Eco-friendly Christmas decoration Ideas

Christmas is just around the corner and don't worry, it's absolutely normal if you're not feeling the Christmas spirit yet, bothered by every-day problems. Personally I think that something that could really help to set the tone is decorating for Christmas. And since we're trying to be eco here - it would be more sustainable to craft your own ones. That would also add a personal touch and make the atmosphere more cosy.

In this article I will share with you some DIY craft ideas for a Christmas decoration that won't require so much effort from your side and at the same time contribute to a sustainable home. But they could also unleash your creativity potential and why not be the occasion for spending some quality time with your kids and family.

The Christmas tree

Firstly, let's talk about the Christmas tree. There are many controversies about a buying cut off tree every year or having a plastic one that can be used every year. Both versions have their pros and cons. However, according to an article in Buzfeed, in order to reduce its environmental impact, a plastic tree should be used for more than 20 years.. which is almost impossible since they get worn off through time. And if the real tree is cut off from a special farm, and not from wild forests, it seems that a real tree is the better environmental choice since it can be easily recycled afterwards or used as food for animals in the zoo.

If you're skeptical about the environmental impact of both versions, a very nice alternative would be a DIY Christmas tree from wooden sticks, that are already fallen off.

Or lights arranged as the shape of a Christmas tree - it's the simplest and quickest option. We used this version when we were living in France (as poor students).

Or, a personal favourite, an arrangement of your books which you can't fit in your screen library.

In Pinterest you can find a lot of additional ideas for alternative Christmas trees.

But, if you stick to the traditional Christmas and crafted trees seem too futuristic to your taste, there's also the option to purchase a potted tree. However, this is not the perfect choice for the impatient because generally the tree is very small and needs to be taken care of through the whole year. And unfortunately, potted Christmas trees rarely survive until the next Christmas.

But don't give up just yet! There's another option and the most suitable one - recently I discovered that there's the possibility of purchasing a potted tree just for Christmas and afterwards return it to the good people who have the required conditions for continuing the care of the tree. For Bulgarian citizens, this service can be found at Koledna elhichka, who even deliver the tree at your home. Check them out and if it's already too late for you this year, consider them as a great environmental alternative for next Christmas.

Rent a Christmas tree

The Christmas tree ornaments

Possibilities of crafting your own Christmas ornaments are plenty and don't require a lot of effort as well. They can be also the occasion for reusing lots of different items.

Pine cones are the perfect example. All you need is a pine cone, a ribbon, which I took from a previous wrapped present and some glue. It's super quick to make and looks pretty natural.

Another super simple idea is using the peels of clementines and a cinnamon stick to make an ornament. Imagine the Christmassy scent that would bring to your home!

If you're a wine lover and you've saved the wine cork through time, you can use them to create a craft ornament.

In order to cut them into desired shapes, you can boil them for 10 minutes. That would prevent the cork from crumbling or cracking.

Below you can see my friend Tony's beautiful work! @Antoanetag

If you enjoy painting, you can also paint a cork into a Christmas character (the penguins below are made with champagne cork).

The Christmas atmosphere

Collected elements from the forests can make a very natural decoration and can be the occasion to reuse some items, like cardboard boxes or ribbons from previously wrapped presents. You cans see here some really fresh and creative ideas from my colleague Dessy, who's decoration contributes to the Christmas atmosphere at the office!

All you need is some natural elements, creative spirit and a glue gun :)

The Gift wrapping

Wrapping paper can be very pretty at times but it's a one time use only since very often it needs to be teared off in order to get to the present. And at the same time, we store at our homes a lot of useless paper coming from old newspapers or magazines. Using them to wrap gifts can be a great alternative and creates a more original presentation.

There's the possibility of also using a towel that can be used afterwards by the gift receiver.

Ribbons and bows have plenty of environment-friendly alternatives, such as pine cones, cinnamon sticks, pine twigs, etc. This can also bring a Christmas scent to the wrapped present, giving that extra touch of the unwrapping experience.

I hope these craft Ideas were interesting and could bring out the Christmas spirit for you. If you have any other ideas that include reusing different items, don't hesitate to share in the comments below.

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P.S. Thanks Dessy and Tony for the awesome input for this article!