We hope that these ideas will help make the events, festivals and parties that are organised by individuals or groups around the district more sustainable. This is a summary of the ideas from the Our Planet Our Future evening event held in 2018.
Featured image is Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
Decorations
- If you buy decorations, try charity shops first or buy ones made from wood or other natural materials
- Make origami or wooden tree decorations
- Make paper streamers, garlands or banners
- Make edible tree decorations, gingerbread, dried orange slices
- Make your own wreaths and decorations using plants from the garden
- Swap decorations with friends rather than buying new ones
- Buy a living tree in a pot & keep it in the garden during the year
- Buy low energy LEDs or solar lights if you need new ones
- Swap decorations with friends rather than buying new ones
- Swap reusable kid’s tableware with friends for children’s parties
Sending greetings
- Ring people you don’t see very often rather than send a card
- Send eCards or email
- Send fewer cards, particularly only to people you won’t see over the festival period – using time saved to include personal messages
- Buy cards made from recycled materials, supporting charities and recycle them
- Deliver local cards on foot or bike
- Recycle postage stamps (e.g. at the Keech Hospice shops)
Gifts
- Adopt the No unnecessary buying of gifts pact (see Martin Lewis video)
- Arrange a “secret santa” or use “secret santa” app where you can give ideas about what you’d like to receive
- If you have children, use the 4 gift guide: “something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read”
- Pool together with friends to buy more significant, requested gifts for birthdays
Gifts that you can make or provide
- Chocolates, biscuits, vinegars, chutneys, jams, cakes, mince pies
- Spirits with foraged fruits
- Homemade crafts, personalised calendars, books of your favourite recipes
- Gifts of time or services e.g. babysitting, lifts, pet sitting, DIY, decorating or gardening
Gifts that you buy
- Sponsorships, e.g. Toilet Twinning, Woodland Trust & Trees for Life tree dedications
- Charity gifts e.g. Oxfam Unwrapped
- Gifts of experiences, event tickets, memberships, subscriptions or meals out
- Buy gifts from local independent shops (e.g. The Refill Pantry), charity shops or eBay
Wrapping and packaging
- Turn last year’s cards into this year’s gift tags, bags or boxes
- Wrap using recycled brown paper, fabric or magazines, with string and a sprig of evergreen
- Decorate paper bags instead of using plastic party bags
- Use re-usable furoshiki wraps (traditional Japanese wrapping cloths)
- Keep useful boxes and bags during December to help with wrapping
- Save the wrapping paper to use again
- Use a decorated pillow case for children’s presents
- Make a Christmas stocking or use sports sock for stockings
Food and drink
- Plan your meals including your leftovers
- Minimise your packaging by buying ingredients at The Refill Pantry
- Make your own mulled wine, mince pies, cakes and puddings
- Buy veg from local growers – see the Local Food Map from FoodSmiles St Albans
- Make your Christmas pudding or festive cake as a family activity
- Have some vegan meals, with additional bonus that they keep longer so reducing potential food waste