Eco-friendly Christmas decorations can be beautiful and guilt-free. Decorate naturally with these tips.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Unfortunately, however, looking a lot like Christmas can generate a lot of unnecessary waste. A reported 900,000 tonnes of garbage are produced between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Reduce
First up, consider all the things you don’t need. You know—like the giant plastic inflatable Santa and reindeer that sing carols and shoot confetti on the front lawn. It’s pretty safe to say we can all reduce the purchasing of these types of products.
Get crafty
You can also reduce waste by making your own decorations. They don’t need to be fancy, either. Low- or no-cost materials include:
- pinecones
- cranberries and popcorn (think pioneer-inspired garlands)
- evergreen boughs
- cleaned glass jars
- cinnamon sticks and star anise
- holly
- natural winter-y fabrics, such as felt, wool, or burlap
- twine, raffia, and natural ribbon
Even better, these materials are biodegradable (or in the case of the jars—totally natural and reusable), meaning that they’ll stay out of the landfills.
Use these materials plus a little imagination to create gorgeous wreaths, centrepieces, stockings, advent calendars, Christmas tree decorations, gift bags, and cards.
Buy eco-friendly
For products you may not be keen on making yourself but need for the holidays, buy eco-friendly. Choose organic cotton or hemp napkins rather than paper. They’ll last you for years to come and add a touch of elegance to the table.
Also choose soy or beeswax candles rather than paraffin, and essential oils rather than artificial fragrance.