Do you want to have a great Christmas while taking care of the planet? It's possible and we'll explain how to satisfy the eco-friendly Santa in you.
Every year the pleasure of the end of year festivities are slightly bitter. Caught up in the guilt of the mountain of packaging waste and food scraps thrown away, you wonder if it is possible to do things differently. Is it not possible to celebrate in a different way, to enjoy the holidays in a more sustainable way, to offer greener gifts and offer a more eco-friendly meal? What if we told you that celebrating Christmas while respecting the environment was possible...
Tips to avoid waste
Even before thinking about gifts and meals, there are many aspects of the end-of-year celebrations that can be reviewed to drastically reduce waste. Decorations, tree, packaging, everything can be a source of pollution reduction to tend towards the most zero waste possible.
Offer eco-friendly gift boxes
The holiday season is often the time when finding gift ideas is not easy. Why not choose to offer an eco-friendly gift to your loved ones? A real gift that is meaningful and totally ethical, will mark your gratitude and attention to the person to whom you offer it. Handcrafted zero waste objects, ecological and natural care products or a lasting gift and useful are always appreciated and are a real surprise. A box set eco-friendly giftThe success of your gift will be phenomenal and you will be proud to have offered eco-friendly gifts that will last.
Offer sustainable and ethical toys
Many companies are making beautiful, sustainable, ethical and environmentally friendly toys. ecologicaland especially in France. Respectful of the environment, the materials used are also healthy for your loves. So it's not just a gift full of love and meaning that you are offering, but a real blessing for our planet. Moreover, made of durable materials, these toys will last in time and will not end up in the trash after a week. Choose toys made of fabric, wood or natural rubber. Visit your local stores to find the best toys for your little hearts.
Make your own tree
There are many initiatives to have a tree at home in a responsible way. Many companies allow you to return the tree after the holidays, to rent a potted tree or to wrap your tree in a special bag and donate part of the money to charity. Making your own tree is surely the most sustainable way to decorate your magical corner. More ecological than a natural tree and much more aesthetic than an artificial tree, the homemade tree has many advantages.
A homemade tree does not lose its thorns, is unique and will naturally match your interior and is totally reusable every year. It's the perfect workshop to keep the kids busy for many hours and to introduce them to zero waste and the importance of waste management. Floating tree, wall hanging tree or recycled tree, there is no shortage of ideas for this totally eco-friendly Christmas emblem.
Choosing an eco-friendly gift wrap
Gift wrapping is always a major source of waste. To reduce this mass of single-use paper, which only lasts a moment, you have two solutions.
Opt for Kraft paper
Wrapping gifts in kraft paper allows them to be wrapped in 100% recycled and recyclable paper. Totally biodegradable and compostable, it contains no plastic fibers. Moreover, it can be decorated at will. You can take advantage of it to create a decoration workshop with your children, who will be very happy to prepare the gift paper for Santa Claus. Add jute string for decoration and dried flowers for wrapping and your gift will look totally eco-friendly.
Wrapping gifts with a furoshiki
Furoshikis are very fashionable and avoid any waste of packaging. Real technique of folding fabrics to pack everything in an elegant way, you can enjoy many video tutorials on the web. Using fabric to wrap will allow you to recycle old clothes that you can reuse by cutting them in a proper way. If you are in need of inspiration, check out these videos that will allow you to be more eco-friendly with your gift wrapping.
A local and seasonal meal for the holidays
Is it possible to have a full belly, while thinking of the planet and without putting the pleasure of taste on the altar? Surely, all you have to do is look at winter foods, ideally produced not far from your home. A true locavore meal will therefore be produced by your local farmer. By favouring local trade, we strongly limit the purchase of high-carbon foods, thus reducing our carbon footprint. Local and seasonal products will also taste much better. You lack inspiration to find the right dish for this special evening? The fruits and vegetables in season are listed here in alphabetical order:
Seasonal vegetables in winter
Beet, chard, carrot, chicory, cabbage, celery, shallot, endive, spinach, lettuce, lamb's lettuce, morel, onion, sorrel, leek, potato, crosne, radish and escarole. Enough to make excellent dishes full of flavor! Pies, complex dishes, hot and cold, these vegetables can also serve as a perfect accompaniment to poultry!
Seasonal fruits in winter
Pineapple, avocado, banana, lemon, passion fruit, kiwi, mandarin, mango, walnut, orange, pear and apple. These fruits will awaken your taste buds and allow you to make sublime desserts! Mousse, ice cream, pie, fruit salad with a coulis, the options are numerous!
A totally sustainable Christmas
From now on, you will be able to prepare the holidays in an eco-responsible and zero waste way. No more wasteful parties, now it's time to respect the environment at all times to give better gifts and especially in a more sustainable way. Your loved ones will be delighted to celebrate knowing that they are respecting the planet and will thank you for your investment. It will surely be for them also a beginning of renewal towards a more ecological and zero waste approach! What are you going to offer to your friends and family?
