| Christmas treeo You could always purchase an | | | | eco-friendly tree ornaments if you cant be |
| artificial tree that can be reused for many years, | | | | bothered to make them. |
| these range from 10 pounds to over 100 pounds. | | | | Giftso Buy a subscription to an organisation |
| Ours actually looks real!o If you buy a real tree, | | | | working to make the world a better place such |
| pay the Woodland Trust or a different | | | | as the RSPB, RSPCA or Oxfam.o If you are |
| organization to plant one in its place! | | | | buying a present that uses batteries make sure |
| Christmas Decorationso If you have evergreen | | | | the person you are buying it for has a battery |
| shrubs and trees - to make sure you have an | | | | charger and buy rechargeable batteries.o Buy a |
| annual supply of eco-friendly Christmas | | | | homemade present, bird table, compost bin. |
| decorations why not do some of your pruning | | | | Chocolate cakes often go down very well! |
| just before Christmas and use the choice bits for | | | | Gift wrapo Collect extra photocopies or no longer |
| inside? If you have not got any evergreens but | | | | needed papers from work for your children to |
| have a garden ask for some of these plants as | | | | draw on the back.o Use colored pictures from |
| Christmas presents. They may take a few years | | | | your childrens colouring books.o Use leftover |
| to grow but then all you will need to do is harvest | | | | pieces of fabric or wallpaper.o Use recycled |
| in December and be as creative as you like.o | | | | paper.o Put the gift inside another gift such as a |
| Make a homemade wreath using branches | | | | decorative tin, nice wooden box etc.o Use gift |
| trimmed from your garden or somebody elses.o | | | | wrap, gift bags and gift boxes, ribbon and bows |
| Purchase handmade decor made from recycled or | | | | from last Christmas or previous celebrations. |
| eco-friendly materials. If possible by Fair trade as | | | | Leave the tags blank on the gifts you are giving |
| well, as they are a great way to support the | | | | so that they can be reused. |
| disadvantaged. While some of these crafts may | | | | Greeting cards & gift tagso Send an e-card.o |
| not be from recycled materials they provide | | | | Make a greeting card or tag from scrap paper, |
| much needed income to needy individuals.o Ivy is | | | | fabric or wallpaper.o Make cards or tags from |
| good to drape around pictures, windows and the | | | | pieces of food box. |
| base of Christmas trees, it will hide the wires of | | | | Packing materialo Use saved packing material such |
| the tree lights. There is as far as I know no | | | | as foam or bubble wrap.o Crush up newspaper |
| substitute for electric fairy lights but as they last | | | | into loose balls. This is cheap, quick and lightweight! |
| for years and use very little power, their impact | | | | This is our preferred method for box filler. |
| is relatively low and they do look great.o One of | | | | After the New Yearo Find out where you can |
| the advantages of using natural decorations is | | | | recycle your real Christmas tree or Christmas |
| that after Christmas they do not need to go in | | | | cards, local councils and supermarkets are a good |
| the bin they can enter your normal garden waste | | | | place to start. They will turn your trees into mulch |
| on the compost heap. | | | | for use in parks and public gardens.o Use any |
| Christmas tree ornamentso Make homemade | | | | wrapping paper that is no longer reusable for shelf |
| ornaments from (painted) pinecones, painted | | | | liners or craft projects.o Save boxes, gift bags, |
| eggshells, crushed (colored) aluminum foil, paper | | | | wrapping, filler, ribbons and bows for future gift |
| chains, paper snowflakes, old CDs and more!o | | | | wrapping or craft projects. Give them away to |
| Decorate a doll as an angel.o Do an online search | | | | friends, neighbours etc if you have too many to |
| for recycled or homemade tree ornaments for | | | | keep. |
| numerous ideas or purchase these recycled or | | | | |