Making Christmas more eco- friendly

We have a secret Santa for the adults so we just buy one gift for £10 and therefore not too much tat. Gift tokens for two teenagers.

We still exchange cards and pull crackers though.

All such great ideas and totally support Izabella in NZ plans.
We've reduced cards to a handful, down from over 100 pre-internet. And we have a family agreement to buy small presents preferably recycled for kids only.
What does everyone do about Christmas trees?
Most real trees seem to be shipped in from great distances, and I don't know how many years a plastic tree should be used to make it climate-friendly. But I do think that some bright lights and Christmas cheer goes a long way to making the dark night's of winter bearable.

I've reused Christmas wrapping paper for the past 4 or 5 years. Last year I used one new roll, with 10 grandchildren, plus husband, children, friends I thought that was good going. Any new paper I buy now I always try and make sure it is just 'paper'. So much now contains plastic, glitter or foil and none of this can be recycled. The tip I read last year was if it can be scrunched up in a ball and it stays scrunched up it's probably paper.

Surely it's better not to buy tat ... nor to have dozens of pairs of shoes and handbags or more "stuff" which you could not use in a month of Sundays.

My DS recycles paper and says that ?Xmas paper can be a nightmare. Do check that it tears before recycling. The paper that stretches slightly before tearing is plasticised and gums up the pulper causing no end of blockages etc. He then has to spend a couple of hours knee deep in cold smelly water unjamming it.

Oh, also I haven't sent Christmas cards for at least 25 years. I donate what I would have spent to Shelter, usually. I do write letters throughout the year to people though.

My thing is, just buy less tat. In fact buy less altogether, all year round. Wrapping paper that's metallic or glittery won't recycle btw, we had a leaflet from the council last year telling us not to put it in the recycling.
I mostly give food as presents. Home-made chocs, chutney or marmalade. Small children will get money given to their parents, bigger kids just get the cash. I've got presents hopelessly wrong for kids in the past so I find cash is the safest bet. I roll it up and tie it with a bit of ribbon usually, to make it look present-y.

Izabella have a lovely time in NZ. Wishing you a warm and sunny Christmas with your family. Take lots of photos and enjoy the trip. Best wishes.

My DH was a publisher and knows that paper is a recyclable product where fast growing trees are cropped like wheat. Avoid plastic if you will but paper will recycle.

The Puritans banned Christmas and look where it got them.

There is a lovely post doing the rounds on Facebook urging us to use brown paper instead of the non recyclable Christmas version. The picture with the post shows brown paper packages tied up with string (just like the song) and pretty labels, some made with doily paper. Will have a go.

I have bought bamboo reusable cups and lunch boxes for my brother, his family and their partners. I sponsor a guide dog for my mum too. My daughters are also happy for toys to be bought secondhand, which I hope helps. I also make cakes , jam and marmalade reusing jars as gifts.

I made slip cover out of Christmas fabric for our usual place-mats and bought some fabric napkins. They have lasted for years, No waste and saved loads on buying paper products every year

I shall donate to Guide Dogs. However, there my eco friendly Xmas ends as I shall be flying to NZ. Consciously my last trip to see relatives there for two reasons. One is environmental the other my Alzheimers.