Is it possible to have an eco-friendly Christmas?! We certainly think so! Discover organic Christmas gifts and eco-friendly alternatives to Christmas trees, lights, wrappings and more as we share tips for celebrating all the magic of Christmas in an eco-friendly way.
How to choose an eco-friendly Christmas tree
It’s a matter of personal choice whether you choose a fake or a real tree. If you’re trying to curb your carbon footprint, re-using the same fake tree yearly may be the best choice.
Take time to choose the right one. According to The Soil Association, you need to re-use an artificial tree 10 times to negate its carbon footprint.
Would you prefer a real tree? Here’s what to look for when choosing a sustainable Christmas tree:
- Keep your carbon footprint low by choosing a UK-grown tree from a local retailer
- Checking that your tree is organic and FSC certifiedi.
- Check that it can be replanted after Christmas
How to decorate for Christmas sustainably
No doubt you'll want to decorate your new tree.
Here are some of our favourite ways to deck the halls sustainably with eco-Christmas decorations:
- Support your local charity shops and give new life to vintage decorations
- Get crafting and make your decorations using driftwood foliage or recycled paper
- Add a festive aroma to your home by making a garden out of dried oranges
- Enjoy the sparkle of the season with low-energy lights and Christmas soy candles
- Create a Christmas wreath using garden cuttings. If you have holly branches, berries or ivy growing in your garden, you can use these. Only pick what you need, as birds and wildlife rely on berries during the winter months
How to shop sustainably at Christmas
You’ll need some gifts under that tree. It’s challenging to avoid consumerism at Christmas, but being green at Christmas doesn’t mean depriving yourself.
Keep things in perspective. This is a once-a-year occasion to treat your loved ones and it can be done responsibly. If you want to celebrate in a green way, we have some sustainable Christmas shopping tips for you.
Shop small:
Christmas fairs and markets provide a great opportunity to pick up homemade items, including sustainable Christmas decorations, gifts and food treats. Look out for Small Business Saturday, which takes place on the first Saturday in December.
Shop local:
Reduce your reliance on deliveries to curb your carbon footprint. Instead, support local businesses by buying organic Christmas dinner essentials from your local butcher, greengrocer or market.
Shop less:
Do you need all those trimmings? Or could you cut down on your Christmas food instead? Make a shopping list and only buy what you need. Instead of gifting to everyone, suggest doing a Secret Santa or reduce the risk of an unwanted gift by asking your friends and family to create a Christmas gift wishlist.
Look for gifts that support eco charities:
We donate 10% of our profits to environmental charities, and your Christmas shopping helps to support organisations such as The World Land Trust and The Marine Conservation Society.
Choose recyclable packaging that won't end up in a landfill:
If you are looking for a zero-waste Christmas gift or plastic-free stocking filler, our multi-purpose beauty balm is presented in a pot which biodegrades after use. Our zero-waste shampoo bars also make great eco stocking fillers.
Eco Christmas gift ideas
Avoid gimmicky gifts with a short lifespan and stick to useful items. Skin care is a great choice that’s always well received.
To help ease the stress of shopping sustainably during the festive season, we’ve created a range of organic beauty Christmas gift sets containing ingredients grown sustainably and responsibly.
We also have a selection of thoughtful aromatherapy gift sets, including our wellbeing best-selling bracelets which combine with essential oils to give a feel-good wearable scent:
Eco-friendly Christmas cards and wrapping paper
While purchasing cards can be a great time saver, making your own will reduce packaging and is a fun, festive activity for all the family.
If you purchase Christmas cards, always choose ones made from sustainably sourced or recycled paper. Avoid choosing glittery cards—glitter is notoriously hard to recycle! To further ways to curb your Christmas carbon footprint, hand-deliver your Christmas greetings to loved ones living nearby and consider sending an e-card to those living overseas.
Bows and ribbons can make your Christmas gifts look glorious, but could you style your Christmas surprises in a more sustainable way? Consider wrapping your gifts with reusable materials and decorating them with a spring of holly instead of using throwaway tags and ribbons.
Planning a zero-waste Christmas dinner
Christmas dinner is one of the most important meals of the year, and many of us over shop, resulting in surplus supplies. To avoid food waste, plan your meals carefully so you don't buy food you won’t eat. If you find yourself with leftover food, food banks will be grateful for anything that you can spare.
Buying Christmas crackers? These can be handy should you need a miniature screwdriver or a paper hat, but if you’re consciously trying to reduce your use of plastic, it’s worthwhile investing in reusable Christmas crackers.
An eco-friendly way to embellish your Christmas dinner table, reusable Christmas crackers can be used year after year and filled with small but useful recyclable items such as an eye cream or a skin care minis.
Do you need help choosing an eco beauty Christmas gift? Our UK customer care team is happy to help and can be contacted at 01403 740350 or via @GreenPeopleUK.
Reviewed by:
This blog post has been reviewed by Charlotte Vøhtz, founder of Green People, who has 25+ years of experience in the natural and organic beauty industry. A recognised leader in the field of organic beauty, Charlotte helped inform the UK's first organic beauty standards and was voted the People’s Choice in the 2023 list of Who’s Who in Natural Beauty. A published author, she wrote the organic beauty bible ‘Naturally Gorgeous’. Previously, she qualified as a nurse and spent over 10 years working in pharmaceuticals.
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