Christmas is this weekend, so here’s a handy guide on ensuring that festivities are both fun and friendly for the environment!
A blink of an eye and Christmas is already approaching this weekend. Though most Christmas preparations are in their last leg for most of us, there are still some last-minute tips and tricks we can implement to ensure that the holiday is environmentally friendly. Fun times for both humans and the earth!
Christmas meals.
1. try out local or plant-based options.
Conventional Christmas dinners star a massive turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and all sorts of other delicacies that leave everyone practically drooling in amazement. However, why not opt for a dinner sourced from local farms to have Christmas be a tad more eco-friendly? Have Christmas dinner at Open Farm Community, whose ingredients are based on what is available locally. Or, go full out and substitute a poultry dish for a plant-based alternative like Quorn’s vegetarian “chicken” roast instead!
2. aim for zero food wastage.
If you love eating your meats and are unwilling to give them up, make sure to plan ahead for a meal that leaves little to no leftovers! This can be done through a variety of methods. For example, making sure everyone will be fully aware of what is being served, or even encouraging guests to bring back leftovers in a reusable lunchbox.
Considering that 817 tonnes of food were wasted in Singapore in 2021, ensuring that everything would be finished means zero chances for leftovers to spoil and rot, thus helping the environment. Definitely a step in the right direction in having Christmas be more eco-friendly this year!
Otherwise, repurposing leftovers or composting whatever scraps you have would also be some other ways you can help minimise food wastage. We love using turkey bones and meat – in replacement of our normal choice of chicken – to make a filling porridge for a tasty lunch. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds and this recipe is similar enough; the comments can attest to this. 😉
3. use reusable dinnerware and cutlery instead.
According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), disposables like paper cups and plates, as well as plastic cutlery and crockery, are not recyclable. Furthermore, they’re incredibly bad for the environment. Used only once, they’re then fated to stay in the landfill for the rest of their 200-year-old lifespan. Instead, opt to use the reusable plates and cutlery you already have, all in favour of a greener Christmas.
Christmas decorations.
4. look out for second-hand decor.
Instead of purchasing Christmas decorations around the house, you could always source them secondhand. Be it through platforms like thrift stores or Carousell, or even relatives and other acquaintances. Alternatively, join the Freecycling movement and keep an eye out for people giving away Christmas decorations. Scrolling for ten minutes on Olio gave us tons of results related to Christmas ornaments, stockings, and cards.
5. handmade cards and labels are in this year.
While buying Christmas cards and labels would definitely be the easier way to go, switch it up and hand make them for a greener Christmas! Avoid the notoriously impossible-to-recycle glitter, and turn to recyclable packaging. Yes, recycled packaging. A festive Christmas card, from the corrugated layer of the packaging, is produced with some paint and glue. A pretty accompaniment alongside your present! Similarly, make your own labels from the empty cereal box in your pantry (though skip the glitter and opt for other materials like scrap fabric).
Don’t worry even if you’re not too well-versed in arts and crafts. Online platforms like 123greetings offer a wide assortment of e-cards to send to your friends and family through email, enabling your giftee to look back at it anytime they want to.
6. …as well as Christmas decor.
Making Christmas decorations with whatever materials you have on hand would also ensure Christmas becomes even more eco-friendly. It can act as a fun bonding time with family, small ones, and friends – establish a theme and go ham! You could also turn it into an intense competition on whose decorations turns out the most eye-catching. This all sounds like a memorable time not to be missed!
Hand making Christmas decorations is also a good way to use up whatever scrap materials you have around the house. For example, you can turn a pair of jeans you’ve been planning to donate into ornaments to hang on your tree or around the house. Or if you have too many unused Christmas cards, upcycle them into garlands, buntings, and even your own mini tree!
Even if you’re unable to implement all of these changes this year, taking the first step towards an environmentally-friendly Christmas makes a huge difference (even if you can’t tell!). And that’s what really matters. In fact, this might very well turn into second nature when next year rolls around.
Still deciding on a last-minute gift? Check out our eco-friendly Christmas gift ideas or how to be more sustainable in your gift-wrapping practices!
