Reducing waste this Christmas

1. Advent Calendars

The ideal options for low waste advent calendars are:

• Reusable Advent Calendars for example, wooden calendars 
• Cardboard and homemade treats calendar 
• Or you can swap your traditional advent calendars for gifting a book or doing an activity every day.

2. Gifts 

Nothing compares to the feeling of giving your loved ones a present for Christmas.  

Here are some ideas for reduced waste presents:  

• Quality over quantity – buy something that will last longer;
• Experiences – i.e. theatre or concert tickets; 
• Buy vintage, antique or second-hand; 
• Digital Gifts – i.e. eBooks, online magazine or Netflix subscriptions; 
• Buy unpackaged gifts or with recyclable packaging (did you know not all wrapping paper can be recycled?).

3. Christmas Cards 

Did you know more than 1.5 billion cards are thrown away by UK households each Christmas? This year instead of sending out physical cards, you could opt for e-cards. However, if that’s not for you, you could recycle some of your old cards, or choose cards that are either made from sustainable or recycled paper or that are not wrapped in plastic.  

4. Gift Wrapping

As you might expect, the majority of waste produced during the Christmas season is generated from wrapping presents. If you are using shop-bought wrapping paper, you can check to see if it is recyclable. (Please note that if it has glitter on it, then it cannot be recycled.) 

Here are some other ways you can reduce packaging waste:  

• Make sure you use paper tape instead of the normal Sellotape;
• Use recycled brown paper – this can be recycled together with your cardboard; 
• Use newspapers, paper bags or fabric as wrapping paper;
• Place your gifts in a basket or a container  

5. Christmas Crackers

Most Christmas crackers are filled with small toys made from plastic and unfortunately, most of these will end up in landfill. This doesn’t mean you can’t have Christmas crackers – here are some other options:  

• Make your own – they are easy to make and you can fill them up with anything you like; 
• Buy crackers with plastic free gifts;
• Buy reusable crackers – made from fabric.  

6. Christmas Tree

• Buy a fake tree and use it for as many years as possible;
• If you are buying a real tree, buy one in a pot and after Christmas you can add it in your garden;
• Opt for wooden or metal trees.  

Check out Skoup's tips on how to dispose of your Christmas tree here.

7. Decorations 

Having your house decorated for Christmas looks so special and festive, however, you do not need to buy new ornaments every year.  

• Use what you have from previous years; 
• Make paper chains using old newspapers or magazines;  
• Collect fallen twigs and branches and use them for decorations around the house; 
• Make your own decorations and Christmas Wreath; 
• Use fairy lights and candles to add a little sparkle to your home.  

8. Food Waste 

Here are a few simple ideas on how to reduce food waste: 

• Plan your meals in advance – you can even plan what to do with your leftovers; 
• Make sure your fridge is set to the right temperature to prevent good from going bad quickly;  
• Store your food correctly;  
• Freeze your fruits and vegetables if possible; 
• Share surplus food with your family or neighbours;
• Revive old bread – you can make a delicious bread pudding or turn stale bread into breadcrumbs;
• If you cannot reuse your leftovers, you could compost them.