Christmas trends

An eco-friendly Christmas seems to be on top of everybody’s wish lists with environm entally-friendly trends soaring in popularity.

SACHA VAN NIEKERK

Plantable Christmas cards

Hundreds of thousands of Christmas cards are sent out each year but, the paper, envelope, nylon foil, glitters, pins, and other decorative plastic materials are unable to be recycled.

While they are items of sentimentality, they ultimately contribute to clutter and waste that eventually gets tossed in the bin, eventually filling up the landfill sites.

Reusable Christmas crackers

How often do we pop Christmas crackers throughout the festive season? From work parties to Christmas lunch and even at local markets and events.

While they’re thrilling, fun for kids and make the table setting look a little more festive, they’re ultimately filled with plastic junk that is almost always thrown in the bin by the end of the day.

Plant-based glitter

From confetti to glitter, these microplastics are beautiful, vibrant and decorative but they can also leach into our environment through water and sanitation systems, causing harm to animals and their habitats.

Plant-based glitters however are made of compostable, plantderived materials.

Reusable advent calendar

What would the countdown the Christmas be without having an advent calendar to pop open each day and retrieve a treat?

Some families go out with each member having their very own calendar, but with all the wrapping, packaging and sweets inside, at the end of the day it’s just contributing to unnecessary spending and waste. Instead, buy a reusable advent calendar.

Vegan Christmas recipes

usually what come to mind when we think of Christmas lunch or dinner, in 2021, things are moving toward being more plant-based. There is a myriad of vegan meat and dairy substitutes that make for flavourful, balanced meals that can be dressed up with delicious sauces, fresh fruit and vegetables.

Organic turkey

Now more than ever, people are growing more concerned with what goes into their bodies. Healthy, organic and local produce is on everyone’s mind this Christmas as we strive to make kinder, more ethical and healthier food options.

As a bonus, organic foods have a greater nutrient quotient, being rich in antioxidants, than conventionally cultivated foods.

People who have food sensitivities or allergies are usually triggered by chemicals or preservatives that heighten symptoms. When you opt for organic, usually these additives are absent which help allergic reactions to improve or disappear.

Second hand trees

People looking to downsize, ride their homes of clutter or who are moving country always try to sell things like Christmas trees online – sometimes it’s even for free.

Sustainable gifts

The lifespan of cheaply made plastic toys isn’t longer than a few weeks, or minutes in some instances.

The options for recycling plastic toys are limited as they are typically composed of various other materials too, often metals.

Reusable wrapping paper

Instead of buying new rolls of wrapping paper every Christmas, start saving paper, gift boxes and bags from birthdays and other celebrations throughout the year.

Those can all be reused if kept in good condition. As a fun activity for kids, old newspapers can also be decorated with paint and pens with Christmas themed characters making for a stunning home-made twist on what is usually a far more commercial trend.

Christmas tree rental

Instead of buying a new plastic tree or getting a real one, why not consider hiring one instead?

Rented trees will save you from having to store a huge box in the garage that ends up accumulating dust and can only be used once a year. You can also hire decorations.