they are eating. Sharing-style meals where you all sit down together at the table are also good for encouraging them to try new things. Having little tastes of what you’re eating should (hopefully!) cut down on waste. Meal planning over the festive season is also great for stopping you going too crazy with your Christmas food shop. Compost any food scraps to reduce landfill waste.

Involve little ones

Talking with your little ones about the environmental impact of the festive season will help instil a sense of responsibility from a young age. Make it fun and involve them in every eco-friendly festive activity – whether you’re crafting cards or printing your own gift wrap.

Shop our Christmas gift guide here.