3 Merry Ideas for a Sustainable Christmas

‘Christmas is in the heart’

It’s the most wonderful time of year though without bursting your bauble… it’s not always the most sustainable. The season to be jolly can be, well… the least joyful for our planet. Wildlife and countryside report up to 114,000 tonnes of plastic packaging will be thrown away this Christmas. That’s 3.3 million penguins in plastic waste! The good news is together we can make a difference without losing the magic of the season. From eco-gifting to delicious vegan recipes, there are plenty of planet-friendly ways to get into the festive spirit!

So grab yourself a mince pie and tuck in here are three merry ideas for a sustainable Christmas.

1) Green Food for thought

A belly-busting 4 million Christmas dinners go to waste each year in the UK. That’s over 2 million turkeys. There is no need to go hungry, what’s Christmas without a food coma? Though being mindful when it comes to what you eat is a delicious way to make Christmas more sustainable. Just ask Josie Clemens. Josie is an international vegan chef on a mission to create a better world. How? By instilling vegan menus in all major chains and restaurant groups. Looking to make your diet a little more eco- friendly? Swap prawn cocktails for her Zero waste soup bread bowl this Christmas! Head to our insta @pandalondon to find the yummy recipe. 

A few more tips…

• Good things come to those that plan ahead and Santa is watching… write a shopping list and try to stick to it! Do you really need those extra twiglets and tub of Roses?
• Check those best before dates. Make sure they are not before Christmas, especially all the finger food! Keep your belly full though try to keep the bin empty!
• The gift of giving… can’t bare to look at another potato? Instead of throwing food away, donating to food banks is a generous way to make Christmas more sustainable.

2) Get eco-cosy and eco-gifting

Tis’ the season to get cosy… of course it is! Though keep the planet at heart as you snuggle up with eggnog. Keeping our homes more sustainable is something we all need to be mindful of. Go for planet-friendly resources like Bamboo, which is becoming the go-to for seriously soft bedding and home-ware. And planet-loving brands like Panda are leading the way in taking nature’s miracle mainstream. Switching up your bedding for bamboo is a winner, winner Christmas dinner for you and the planet. And if you haven’t finished those Christmas gift lists yet (or even started) you will find eco-friendly bed sets, eye masks and snoozing essentials galore on Panda’s online store. 

  A few more tips…

Deck the halls with decorations that will last a lifetime – think wood, fabric, and glass over plastic and PVC. The best bit? They can be popped in a box and put back on the tree next year! Speaking of tree’s….

Go real – A sustainable Christmas doesn’t come much greener than choosing a real tree!

Make your cuppa ethical – There will be plenty of putting your feet up with a good cuppa over Christmas. Make it planet-friendly by using vegan milk like oat, almond, or coconut. Perfect with a few Xmas choccies. 

3) Go planet-friendly on gift- wrap

When it comes to wrapping presents, you either love it or you hate it. Though we all love guessing what’s in the pretty wrapped boxes under the tree! Packaging can play a big part in the tonnes of waste that comes with Christmas. The good news? Searches for sustainable wrapping paper are up 24% this year. If you’re after somewhere to start in making Christmas more sustainable… those presents won’t wrap themselves.  We cannot provide elves, though why not give one of these planet-friendly wrapping tips a try?

Go for an eco-friendly alternative – environmentally minded brands have come up with wonderfully kinder ways to wrap your gifts. Look for those using sustainable materials and embrace the spirit of planet-friendly gifting. 

Waste not, want not – those scribbly bits at the end of the roll that won’t quite wrap a box, don’t throw them away! Add them to other parts and put your own style on pressies- call it ‘sustainable wrapping’ 

Keep gift bags – Really not a fan of wrapping? Save yourself the cello-tape and use gift bags.

And remember waste not want not. Save any gift bags for next year… you never know when you might need one.

Well, that’s a wrap!

It only comes round once a year so get stuck in and make the most of it. May your Christmas be filled with love, joy, and magic. Though keep the planet in your hearts and homes while enjoying all the fun. Merry Christmas!