Christmas is probably our favourite time of year here at Preloved, mainly because of the Preloved Advent Calendar, but also because the festivities fill us with joy, and mulled wine! However, we know that a lot of our members are working to reduce their environmental impact a little, so we’ve put together these tips for having a more eco-friendly Christmas
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Do a secret Santa
A great way to have a more eco-friendly Christmas is to do a secret Santa. Instead of everyone getting lots of presents, many of which they might not even use, why not do a secret Santa as a group? Not only will you save yourselves a bit of money, but it can also be great fun and helps reduce waste by reducing the number of things being bought!
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Buy recyclable wrapping paper and Christmas cards
A big problem when it comes to Christmas is the amount of non-recyclable waste that is reduced when it comes to wrapping paper and Christmas cards. Coating put on wrapping paper and glitter on cards means they’re not actually recyclable and mean that not only is more waste going to landfill, but you can spoil a whole load of other recycling by including these in it.
A simple way of having a more eco-friendly Christmas is to make sure that the wrapping paper and cards you’re buying are recyclable, then encourage your friends and family to do so!
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Alternatives to wrapping paper
Why not go the extra mile and just not use wrapping paper at all?
- Use reusable gift bags. It’s always handy to have a stash in the house, so your friends and family will appreciate it
- Gift boxes. Make a present feel a lot more special and they’re totally reusable
- Get trendy and try using furoshiki, using fabric to wrap presents. You use a single square of fabric, folded into specific configurations. Have a look on Pinterest for some inspiration on how to fold them!
- Go au naturale: Just give the gift without wrapping paper, plus it saves you a lot of time and battling with sellotape!
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Send online Christmas cards
Go one step further with your Christmas cards too by sending online Christmas cards. Quite often you’ll be able to personalise them more than traditionally, plus you’ll be able to include photos and videos into some!
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Buy sustainable gifts from eco-friendly stores
You can make a simple change by simply switching where you shop. Find a store either online or in your local town that specialises in eco-friendly gifts, like our friends Green Tulip or Didi and Bud. Try and buy zero waste gifts or those with recyclable wrapping, or those that have been sourced sustainably.
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Buy second-hand gifts
Why not challenge your family to only buy second-hand gifts this year? You don’t need to scrimp on style but you’ll be able to save some pennies as well as the environment! You could do a £10 limit and try and find the funniest/wackiest gift to have a laugh on Christmas morning, or have a look at some second-hand unwanted gifts to save some pennies
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Make your own handmade eco gifts
Go down the ultimate eco-route and make your own handmade eco gifts! Why not bake some cookies and give them as a gift? They’re zero waste once you give them and the effort you’ve gone into to make something especially for them is a great feeling – plus, more food to enjoy over the Christmas period!
You could also look at making homemade soap, a painting or something creative, a plant hanger or even a voucher for some housework/a day off!
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Buy quality, not quantity
Instead of buying lots of little gifts that create a lot of waste, be sure to invest in gifts that will last. Not only will it be something that they’ll get more joy out of for longer, but they’ll also appreciate the fact that you’ve invested in something thoughtful and you’ll save them on clutter!
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Support charities, either by buying from their shops or by donating in their name
We know it’s important to think of those less fortunate at this time of year. Preloved is supporting a number of charities throughout the month to encourage our members to give back during December. So, we’re featuring one charity a week to ask you to consider donating on behalf of a friend or family member as a gift this year, instead of splashing out on gifts.
We found in our studies last year that 50% of unwanted gifts end up in charity anyway. So, why not cut out the middle man and give to charity in the name of someone this Christmas?
Find out more here about how we’re supporting charities this Christmas
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Try to cook more sustainably
Now, here at Preloved, we are real fans of enjoying the festivities of Christmas and we’re certainly partial to a few beverages and a constant stream of calories. However, everything we’re enjoying over the festive period can amount to a lot of waste if not kept in check!
Try to buy loose vegetables for your Christmas dinner, compost your food waste and use your reusable bags for your Christmas shopping. Head over to our tips for a more eco-kitchen for more tips
That’s all for our top tips for an eco-friendly Christmas, be sure to share pictures of your eco-friendly Christmas over on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Looking for some more tips? Check out our other guides for how you can help the environment!
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