N° 59 | Some (easy) tips for a sustainable Christmas

Decorating your home for Christmas is a magical experience every year: from hanging a string of lights at the entrance, to preparing the tree as a family and placing decorations in every corner... every gesture contributes to creating a special atmosphere.
This year, however, we invite you to embrace the Christmas aesthetic with an eye on the ethics of a sustainable lifestyle.
Be inspired by some simple ideas for a green Christmas, focused on waste reduction, recycling and environmental awareness. After all, the planet is the most precious home we all share.

Choose an environmentally friendly Christmas tree
The real Christmas trees that many people like to buy and decorate are often imported as non-native species or grow in monocultures and are treated with insect repellents.
If you really don't want to give up this tradition, here are some tips for making a more sustainable choice:

• Choose local species to avoid transport over long distances;
• Buy your Christmas tree from a regional supplier and prefer trees grown in a mixed culture;
• Organic is better: some plant shops offer certified organic Christmas trees;
• Try a rental tree in a pot, ready to be planted at the end of the festive season; Check out the options at local shops.

What if you already have a synthetic tree at home? The best option is to continue using it for as long as possible. Alternatively, you can buy a fake but used one.

Create your own eco-friendly Christmas decorations
Christmas decorations made from natural materials have less impact on the environment and contribute to a cosy atmosphere. Pine cones, fir twigs, walnuts, oranges are part of every Christmas and are perfect for creating self-made decorations that can be reused every year.
Illuminations are also a must-have at Christmas: here too you can find an alternative using LED lights that use less energy and will save you up to 40% on your electricity bill. In addition to choosing the right lighting, remembering to switch off and unplug your decorations when you go to sleep can also be useful to optimise energy savings and further reduce consumption.

Choose carefully what to gift:

• Ask your loved ones to make a wish list so that you can avoid wrong or unnecessary gifts;
• Try to create handmade gifts: biscuits, homemade jams or sustainable Christmas decorations are always a good idea;
• Try to buy from local and eco-friendly brands, supporting the work of those who are committed to the well-being of the planet every day;
• Gift an experience to share, such as a voucher for a relaxing day out, an outdoor activity in nature or a guided tour in a museum;
• Make a donation in the name of the person receiving the gift: you could give it to a charity organisation that is particularly important to the receiver. In this way you can turn your gift into a good action.

Wrap your gifts with care
The way you wrap gifts can also make a difference. Choose recycled wrapping paper, jute, old newspapers, comics or reuse last year's paper. If you want to be more original, use the Japanese Furoshiki technique to turn a scarf or cotton or silk fabric into a unique wrapping for your gifts.

Make eco-friendly greeting cards
Glitter and stickers don't go well with recycling. Choose sustainably produced paper, or for an environmentally friendly card, buy plantable paper that has seeds inside that will sprout when buried.

For Christmas lunch, opt for a local and seasonal menu
Local, seasonal products and little meat: a sustainable menu is built around these three pillars. For example? Vegetable carpaccios, risottos and fresh pastas with citrus fruits, gnocchi, stuffed cannelloni, many varieties of pulses for soups, salads, meatballs and rolls, tempura, pickles and crispy dried vegetables, mushrooms or dried fruit.
Fish? Fine, but remember to go for seasonal and low-impact species (they are often cheaper!). Remember that for any doubts you can consult the WWF guide to sustainable fish.

This Christmas, remember that every small gesture counts: each of us can help make the holidays special as we care for our most precious home, the planet.