As the holiday season approaches, many of us are looking for ways to reduce waste and overconsumption. With sustainability in mind, here are some eco-friendly Christmas traditions shared by readers of The Guardian:
Sustainable Gift-Giving & DIY Ideas
- Homemade Gifts: Instead of store-bought presents, families are opting for food or homemade gifts. This reduces waste and ensures thoughtful, personalized presents. One family even invested in a reusable cracker set, filling it each year with sustainable items like seeds, tea, or mini soaps.
- Homemade Treats: For a family with young children, making gingerbread and biscuits together is a cherished tradition. These treats are packaged and gifted to relatives, saving money and emphasizing the value of time and effort over materialism.
- Gift Wrapping: Several people use reusable fabric, such as tea towels or repurposed doona covers, to wrap presents. This not only looks charming but also reduces waste and gives the wrapping a second life.
Sustainable Christmas Crackers
- Creative Alternatives to Crackers: One large family ditched traditional crackers in favor of a quirky headwear collection. From plastic tiaras to builder’s hard hats, everyone picks a fun hat, and children write silly jokes for the group to enjoy.
Non-Traditional Christmas Trees
- Living Trees: A Wollemi pine tree tradition has been started, where the tree is kept in a pot and brought indoors each year, reducing the environmental impact of cutting down a traditional tree.
- DIY Trees: Another family created a Christmas tree out of bamboo stalks from their yard, painted green and reused annually. This creative solution eliminates waste and brings a unique touch to the celebration.
Sustainable Christmas Lunch
- Aussie-Style Christmas Feast: Instead of cooking a turkey, one family enjoys barbecued prawns, which cook quickly and don’t require running the oven for hours, reducing energy consumption. Eating outside also saves on air conditioning costs.
By embracing these sustainable practices, we can enjoy a more eco-friendly and meaningful Christmas, focusing on time spent with loved ones and reducing our environmental footprint.
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