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Interior Design tips to make Christmas sustainable this year
Interior Design tips to make Christmas sustainable this year
The magic of Christmas is incomparable. The tree, the decorations, the lighting, the smell… It all works together to create a cozy environment. It brings us together and reminds us of many sweet childhood memories. When everything seems to be off this year, we can count on Christmas to bring peace and joy inside our homes.
Yet something feels off. Cutting this huge beautiful tree to put it in the living room, wrapping lots of gifts, and creating waste… ethical and eco-friendly households are wondering if these traditions really make sense and how to make them more sustainable. The good news is that yes, you can have the spirit of Christmas without increasing your environmental footprint. Let’s take a look at these tips to decorate your house this Christmas… the eco-friendly way.
The Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree is a huge part of the Christmas decoration, so let’s start there. To avoid cutting a tree there are multiple options.
Should you get a fake Christmas tree?
You might think right away that a fake tree will be more eco-friendly, especially in the long term. What most people don’t take into consideration though are all the chemicals that fake trees are made of. Instead of going fake, we have other options for you:
- Rent a tree
Yes, you can rent a Christmas tree! How does it work and how does it make it more sustainable? Garden centers and nurseries are offering this option to keep the magic of Christmas with a live Christmas tree. The biggest difference with your regular tree is that this one isn’t cut. They deliver the tree to your door still with the roots. 30 days later, they come to pick it up and put it back in the Earth. No tree is being harmed or wasted in the process.
Check with your local nursery if that is something they offer.
2. Decorate your indoor plants
You already have a big plant indoor? Use it as a Christmas tree.
3. Use only the branches
Instead of having the whole tree, decorate branches.
4. Make your own Christmas trees
The DIY out there will be pleased! There are many options to make your own version of the Christmas tree. We particularly love the idea of the ladder decorated with ornaments and light strings.
Want to go the extra mile? Plant a tree this year, in your backyard or through a local organization or a global one like One Tree Planted
The centerpiece
Make your own centerpiece by collecting fallen leaves and pine cones.
The ornaments
Many ornaments are not sustainably made. They don’t last for a long time and then create a lot of plastic waste. This year go for natural materials like wood or ceramic and enjoy them for many years. We also love this idea of writing wishes and intentions and hanging them on the tree.
The gift wrap
Wrapping your gifts create a lot of waste that is unnecessary. There are many alternatives to the regular gift wrap paper… And some will even increase the value of the gift.
- Save your wrappings from the previous year and reuse them. Carefully open your gifts and then store it for the next celebration. Reusing is one of the best ways to be ecofriendly.
- Use newspaper and other papers you have home to wrap your gifts.
- The one we love the most is the Furoshiki wrapping method. This Japanese technique uses a beautiful fabric to make a knot. Check the technique here. The material can also be reused afterward making it an extra gift.
The Lights
The Christmas lighting is such a big part of the whole atmosphere. To make it more ecofriendly choose LED bulbs that are much more efficient. 95% of the energy of LEDs is transferred into light with only 5% being transferred to heat.
The Christmas cards
Have you heard of plantable cards? They are seed packet cards that you can plant and it will grow into a plant. There are a lot of options available, you can choose your favorite seeds (carrot, herbs, plants, flowers, etc.).
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Are you now convinced Christmas can be both magical and ecofriendly? Have fun decorating your house this season and thank you for doing your part to reduce your environmental impact. If you need any additional advice, don’t hesitate to reach out!