Christmas is a time of giving and receiving and we all have the tendency to be extra generous during the festive season. Did you know that we spend 60% more of our income AND household waste increases by about 30% over Christmas? This means thousands of tons of wrapping paper, decorations, food, bottles and unwanted gifts are thrown out which unfortunately all end up in landfill.

However, reducing waste doesn’t mean you need to compromise on the festivity – here’s a few simple ways to get your started.

Easy Swaps

If you are having a picnic or barbeque outdoor, simple replace your single use plastic plates/forks/knives with eco-friendly picnicware – biodegradable plates, bamboo cutlery, paper cups and of course stainless-steel straws!

Give Sustainability Gifts

Looking for gifts is most likely one of the most exciting and stressful parts of the Christmas season. Unfortunately, overbuying can lead to unwanted gifts being thrown away which will easily end up in landfill.

Here are a few gift ideas:

• Zero waste gifts for greener living – Click here for sustainable gift ideas that mean zero waste from your gifts this Christmas. A reusable fill&go bottle is an affordable and sustainable stocking filler.
• Give the gift of charity – donating to Oxfam, who work to create long-term solutions to reduce poverty, is a thoughtful way to spread the love on someone’s behalf. Alternatively, you can purchase a gift from their online store.
• Homemade gifts – nothing says more about love and care than something you’ve created yourself. From chutneys to candles, you’d be surprised by how easy they are to make! Click here for some inspirations to get your started.

Clever Cooking on Christmas Day

One of the biggest creators of waste over the Christmas period is leftover food from Christmas Day. In fact, up to 20% of Christmas food is wasted. Clever planning and portion size is the key to minimize leftovers. It helps to create a detailed menu plan that details all the courses you’ll be serving and this way you can get a pretty good idea of how much food everyone really would be consuming. Keep your filtered water jug or cask in the fridge so that you have clean, fresh filtered water to keep everyone hydrated without the need to buy any plastic bottled water.

If you do happen to have leftovers, know what to do with them! There is an abundance of recipes to turn Christmas leftovers into exciting meals for the whole family. Click here for a few suggestions on how to handle leftover food.

Being sustainable doesn’t mean sacrifice at Christmas. With a few simple swaps and some planning ahead, you can help enjoy all the fun and festivities knowing you’ve helped reduce waste going to landfill.