Thoughtful festivities

Deck the halls with next to no waste

• Make use of natural decorations from your garden – just a few holly leaves, pine cones or fallen branches can give your home that cosy, warm feeling or even a festive scent. (Don’t forget to pop them back in the garden or compost them afterwards)

• Guests coming over? Ask your family/friends to bring a couple of their own plates! Paper plates are not recyclable, especially if they have bits of food or grease on them, so going for reusable plates and cutlery is ideal.

• Real tree or fake tree? If you’re going to use your fake tree for years and years, this can be the most sustainable option. Alternatively, make a Christmas tree out of unused wooden pallets. Many shops now also sell real potted Christmas trees which you can use each year.

• Make your own Christmas crackers using toilet roll tubes and old newspaper, and fill them with useful and thoughtful gifts.

What to wear this party season

• Throw your own clothes swap with family/friends/colleagues. Simply pick a place, what clothes you want to swap and spread the word! It’s free, easy and you can still feel great wearing a new outfit for the upcoming Christmas party.

• Make your own Christmas jumper by adding accessories to an old jumper. From a reindeer, baubles or Christmas pudding yule be sure to impress.

• Buying second-hand Christmas party outfits from charity shops can be so much better than new. As well as being a bargain and potentially higher quality, you’re extending the lifespan of clothing and promoting sustainability.