Why so much waste at Christmas? This is the season where we are encouraged to go crazy, shop excessively and solve all our family disputes with endless gifts, food or booze!

Our family has taken steps over the years to tame the madness. We’re lucky: we live in a different country to our family, so we only have large gatherings every few years. On the other years, we usually keep it very simple and have been known to take advantage of our independence itself by travelling on Christmas or New Years’ Day.

Here are some tips, ideas and links to peruse if you are keen to reduce the waste-filled consumer frenzy that is modern Christmas:

1. Know what you can and can’t recycle to keep your bins under control: https://www.choice.com.au/shopping/packaging-labelling-and-advertising/packaging/articles/recycling-at-christmas

2. Advent calendar ideas:

It’s so easy to make your own Advent Calendar these days, just check Pinterest for inspiration. Plus there are some really wonderful online calendars out there. My children are huge fans of the Jackie Lawson calendar, and ask for it every year instead of the ones filled with plastic toys or chocolate.

3. Waste-free Christmas Trees:

Grow a tree in a pot and bring it in to be decorated each year, decorate a fallen branch, create a tree shape out of old pallets or scrap timber, or outline a tree on the wall.

4. Gift Less:

Not everyone in the world needs a gift! Simplify your list, talk to family members about how to ease the burden of getting each person a gift. Some gifts are priceless and completely waste-free: give neighbours the gift of your time, express your gratitude to those who have helped you over the past year, cook a meal for someone or help them in the garden. Teachers in particular are often the recipients of many similar and hard to use gifts - just ask a teacher how much chocolate they end up with at this time of year! - Be mindful also that homemade edible gifts, while lovely, can contribute to food waste.

5. Low waste wrapping:

Reuse festive paper or gift boxes, use fabric or newspaper to wrap gifts. Avoid sticky tape if possible, and reuse string, ribbon or twine instead.

6. How to tackle food waste:

Plan meals so you can use leftovers, don’t over cater and freeze what you can.

7. Party waste:

Making your own decorations is always the best way to go in terms of waste, as most shop-bought decorations are very likely to include plastic and come with packaging. Paper chains, bunting or paper cutouts. If you need to use single-use plates, make sure you choose ones that are compostable in a backyard compost bin: palm or bamboo/sugarcane plates can be composted, but cornstarch or “bioplastic” cannot.

Our favorite Zero Waste Bloggers talk more about how to have a waste-free Christmas here:

https://gippslandunwrapped.com/2015/12/05/10-tips-for-a-less-wasteful-christmas/

https://www.therogueginger.com/2015/12/20-tips-to-reduce-waste-during-holiday.html

A Low Waste Christmas - Is It Possible?