I’ve written plenty on how to have an eco-friendly Christmas over the years. From sourcing heirloom vintage pieces or seeking out decorations made from renewable and biodegradable materials (such as wood, paper and cloth) to phasing out plastic in your preparation and displays. Curating a Christmas that is earth friendly isn’t as hard as you might think. However, swapping up your entire festive fanfare of flourishes in one go might NOT be the most budget friendly approach.
If you’re keen to go green, but want to keep the cost down, one of the very best ways to have an eco-friendly Christmas (and eliminate plastic entirely) is curate your own collection of homemade Christmas crafts.
Here are some creative Christmas constructions that won’t break the bank.
Make your own advent calendar
Seek out brown Kraft paper pillow boxes, foldable craft squares or even simple brown paper lunch bags from your local arts and craft store or online, and fill them with little love notes, quotes, individually wrapped chocolates, botanical guest soaps, puzzles or other non plastic trinkets. You’ll need 24 individual boxes or bags. Decorate each one with stamped numbers, wooden pegs, coloured ribbon or twine, foraged foliage or other decorative touches.
Alternatively if you are handy with a sewing machine, find a pattern and sew a pocket style advent calendar you can hang from the wall or a nice shaped branch. Choose a sturdy fabric such as a linen or canvas for a long-lasting item to pass on to future generations. Decorate with fabric paints or embellish with embroidery, fill each pocket with treasures that will last.
Eco friendly Christmas crackers and crowns
Collect your toilet rolls between now and Christmas and you should have enough to make your own Christmas crackers. Pick out some pretty recyclable Christmas wrap (not the cheap glossy stuff as alas that cannot be recycled!). You might choose to fill with little treats like packets of flower seeds, matchbox cars or individually wrapped chocolates instead of plastic toys. Include handwritten quotes or ‘vouchers’ for family movie nights, excursions or a craft activity. You can even purchase the little bits that make crackers bang.
Precut DIY Christmas cracker packs are also available if you want something a little less rustic. You can still fill with your own choice of mini treasures like these tiny matchboxes with uplifting messages inside.
Try making your own reusable fabric Christmas crowns to last year after year. A simple and cheap fabric like calico or colourful cotton works well. Add lengths of festive coloured ribbon on both ends for an adjustable hat that won’t fall down over tiny heads or tear the minute you put onto bigger heads like the tissue paper ones do in conventional crackers.
Handmade ornaments
Salt dough ornaments
A very simple activity and easy to follow recipe to make with the kids. Simply combine flour, water and salt to make a dough that is easy to shape and mould. Use pretty cookie cutters to make different shapes. Bake and then paint with natural pigment based colours or simply glue pressed flowers on the surface and cover with a clear varnish or sealant.
Aromatic ornaments
Combine 4-6 equal lengths of cinnamon sticks and a similar length of fresh rosemary. Wrap some twine or festive ribbon around the middle to bundle them up securely and tie a little bow in the middle. Attach some additional twine or ribbon to make a loop to hang. For additional fragrance try dropping a couple of drops of orange or cinnamon essential oil onto the quills. Another idea is to find small pine cones of similar size and spray paint them gold (or keep as is). Use a glue gun to attach a little loop of ribbon or twine and add to your tree.
Dried citrus ornaments
Finely slice citrus fruits and dehydrate in the oven on a low heat. Once fully dry hang with twine and if you like, embellish with other spices such as star anise or cinnamon sticks. They are like little stained glass circles which catch the light beautifully when combined with Christmas fairy lights.
Paper ornaments
Using vintage sheet music or pages from old books (find them at op shops) create stars, baubles and even Christmas trees to decorate your home. There are plenty of tutorials and instructions online for guidance and inspiration.
Recycled fabric stockings
Linen works especially well for Christmas stockings. If you have an old linen tablecloth, tea towel, pillowcase or sheet that has holes or a stain and is ready to be recycled, consider turning it into a Christmas stocking or two. It’s a very simple sewing exercise that won’t need high level skills to complete. A pair of scissors, cloth and a needle and thread is all you need (or a sewing machine). You might like to keep it neutral and simple or decorate with some fabric paints or embroidery.
Christmas tree made from sticks and string
For four years now, my Christmas tree has been a collection of sticks in descending size and some twine to hold them together. I hang it on my wall and decorate it with simple handmade paper decorations and pretty metal or wooden ornaments I’ve collected over the years. It cost me the price of the string (about 10c worth) and the best bit is it takes up none of our living area floor space as it goes on the wall, nor hardly any space in storage. It’s simply a little bundle of sticks tucked onto a shelf when it’s not in use. Here is some inspiration if you are over the giant plastic trees and feel like giving this idea a try.
Festive fabric bunting
My Mum sewed me some lovely fabric Nordic/Christmas themed bunting a few years ago and I bring it out year after year. It takes up barely any space once it is folded in storage, is plastic free and was made with love from fabric my Mum already had. It’s a very affordable and eco-friendly way to elevate a space with little effort.
DIY wreath
A Christmas wreath on the front door is often the first decoration we see in our neighbourhood come December. Traditionally made from natural elements, these days they are just as likely to be made from plastic. Wreaths add a festive flourish to the outside of your home, are a welcoming sight for visitors and can easily be made from scratch. Start with either a homemade wreath made from your own post pruning efforts such as cuttings from a Wisteria or Jasmine vine or find a rattan one at a craft supplies store. Using twine or some green florist’s wire add layers of foraged evergreen foliage (such as pine or eucalyptus) for your base. Decorate with festive coloured ribbon and adorn with natural textured elements such as pinecones, dried flowers, dried orange slices and gumnuts.
Garden ornaments that won’t cost the earth
Skip the store-bought plastic Christmas garden accessories this year and make your own festive decorations using your own garden waste! Find a couple of trees in your garden to prune, ideally ones with branches that are a range of sizes. Collect the branches and cut to size to make your very own log reindeer. The kids will love it and the neighbours will be impressed with your creativity.
It’s up to you how elaborate and extensive you go with your festive flourishes, but the fewer bulky plastic items you have the classier the vibe, the better for the environment and the easier to pack away at the end of the celebrations.
Alison Gallagher is a freelance writer, resourcefulness expert and entrepreneur. She has been featured in various publications including Stellar Magazine, Australian Health and Fitness Magazine, and Cleo Magazine. Alison is particularly passionate about sharing practical tips on how to live simply, sustainably and seasonally.
