Christmas doesn’t have to be a time for disposable gifts and excess waste. There are plenty of ways that we can have a sustainable and eco friendly festive season, with just a couple of tweaks.

Following this year’s COP26, the importance for all of us to make more effort to be sustainable has been highlighted. For many of us, this can start at home with small changes. Especially over the holiday season, when potential for waste and over consumption is high, these little things can make a huge difference to our environmental footprint.

Here is our list of our top 5 tips for a green Christmas!

1) Ingenious wrapping

In the UK, every household uses an average of 4 rolls of wrapping paper (totalling a whopping 227,000 miles of it!) and the majority won’t (or likely can’t) be recycled.

Christmas wrapping ideas

Many shops now produce recyclable wrapping paper, which is often made from recycled products itself. This is a much more environmentally friendly option than buying tons of foil or glitter covered rolls, that then become destined for landfill. You can decorate the paper with ribbon (reusable!) or even with wooden embellishments that can double up as tree decorations. Kids would love to help out here too – why not enlist them to do some festive stamping on the paper (potato prints and poster paints – it doesn’t have to be fancy!)

For another eco-friendly idea that is even kinder on the pocket, how about using newspaper? The iconic black-and-white print would look stunning tied with red or green ribbon, to enhance its festive look.

You may have also seen fabric bags for sale – these wonderfully simple products are reusable year after year (if you manage to get them back!). Other fabric options include scarfs, muslin cloths, and fat quarters. Pick festive patterns or a design personal to your recipient – or even try creating your own on plain fabrics (hello potato prints again!).

2) Make your own Advent Calendar

Advent Calendar Ideas

We all love the excitement of opening a little door and finding a surprise every day in December. But the majority these days seem to be more plastic than chocolate. You don’t have to be crafty to create one yourself, there are plenty of options available to purchase, or guidance on how to make your own. Wooden or fabric, they come in a range of sizes and designs, and the bonus is that they are reusable every year.

Just fill each door with a chocolate treat, and you’ll never miss the mass produced ones. If chocolate isn’t for you, how about sweets, gin, or some garden seeds? Books can last a lifetime, and short childrens books especially would be wonderful to open each day to share at bedtime – making treasured Christmas memories.

Positive messages would be ideal for putting in an advent calendar – this time of year can be hard for a lot of people and so having a little pick-me-up every day might go a long way. Or try a kindness advent calendar; each day have an Act of Kindness task to complete. This could be something as simple as giving someone a compliment, or practical like donating a toy to a childrens ward.

As Christmas is the time for giving, how about considering a reverse advent calendar? Every day in December, add a non-perishable food item to a bag, and on Christmas eve you would have 24 items to deliver to your local food bank.

3) Plantable Christmas Cards

Peat free compost

Over recent years, plantable paper has become more and more popular. Instead of throwing away cards when you’re finished displaying them, this clever design means they can have a new lease of life! Simply plant in soil and water regularly, and watch the flowers grow as the paper decomposes.

Available in a range of designs, these wonderful creations are a unique and sustainable alternative to regular cards. You can also get non-seasonal cards, gift tags, notebooks, and even pencils, with this clever twist.

4) Eat More Plants

Eating more plant based meals is good for you AND the planet! According to the FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organizations), nearly 15% of greenhouse gas emmissions are from animal agriculture. Add to that the huge amounts of land, water and feed needed to raise livestock, and you can see why there is a environmental aspect to reducing meat consumption.

Winter Veg

Pile on the veg!

We’ve all known since childhood that we should eat our veggies! So this year why not fill up on vegetable side dishes and leave the meat as a main dish only?

Luckily in the UK, most of our traditional Christmas Dinner veg is actually in season in the winter. Staples like carrots, parsnips, cabbage, swede and potatoes can all be home grown ready for a Christmas feast. Not only do they not have the air miles and carbon footprint that flown in veg does, and therefore is kinder to the environment, but you can also support your local farm shop and help small businesses by shopping small and local! Win – win!

Swap a meat dish for a meat free one!

If you want to try reducing your meat intake but still want that tasty protein hit, all is not lost!

All supermarkets have increased their vegan selection exponentially over the last few years, meaning its never been easier to pick up plant-based products. You can find meat-free alternatives for all those Christmas staples, from Shroompups in Blankets to a No-Turkey Roast. For recipe ideas and more tips on a meatless Christmas, see Veganuary.

5) Send Environmentally Conscious Gifts

This year, choose to send meaningful and thoughtful gifts, putting quality ahead of quantity. Luckily, here at English Roses, we have you covered! We have put great care into our Christmas Gift range, selecting products for their sustainability while also making sure they look the part!

Roses themselves are living gifts, whose glorious flowers will bloom in the garden for years to come. Their bright colours and wonderful scent attracts bees, butterflies and other insects, which in turn can boost the local wildlife in your garden. What can be more eco-friendly than a living gift!

Reusable bags and decorations look wonderfully festive, without the disposable element. Our gift labels and care guides are all printed on recycled paper, and even our large pots that the roses are grown in can be recycled in most domestic recycling collections. Heat wrapped for protection, we use recyclable plastic, and then securely package it all into sturdy custom-made recyclable packaging. We try our best to stay well away from single use plastics wherever possible! We ensure our soil is peat-free; not only does this provide optimum conditions for roses to grow, but also means we aren’t contributing to the depletion of peat sources, and the important ecological function they provide.

All of this, plus free standard delivery is included; we hate hidden costs as much as we hate single use plastics! You can also upgrade to next day delivery if you’re short on time!

Choose English Roses for an eco-friendly gift from a small independent UK business. The perfect sustainable way to show your love this Christmas.

And finally…

This Christmas, remember what is really important. It’s not about the food, decorations, or even the gifts. It’s spending time with loved ones, reflecting on the year that has passed, and being grateful for what you have.

Merry Christmas, from all of us here at English Roses

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