How To Have a Greener Christmas That's More Sustainable

How To Have a Greener Christmas

Having a green Christmas can mean different things to different people. For me, having a green Christmas means being sure that my enjoyment of the holiday doesn’t have a negative impact on someone else’s life.

Sustainable Christmas food

Be careful about what you consume this year. Shop local businesses as often as possible. Supporting your local economy and minimizing transportation is one way to lessen the impact of your purchases. Try to purchase seasonal fruits and vegetables when possible. And, use fair-trade chocolate and coffee. Give the gift of a local food specialty when shopping.

Eco-friendly wrapping paper

Watch the wrapping paper. You can wrap your presents in recycled wrapping paper or even reuse wrapping paper that is still in good condition. You could also choose to use a reusable gift bag or a cloth bag. Try wrapping gifts in comic strip paper, an old map or sheet music. Be sure to recycle it when you’re done.

Eco-friendly Christmas cards

The first step is to consider how many Christmas cards you really need to send. And ask yourself if you can send a digital card instead of a paper card to anyone on your list. For those you want to send a traditional card to, purchase cards made from recycled paper.

What types of gifts are eco-friendly?

Give an experience. People who are trying to declutter and are fans of minimalism may prefer the gift of an experience. Consider tickets to a show, season passes to the local zoo or a few evenings of free babysitting.

Avoid batteries. Discarded batteries are an environmental hazard. Pick gifts that don’t use batteries whenever possible. If you absolutely must give a battery-operated toy, choose batteries that can be recharged instead of thrown away.

For crafty people, I also recommend making a few gifts when you can. Or, check out a few of these living Christmas gifts you can give.

Eco-friendly Christmas lights

Watch the electrical load. All those Christmas lights can have an impact. If you must use them, be certain to turn them off at bedtime or at the very least, put them on a timer so that they shut off at midnight.

Use LED lights which use much less electricity than Christmas lights.

Are Christmas trees environmentally friendly?

Choose a live tree to have a greener Christmas. If you need a new Christmas tree this year, choose a live tree over an artificial tree.

Trees from tree farms are a renewable resource and are usually locally grown. When you’re done with your tree, leave it outside over the winter for birds and animals to live in during the colder months.

Eco-friendly Christmas wreath

One of the best ways to have a greener Christmas is to reduce the number of new plastic things you purchase. It’s very simple to make your own Christmas wreath using the greenery outside.

If you have access to pine boughs, check out these tips for a natural Christmas wreath and try making your own.

Have a greener Christmas by giving back

Take time over the holidays to give back in some way. Make suet feeders for the birds to enjoy during the winter. Drop off food at your local food shelf or spend time with the animals at the local animal shelter.

Take some time to slow down and enjoy the holiday. Christmas doesn’t have to be about how much you buy and how many people you visit.

These tips on having a green Christmas will still let you enjoy the holidays while treading a little bit lighter on our world and resources. How do you have a greener Christmas?

More Christmas themed posts

• Why not learn more about the Legend of the Bayberry Candle.
• Can you have an entirely homemade Christmas?
• Learn how to fix Christmas lights.
• Decorate your mailbox for Christmas.