Opt for some delicious home cooked Christmas fare this year to give your celebrations a touch of the personal. Now is the time to be making Christmas mincemeat, cakes and puddings as well as some of those ever popular Christmas tipples (think alcohol soaked fruits and you can’t go wrong). Prepacked foods are some of the worst offenders for non-recyclable plastic packaging so if you can avoid it by being prepared, give it a go.
Review your decoration stash. Natural decorations are very ‘in’ and make for a wonderfully rustic Christmas. There are plenty of festive favourites available outside, try pine cones, holly berries and mistletoe. You can always spray your pine cones gold or silver for a more elegant touch. That said, don’t necessarily discard last years decorations, many of these can be reused for many years.
If you are organising or hosting a Christmas party, give disposables a miss. Reusable cups, plates, glasses and cutlery give any gathering a classy feel and if you can avoid those plastic straws you will definitely be a popular planner with your guests. Just make sure everything gets collected to be used again next year.
Did you know most wrapping paper is not recyclable? Try using recycled brown paper for wrapping and jute string with some winter greenery. If you are feeling really adventurous, the Japanese art of ‘Furoshiki’ (using fabric to wrap presents) is a great way to make your gift stand out and gives the recipient something more than just the contents of the present. The fabric can be reused and is a fantastic talking point to raise the issue of single use.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without presents but why not give the gift of no plastic this year. Many children’s toys are plastic, but there are often traditional options out there made of wood. Spend time thinking about the gifts you give and, if you can’t think of anything, try an experience day, or a gift card. Unwanted Christmas gifts can be a huge contribution to landfill sites. If you are looking for some plastic free gifts ideas, we have plenty of options here at Natural Weigh.
Chloe Masefield
