How to Have a Sustainable Christmas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – but also the most materialistic and wasteful.

Christmas brings out the kid in me, and I love baking treats and doing crafts just as much as I did as a 5 year old. But as an adult, I'm much more environment-aware and remind myself that our celebrations should not come at the expense of the planet.

With a little imagination and preparation, you can enjoy a festive season that is green-friendly and still magical. Read on to find some of my tips.

Buy less things

We don’t need to spend big to show we care. Often, the little trinkets and gadgets we give to people end up being forgotten or thrown out. Look for gifts that aren’t necessarily a ‘thing,’ but still bring joy to loved ones – an experience, like a Red Balloon voucher, or a donation to a charity.

You can also give presents that don’t create waste. House plants in a nice pot are one of my favourite gifts to give (they definitely became more popular during COVID), or bake some Christmas treats – yummy ones like these certainly won’t have any leftovers!

Secret Santa or Kris Kringle are another great idea for families and friend groups, to minimise the volume of stuff we buy.

Choose local

Gifts we purchase online often come from the other side of the world. Transport is responsible for about 20% of global greenhouse emissions – so next time you go to the checkout, consider where the item is coming from. Find gifts at your farmers' markers, artisan markets like the Rocks Christmas Markets, or from local Australian producers (and here).

You can also buy your Christmas feast foods from local organic farms and delis.

Wrap with creativity

It may be easy to pick up a few rolls from the supermarket, but Australians waste around 150,000km of wrapping paper every year (that's enough to cover the earth four times over....). I love getting creative with brown paper – jazz it up with some reindeer stamps, a black felt pen drawing or a ribbon. Find ways to use leftover bits of decorative paper or even old pieces of cloth!

And instead of purchasing a pack of Christmas cards, send e-cards or make your own. They’re a fun thing to do in front of a Christmas movie with a mug of hot chocolate, and people appreciate personalised cards.

I always think that thoughtful homemade wrapping is half the gift itself.

Be green and resourceful

Advent calendars, Christmas crackers, party hats, paper decorations, plastic Christmas trees – be conscious of the materials that products are made of. Consider buying a real tree (the smell is always worth the pine needle clean-up) and make some of your own Christmas decorations from bits and bobs in your house, or borrow or trade with family and friends to mix it up. Instead of buying packets of mini individually-wrapped chocolates and candy canes, bake your own Christmas truffles and trifle.

Don’t forget to handle waste

This is possibly the most crucial time of the year to up your recycling game. That includes composting your food waste and having picnics with leftovers for the next few days. Dispose of any single use plastics (hopefully you've limited those already), and those unwanted gifts from your extended family can be donated to charity or placed in a ‘to be re-gifted’ box. There’s no shame in re-gifting, the planet will thank you.

While Christmas is all about indulgence, celebration and abundance, don't forget that it's also a time of the year to be thoughtful and giving. Think of the gifts we receive from nature - the greatest present you can give back to our earth is to minimise your mark on it.

Let me know your thoughts below!