how to have a more sustainable Christmas.

As we all try to live a little more mindfully, we may wonder how on earth to tackle Christmas! 

It’s the most wonderful, yet indulgent, time of the year. A season of giving, but also of… let’s be honest… over-doing things.

So, here’s the trick to doing Christmas more sustainably (and you don’t need to ditch the fun to do better). 

Just a few clever swaps, some common sense, and maybe a shiny smol aluminium bottle-for-life or two, to bring a little bling to the festivities.

gifts that last.

Around £42 million worth of unwanted Christmas gifts end up at the dump each year in the UK.¹ So let’s aim for gifts that make memories (not landfill):

• Quality not quantity: one thoughtful gift beats a dozen last-minute panic-buys. Go for things that’ll be used, loved, and will last
• Gift experiences: tickets, classes, or a dinner out somewhere means less packaging and more connection
• Second-hand can be first class: vintage finds, pre-loved books, and refurbished tech are not just cheaper, they're often far cooler

that’s a wrap.

Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) estimates that the paper used each year is enough to wrap the island of Guernsey. Time to fight back!

• Choose recyclable paper (avoiding paper with foil or glitter)
• Try wrapping your gifts in fabric offcuts that can also be reused
• Save ribbons and gift bags for next year (future you will thank you)
• If you’re gifting smol refills or bottles-for-life, skip the wrapping altogether because those aluminium beauties are already gift-ready

festive food.

Food may be a big part of Christmas but also the largest source of waste. For example, an estimated 11.3 million potatoes end up in the bin over the festive season.² That doesn’t sound very jolly…

• Make a list, check it twice… and only shop for what you’ll actually eat
• Love your leftovers and portion them into lidded tubs, foil, or wax wraps. Freeze any extras, or create a Boxing Day masterpiece
• Swapping meaty mains for plant-based power is really going to cut your carbon footprint
• Choose local and in-season produce (parsnips, cabbage, apples, pears)
• When washing up or stacking the dishwasher, reach for smol products that are heavy on dirt, lighter on the planet like our plant-powered washing up liquid or award-winning 3 in 1 dishwasher tabs

deck the halls.

Glittery plastic decor might look festive… but it never really leaves. Thankfully, there are lots of other ways to make your home shine sustainably:

• Reuse, reuse, reuse: last year’s decorations deserve another round
• Opt for LED fairy lights - they last longer, twinkle brighter, and use way less energy
• Picking a real tree? Look for FSC-certified or rent one that’ll be replanted
• Opting for an artificial tree? Keep it for at least 10 years
• Choose cloth napkins that can be rewashed over single-use paper ones
• Dress up your sinks with smol’s refillable foaming handwash aluminium bottles (with a choice of 4 colours to match your Christmas bling)
• Make your own decs with dried orange slices, foraged pinecones and homemade paper chains

sleigh the season.

’Tis the season for sparkly outfits, twinkly nights out, and… fast fashion regrets? So let’s not

• Restyle something you already own or borrow from a friend
• Second-hand doesn’t mean second-best. There are so many apps, charity shops, or vintage boutiques
• Swap screen time for green time. A winter walk, a chilly sea dip, or some bird spotting beats scrolling through the Boxing Day sales
• Walk, cycle, share a lift, or use public transport if possible. Nobody enjoys the Christmas Eve traffic around the M25