Our A to Z tips for an eco-friendly Christmas
The festive season is here!
Christmas is a very special time of the year and one that is easy to make a little more sustainable too. So we have created an A-Z of ideas to help.
Whether you try one, two, or the whole set, with some simple changes we can all be a little kinder to the planet this festive season.
Which will you try?
A is for... advent calendar
A reusable advent calendar is great for counting down to Christmas in an eco-friendly way. You can tailor the treats and keep it for years to come.
If you're enjoying a shop-bought calendar this year, recycle it if you can and keep your eyes peeled for a reusable one ready for next year.
B is for... batteries
New gifts at Christmas (especially children's toys) often require batteries which are difficult to recycle. Instead, look out for toys that don't need them or take a look at rechargeable batteries to help reduce waste.
C is for... cards
Try to choose cards that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) certified. This means that the paper has been sustainably produced.
If you can't recycle your cards after Christmas, you could keep them for next year and cut them up to use as present tags.
D is for... decorations
This year you could make some of your own decorations using natural materials such as pine cones, acorns or bark. Take a look here for some inspiration.
Another fab idea is recycling your old Christmas cards into bunting.
Making decorations is fun for everyone and more sustainable than buying things like tinsel. Those little bits that end up sprinkled all over the house are actually tiny bits of plastic that can’t be recycled.
E is for... entertainment
Simply swap some Christmas television for a family walk, the crisp winter air is sure to get you into the festive spirit.
Board games can also provide hours of entertainment and good ones last year after year (after year, after year...). Some of the Kite team's family favourites are Bananagrams, Skyjo and Jenga, as well as classics such as Mousetrap, Connect 4 and Scrabble.
F is for... food
Yum, yum! With a little bit of planning, it's easy to eat well and reduce Christmas food waste. Firstly, work out what you need and how much and then choose options with less plastic packaging. If you can, buy local produce and organic ingredients where possible.
And if you do over-cater, make sure you enjoy all the delicious leftovers the next day!
G is for... gifts
Whether you have nearly finished your Christmas shopping, or haven't started yet, try and be environmentally conscious. If you're buying clothes you can choose GOTS certified brands (like us). This means that the items you buy are sustainably sourced and comply with social criteria too.
See tip Q for more eco-gift ideas.
H is for... homemade
Why not make some goodies this year? Family and friends will really appreciate delicious baked goods like biscuits and mince pies.
Check out these fab Christmas gift recipes for some inspiration.
I is for... invitations
Christmas party season is here. We're sure that lots of you are excited that the celebrations can take place in-person this year, but the invites can stay online. Sending digital invitations is a great way to save time and paper.
J is for... Christmas jumpers
In recent years festive knitwear has become very popular but it can be a 'fast fashion' option.
Try to buy one from a sustainable source that you can wear for the whole season and beyond (we think our Fair Isle jumper is fab!) or second hand is really great too.
K is for... keeping the heat in
Draught proofing might not be your number one Christmas priority (!) but it will help keep the heat in so you won't need to have the heating on as high. Something which is even more important due to current high energy prices.
L is for... lights
Indoor LED fairy lights are great for decorating your home for Christmas. They don’t require much energy (except from those that have to put them up!) and are more efficient than standard and even energy-saving bulbs.
Remember to turn your Christmas lights off overnight and when you leave the house for safety, and to save energy too.
M is for... mulled wine
Don't just make changes to the food you buy, think about the drinks too. Organic or vegan mulled wine is more sustainable and tastes just as delicious.
N is for... nativity
Often nativity costumes are used once and then thrown away or forgotten about. Making your own is a great option, although some might be trickier than others!
What role has your little one got in their nativity or Christmas production this year?
O is for... organic
Try and choose organic, whether it's food, drinks or gifts.
Organic means working with nature so what you buy is free from pesticides, meets high animal welfare standards and uses more sustainable methods.
P is for... plastic-free
Throughout the festive season try and use as little plastic as possible. Whether it's choosing gifts or food with less plastic packaging or simply reusing shopping bags when you do the Christmas shop, everything helps!
Could you challenge yourself to a plastic-free or low-plastic Christmas?
Q is for... quality, not quantity
Every year we tend to receive Christmas gifts that we don't really need or want. Not long after they end up being thrown away or re-gifted.
This year, you could try asking family members to stick to a 'one gift' rule so that each person receives one thoughtful gift rather than lots of smaller ones.
R is for... reuse and recycle
So much waste is created during the festive season, so recycling and reusing is a must.
Check out this handy recycling guide to see what you can do with your waste over the Christmas period.
S is for... shop local
Shopping closer to home helps to support small businesses and the local community and minimises your carbon footprint too.
We have over 500 amazing stockists around the world and they would absolutely love to share their wonderful selection of products with you this Christmas and beyond.
T is for... trees
Artificial trees often get a bad reputation but did you know that if you use one for ten years, it has the same environmental impact as a real tree that is responsibly disposed of? They're also safer for cats and dogs.
If you don’t think you’ll keep an artificial tree that long then you could opt for a real one. If you have the opportunity then try to buy a tree that has been locally grown and certified organic.
U is for... unity
Christmas is a time to be united. We hope that this year you can spend some special time with those that you love. And if we unite to make just a few small changes to the way that we celebrate, it could create a big difference for our planet too.
V is for... vegetables
We all love classic Christmas veggies. Locally sourced seasonal vegetables have lots of benefits: they are normally cheaper as you are buying when there is an abundance, they’re tastier because they haven’t travelled as far as non-seasonal vegetables, and they’re better for the environment as they have lower transport emissions. Win, win, win!
W is for... wrapping paper
Glossy and glittery wrapping paper looks lovely but typically isn't recyclable.
Instead, you could use up-cycled brown paper or homemade wrapping paper. Both offer a beautiful, vintage look and are kinder to the planet.
X is for... Xmas spirit
Christmas is such a busy time of year and often we end up consuming more of everything. This year, and every year, we think it's so important to focus on sharing positive Christmas spirit. Ho, ho, ho!
Y is for... year
Now that you have discovered our top tips for a sustainable Christmas, why not try and see if some of them work all-year long?
Z is for... finally catching some Zzz's
Your busy, eco-friendly Christmas is on its way so make sure you take some time to relax and get some sleep. Zzz...
