How to Celebrate Christmas Sustainably

The holiday season is a time of joy, togetherness, and celebration. Like any other holiday, it is always rewarding to find ways to celebrate Christmas sustainably.

Reports indicate that Americans generate 25% more waste during December than any other time of the year, with wrapping paper, packaging, and decorations contributing significantly. With some thoughtful adjustments, you can incorporate new traditions and systems to celebrate Christmas sustainably while maintaining all the festive cheer.

Eco-Friendly Holiday Decor

Choosing natural and reusable materials for your decorations is a great way to celebrate Christmas sustainably. Here are a few ideas to try:

• Dried Citrus Ornaments: Slice oranges or lemons and bake them at a low temperature to create beautiful, aromatic ornaments for your tree.

• Twig Stars: Gather twigs from your yard, tie them together with twine, and create rustic stars to hang as decor.

• Toilet Paper Roll Snowflakes: Cut rolls into thin strips, shape them into snowflakes, and glue them together for a creative upcycle project.

• 3D Paper Stars: Use scrap or recycled paper to fold stunning 3D stars that can adorn your tree or mantelpiece.

• Salt Dough Ornaments: Mix simple ingredients like flour, salt, and water to create customizable ornaments for your family to paint.

• Cinnamon Apple Sauce Ornaments: Incredibly fragrant, easy to make, and compostable.

• Cardboard Gingerbread Houses: Instead of buying kits, upcycle cardboard to craft a charming display.

• Evergreen Wreaths: Gather pine branches, berries, and pinecones from your yard to assemble a wreath bursting with natural beauty.

• Evergreen Garlands: Much easier than I thought to make and a great use of landscape cuttings or cuttings from a tree lot.

Sustainable Christmas Traditions

Incorporating eco-friendly traditions into your holiday celebrations ensures that you can celebrate Christmas sustainably year after year.

• Countdown Paper Chains: Instead of buying an advent calendar, create a countdown chain using old magazines or wrapping paper scraps.

• Cookie-Making Parties: Bake cookies with family and friends. Decorate them with homemade icing and sprinkles.
• Nature Walks: Begin a tradition of walking through local parks or forests to collect natural items for crafts or decorations. We also love to bring hot chocolate to make it extra festive and give the kids something to look forward to.

Sustainable Gift Wrapping

Gift wrapping is a major contributor to holiday waste. By thinking outside the (gift) box, you can wrap presents sustainably.

• Brown Paper Packing: Reuse brown paper from online orders to wrap gifts. Decorate it with hand-drawn designs or potato-stamped patterns.
• DIY Present Toppers: Use some of the handmade ornaments or smaller pieces of decor listed above to add as a present topper.

• Fabric Ribbons: Swap plastic ribbons for DIY frayed fabric ribbons made from old textiles.

• Potato Stamps: Carve potatoes into festive shapes, dip them in paint, and create unique patterns on your wrapping paper.
• Reusable Bags and Boxes: Package gifts in cloth bags, baskets, or sturdy boxes that can be reused.

More Ways to Celebrate Christmas Sustainably

• DIY Gifts: Making gifts from what you already have at home is a great way to celebrate holiday cheer. I especially appreciate anything that is a consumable.
  • Gingerbread Playdough
  • Holiday Themed Memory Game
  • (check out my entire section of DIYs for kids here!)
  • Beeswax Candles
  • Reusable Cotton Rounds
  • Lined Pencil Pouch (maybe filled with some fun pens or art supplies)
  • Easy Cutting Board
• Shop Locally: Support local artisans or farmers’ markets for gifts, reducing the carbon footprint of shipping.
• Focus on Experiences: Give the gift of experiences—like tickets to a show, a cooking class, or a family outing—rather than physical items.
• Minimize Lights: Choose energy-efficient LED lights and keep outdoor displays minimal to save energy. (We have ours on a timer and only have them on from 6PM-11PM and then again on 6AM-8AM.)

Wishing You a Happy, Healthy, and (W)holesome Holiday Season!

By incorporating these ideas, you can celebrate Christmas sustainably while creating meaningful, joyful holiday traditions. Not only will these practices reduce waste, but they will also add a personal, heartfelt touch to your celebrations.

This Christmas, let’s focus on cherishing moments and memories, all while being kind to our planet and our wallets.