An Eco-Friendly Festive Home

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By Katherine Sorrell

Are you dreaming of a green Christmas? Try these ideas for creating a beautiful seasonal home without the carbon footprint.

Christmas trees

In the UK we buy between eight and ten million ‘real’ Christmas trees each year – only for them to be taken down again just a few weeks later. There are answers, however. Buy local if possible, and look for Forest Stewardship Council certification and Soil Association approval. And always use your local authority’s dedicated collection service if available – it means that trees are shredded and used as mulch instead of rotting in landfill. It’s even more environmentally friendly to buy a tree with a root ball or in a pot, and plant it out for the rest of the year. Another option is to rent a tree, which will be collected and replanted afterwards. Artificial trees are increasingly realistic but, sadly, still plastic, so if you already have one you should reuse it for as many years as possible.

Tree ornaments

If you have a box of treasured Christmas baubles in the attic, congratulations – you’re already supergreen! Nothing is as sustainable as using what you already have and, let’s face it, nothing is as sentimental in this case, either. If you want to add to or refresh your stock of tree decorations, consider buying vintage ones. You could buy from a local craftsperson or a maker on an online platform such as Etsy or Folksy (ideally someone using sustainable materials), or even take the plunge into the world of handicraft and make some yourself. There is a world of inspiration out there, whether in books or magazines, online or in hobby supply stores.

Front-door wreaths

Hanging a wreath on your front door is a sure sign that you are feeling festive – and making your own wreath using fresh foliage is a wonderful way to adorn your home in a sustainable fashion (and it can go in the compost afterwards). Like Christmas trees, artificial wreaths are only sustainable if brought out year after year, but can easily be refreshed with the addition of a few seasonal embellishments, such as dried, sliced oranges, pine cones or sprigs of holly.

Lights

Choosing LED lights for your Christmas tree and other festive decorations is a great way to save energy. Good for your bills, and good for the planet, too. Put lights on a timer, or switch them off when you’re out of the house and overnight.

Gift wrap

The key thing to remember with gift wrap is that anything metallic can’t be recycled, so stick to paper if possible – or even try out the new trend for wrapping gifts in fabric, Japanese-style (it’s called furoshiki). Sticky tape, too, is a single-use plastic, so consider alternatives such as brown-paper tape, twine, ribbons (which can be reused) and pretty washi tape, which is made from renewable sources.

Table settings

Christmas tablecloths and napkins add heaps of festive cheer but try to avoid single-use ones in favour of fabric that can be washed again and again (preferably at a low temperature). As for crackers, most are not recyclable, and we all know that the cheap, plastic toys inside usually go straight in the bin after Christmas dinner. It’s estimated that up to 40 million crackers end up in landfill each year. An alternative? Reusable card or fabric crackers that you can fill yourself with thoughtful, personalised gifts year after year, and that will become something cherished rather than thrown away.

Advent calendars

Disposable advent calendars only add to card and plastic waste – but DIY perpetual advent calendars can be brought out every year and have the great advantage that you can fill them with carefully chosen small goodies. There are lots of tutorials

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online or, if you don’t fancy making your own, there is a great choice to buy, from tiny knitted stockings on a string to wooden houses with numbered doors.

Scent

A festive aroma filling the air instantly introduces the spirit of Christmas, and who doesn’t love the scent of pine, gingerbread or mulled wine wafting through the house? It’s best to avoid cheap candles made from paraffin wax, as it’s a by-product of petroleum. The general rule with scented candles is that you get what you pay for in terms of a gorgeous scent and longer burn time, so it’s worth spending a little more if possible. Look for vegetable wax or beeswax candles, and scents made from essential oils rather than chemicals.

1 Use a simple wreath as a minimal decoration, or add your own embellishments such as twining leaves or tiny fairy lights. Rattan door wreaths, from £30 each, Garden Trading.

2 These ethical, sustainable and recyclable candles are individually hand-crafted in Cornwall. Mulled Wine soy-wax eco candle, £12.99, Earth Candle Co.

3 These made-to-order crackers, with a ready-tofill carton and a small bag of ‘happyfetti’, are fully washable (even the ribbons) and come in an heirloom gift box for storage. Santa’s Stripes reusable linen crackers, £30 each, Happy Crackers.

STOCKISTS Earth Candle Co: earthcandleco.com Garden Trading: gardentrading.co.uk Happy Crackers: happycrackers.co.uk