| Christmas tree | | | | • Buy a subscription to an organisation |
| | | | working to make the world a better place such |
| • Rather than buying a real tree thats | | | | as the RSPB, RSPCA or Oxfam. |
| been cut down, transported and then thrown | | | | |
| away, purchase a large potted plant or small | | | | • If you are buying a present that uses |
| tree that can be used each year as your | | | | batteries make sure the person you are buying |
| evergreen Christmas tree. | | | | it for has a battery charger and buy |
| | | | rechargeable batteries. |
| • You could always purchase an | | | | |
| artificial tree that can be reused for many | | | | • Buy a homemade present, bird table, |
| years, these range from 10 pounds to over 100 | | | | compost bin. Chocolate cakes often go down |
| pounds. Ours actually looks real! | | | | very well! |
| | | | |
| • If you buy a real tree, pay the | | | | Gift wrap |
| Woodland Trust or a different organization to | | | | |
| plant one in its place! | | | | • Collect extra photocopies or no |
| | | | longer needed papers from work for your |
| Christmas Decorations | | | | children to draw on the back. |
| | | | |
| • If you have evergreen shrubs and | | | | • Use colored pictures from your |
| trees - to make sure you have an annual | | | | childrens colouring books. |
| supply of eco-friendly Christmas decorations | | | | |
| why not do some of your pruning just before | | | | • Use leftover pieces of fabric or |
| Christmas and use the choice bits for inside? | | | | wallpaper. |
| If you have not got any evergreens but have a | | | | |
| garden ask for some of these plants as | | | | • Use recycled paper. |
| Christmas presents. They may take a few years | | | | |
| to grow but then all you will need to do is | | | | • Put the gift inside another gift such |
| harvest in December and be as creative as you | | | | as a decorative tin, nice wooden box etc. |
| like. | | | | |
| | | | • Use gift wrap, gift bags and gift |
| • Make a homemade wreath using branches | | | | boxes, ribbon and bows from last Christmas or |
| trimmed from your garden or somebody elses. | | | | previous celebrations. Leave the tags blank |
| | | | on the gifts you are giving so that they can |
| • Purchase handmade decor made from | | | | be reused. |
| recycled or eco-friendly materials. If | | | | |
| possible by Fair trade as well, as they are a | | | | Greeting cards & gift tags |
| great way to support the disadvantaged. While | | | | |
| some of these crafts may not be from recycled | | | | • Send an e-card. |
| materials they provide much needed income to | | | | |
| needy individuals. | | | | • Make a greeting card or tag from |
| | | | scrap paper, fabric or wallpaper. |
| • Ivy is good to drape around pictures, | | | | |
| windows and the base of Christmas trees, it | | | | • Make cards or tags from pieces of |
| will hide the wires of the tree lights. | | | | food box. |
| There is as far as I know no substitute for | | | | |
| electric fairy lights but as they last for | | | | Packing material |
| years and use very little power, their impact | | | | |
| is relatively low and they do look great. | | | | • Use saved packing material such as |
| | | | foam or bubble wrap. |
| • One of the advantages of using | | | | |
| natural decorations is that after Christmas | | | | • Crush up newspaper into loose balls. |
| they do not need to go in the bin they can | | | | This is cheap, quick and lightweight! This is |
| enter your normal garden waste on the compost | | | | our preferred method for box filler. |
| heap. | | | | |
| | | | After the New Year |
| Christmas tree ornaments | | | | |
| | | | • Find out where you can recycle your |
| • Make homemade ornaments from | | | | real Christmas tree or Christmas cards, local |
| (painted) pinecones, painted eggshells, | | | | councils and supermarkets are a good place to |
| crushed (colored) aluminum foil, paper | | | | start. They will turn your trees into mulch |
| chains, paper snowflakes, old CDs and more! | | | | for use in parks and public gardens. |
| | | | |
| • Decorate a doll as an angel. | | | | • Use any wrapping paper that is no |
| | | | longer reusable for shelf liners or craft |
| • Do an online search for recycled or | | | | projects. |
| homemade tree ornaments for numerous ideas or | | | | |
| purchase these recycled or eco-friendly tree | | | | • Save boxes, gift bags, wrapping, |
| ornaments if you cant be bothered to make | | | | filler, ribbons and bows for future gift |
| them. | | | | wrapping or craft projects. Give them away to |
| | | | friends, neighbours etc if you have too many |
| Gifts | | | | to keep. |
| | | | |