If you've left Christmas shopping to the last minute there's still time get creative with these environmentally friendly ideas for the season. Shopping sustainably doesn't mean being a scrooge, it involves thinking about what happens to the presents and their wrapping the day after Christmas!
Some ideas to shop sustainably this Christmas.
Look for plastic free gifts, or options like on our yoga straps, to opt-out of packaging.
Choose items with repair or warranty offers (for an example have a look at our sustainability page 😉).
Consider things that might become heirlooms and be passed down through generations.
Avoid the latest gadget fad.
Shop small and local, to reduce your carbon footprint.
Refresh and pass on items, not everything needs to be new.
Make something. Homemade presents show you care and food can be shared.
Shop places that have generous return policies so gifts can be swapped rather than dumped if it doesn’t work out.
Give experiences, share your time and do something fun together - a yoga class perhaps (find a 108 class on the events page here)?
Ideas for present wrapping
If you're not in the habit of saving paper to reuse you instead of buying new you might consider one of the following options.
Make your own gift wrap from recycled paper. The brown shopper bags at the supermarket are a good place to start, some even have seasonal prints so you don’t need to do anything. Or, make it double sided breaking out a potato stamp.
Use fabric instead of paper. This might be literally a piece of fabric, or a cloth, dishtowel or similar.
Another idea is to paint or decoupage a shoe or cereal box.
Decorating the tree
There are arguments for and against real and plastic trees so I’ll stay out of that debate.
Picking environmentally responsible ornaments though can be more challenging. Tinsel is all plastic and sheds which isn’t great for our waterways.
Shopping second-hand is a great place to start.
Strings of popcorn are a fun alternative, I’d recommend popping the day before stringing so they go soft and don’t break when threading.
There’s some research being done into biodegradable glitter but it will be a while before you see it on ornaments.
Baked goods, like dough or clay make for a fun craft project, and can be re-used, just be sure to store them somewhere with no moisture!
Candy canes that can be eaten, they’re fun and a sneaky snack for kids.
Make strings of paper chains.
Get creative and use household items to make your own original decorations.
Stay safe and have fun this festive season. If you're not already sign up to the mail list and follow along on socials for more tips and tricks.