Looking for some ideas on how to reduce your impact this Christmas?  See our list of hints and tips from our team.

For wrapping and gifts

• Gift bags may contain non-paper content so it is best to use them again and again.  If you use gift bags, attach a tag that says “please reuse me”.  Gift bags can also be donated to local charity shops for resale.
• Use cloth gift bags.  New tea towels are useful items for wrapping and have the added bonus of making the wrapping a gift as well.
• Use recycled brown paper (or newspaper) to wrap your gifts.  Use potato stamps (and natural inks) to decorate your paper.
• Cut old Christmas cards into new gift tags

For decorating

• Go through all your Christmas decorations.  Do you have some you never use, storing year after year?  If so, why not give them to someone else who could use and enjoy them.
•  Reuse old magazines to make a small Christmas tree.  You don’t need to spray it withpaint or glitter… 

For gift giving

• Give the gift of time, help arrange experience.  Write up simple “Gift certificate for…(mowing the lawn, baking a cake, babysitting, walking a dog,making a meal, a trip to the cinema) to be redeemed during the year.  Make sure the recipient arranges a date to redeem your gift certificate!
• Think about where the presents you buy have come from.  Could you buy local? 

For unwanted gifts

• Hold a gift swap with friends and family.  Gather together new items you have been given or purchased and no longer want.  At a recent gift swap one of our team gave away candles, Christmas-themed jewellery, a cool bag and a silicone baking spatula; and received bath bombs, hand-cream, earrings and a mug.