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The Ultimate Guide to a Zero Waste and Sustainable Christmas

Winter

Last Updated on November 30, 2023

A sustainable Christmas is totally possible, despite the never-ending stream of cheap, plastic, and disposable decorations and materials that come through the stores each year.

The holiday season is officially upon us, and this is my ultimate guide to an eco friendly and zero waste Christmas. From sustainable Christmas decorations to eco friendly gifts and zero waste meals, this guide goes over everything you need for an eco friendly Christmas. We’re going to go over everything… even the most heated debate of whether or not a real tree is more sustainable than a fake tree.

Top view of a table top wreathe with a candle in the middle, a cup of tea, and some yarn with overlay text reading "the ultimate guide to an eco-frinedly and zero waste Christmas"

a sustainable christmas

I cover literally everything in this guide. Ethical and sustainable party dresses, gifting, gift wrapping, even receiving gifts — and of course, a Christmas guide wouldn’t be complete without talking about a few family traditions and food

For me, the holiday season kicks off with Thanksgiving. Every Thanksgiving morning, I wake up to watch the parade.

Mostly because I love musical theatre and like getting to see the Broadway numbers at the beginning…. but watching the parade led by Tom Turkey and ending with Santa on his sleigh always gets me a little emotional.

Maybe it’s because it was a tradition I shared with my grandmother, or maybe it’s just because I’m a nostalgic sap, but it’s like I officially get permission to decorate the tree and put on the Christmas music.

I have found so much joy in Christmas these past few years, but this year especially.

Last year, when we lived in the tiny home, there wasn’t any room to decorate, and I was sad without a tree.

To keep it a sustainable Christmas, we didn’t go overboard this year. But we’ve hung a wreath, put up a tiny tree, and festively hung the stockings above the fireplace with care.

A woman's hands holding homemade bath salts for a sustainable Christmas gift.

the joy in an eco friendly christmas

It’s easy to go overboard for Christmas. There are so many cute decorations, amazing gifts, and delicious food to eat. Between the parties, the gift exchanges, and the festivities, there is so much waste accumulated.

It may feel like you have to give it all up in order to have an eco friendly Christmas. But I promise you don’t have to! There are lots of DIY and store bought eco friendly Christmas decorations. You can cook zero waste meals. People love thoughtful gifts and appreciate sustainable products.

This guide will walk you all through it!

sustainable christmas decorations

Let’s start off with the decor. Sustainable Christmas decorations can feel overwhelming in the face of plastic tinsel, packaging waste, and even harmful products in fake snow.

The day after Thanksgiving, while most of America is in a tizzy snapping up the latest deal, I’m at home in snuggly clothing listening to my favorite Bing Crosby Christmas record and breaking out every penguin stuffed animal I own.

My favorite animal is a penguin, and the thing about having a favorite ‘anything’ is that people will start buying you gifts of said ‘favorite thing’.

So, I have amassed a penguin stuffed animal collection. And instead of making them dog toys, I use them as my very festive Christmas decorations.

Bottom line for this section — use what you have.

the tree

I was very excited to visit a Christmas tree farm for the first time! All of the trees were gorgeous. It’s arguably people’s largest and most iconic Christmas decoration, and there’s a lot of debate on how to make it part of your eco friendly Christmas decorations.

There’s been a huge debate over whether a real tree is more sustainable than a fake tree, and I believe that a real tree is more sustainable IF they’re composted at the end of their lives.

Check out my full blog post Which is Better for the Environment? Real Christmas Trees or Fake Ones?

Christmas tree farms grow trees all year round which absorb carbon throughout the year!

YAY! Just make sure that you compost them so they’re turned back into nutrient rich soil.

If your only option is to dump your tree at the landfill, then consider opting for a fake Christmas tree or check out some non-tree ideas like this tree made from sticks and twine!

A photo of a table top wreathe being made for sustainable Christmas decorations.

Of course, if you already have a fake Christmas tree, then use it as long as possible. There’s no need to throw it out in lieu of a real one.

I really like this article by the New York Times.

It brings up lots of good points, but my favorite is the last one which says, we’re arguing over which tree is better when we should really be worried about the flight emissions.

eco friendly christmas decorations for the house

Some people abhor decorating, but I rather enjoy it. My home certainly isn’t going to win any awards for perfectly curated decoration, though. I keep it simple, but it’s something that I love doing.

I have a small fake Christmas tree that I picked up secondhand at the local thrift store several years ago, and a real Christmas tree that I got from the farm this year. Both are decorated with found items and decor we already had. We don’t go out of the way to buy new decorations but prefer to keep it simple.

I love using found and kitchen objects for around the house like cinnamon sticks, red leaves from fallen trees, stringing together popcorn strands, and even making an advent calendar out of an old shipping sleeve.

Let me know if you’d like to see a tutorial on any of those!

I also strung my tiny tree with a homemade wine cork garland. Something I’ve always wanted to make!

Our stockings and tree skirt have been passed down from my family. They had everyone’s name embroidered into them, so I seam ripped my mom and dad’s names and replaced them with Justin and Nala. Now we have very festive, vintage, and hand quilted items to have in our home.

Asking friends and family if they have an excess amount of ornaments or Christmas decorations is a great way to accumulate a few festive pieces.

I find that most people have an overwhelming amount of decor (my grandma is always trying to give decor away) — all you have to do is ask!

zero waste christmas gifts

Gifts can be kind of tricky. I see value in buying something someone needs or wants, but I also see value in buying experiences because maybe someone doesn’t need or want anything.

I think the most important takeaway from this section is to have conversations and truly find out what someone wants before buying anything!

I’m also running a series on my YouTube channel all about easy, last-minute zero waste DIY gifts that you can whip up in only a few minutes. Check out the first in this series!

buying zero waste gifts

This year, as we put up the tree, I was so happy and inspired to come up with 50+ ethical gift ideas for everyone on your list!

Last year, I created massive gift guides for experience gifts and consumable gifts. But this year, I wanted to create gift guides that highlight some really awesome ethical brands.

Some people are confused as to why I don’t advocate for 100% secondhand, but I personally don’t think that’s sustainable for the long term, and I like to see a healthy mix of both.

If all of the people who believe in sustainability refuse to buy from sustainable brands, what kind of message does that send to the market?

I’m personally all about a healthy mix of giving someone what they want and also giving experience and consumable gifts! Basically, have a conversation with someone about what they want and how you can add value to their life.

a thoughtful donation

One of my favorite gifts is donating to an organization close to their heart in their honor. It’s been received exceedingly well!

So, if you’re a little stumped on what to give someone, I would give them a card and donate to a great cause. Here are some of my favorite organizations to donate to for the holidays:

eco living gifts

If you’re gifting for an acquaintance I think that a nice gift would be these cards from Arbor Day where each card plants a tree — how cool is that!?

These handmade animal print cards (pictured above) from Willa Miette Studio are another unique gift. They’re a set of 5 and come delivered in minimal packaging. Willa Miette Studio is founded by a teenage artist who uses eco-conscious materials and donates 10% of profits to environmental charities.

I also think a great gift idea is to give gifts that encourage eco-friendly living.

Maybe your mom might use less plastic wrap if you gave her some beeswax wraps. Or your roommate would refuse the plastic straw if she had a sleek glass straw to carry around.

Maybe your dad would use fewer takeaway coffee cups if he had a nice thermos? Looking for more inspo? Take a peak at the shop tab on my blog.

receiving gifts

I’m sure some of us have received less than stellar gifts in our lifetime. The thing is… most people don’t want to give a bad gift.

The disconnect lies in the lack of communication. My recommendation is always to make a list! I wrote a full guide on the best way to go about this called The Zero Waste Guide for RECEIVING Gifts.

I think you’ll find it really helpful in getting gifts you want and align with your values.

Photo of a woman holding a reusable gift bag next to eco friendly christmas decorations.

wrapping gifts:

Once you have the perfect gift picked out, what comes next? The wrapping of course!

Did you know that most wrapping paper isn’t recyclable? And, after tearing through all of it, it’s probably not reusable either. An eco friendly Christmas hinges on eco friendly wrapping.

In order to prevent this, stick to gift wrapping that can be used over and over like holiday bags and tissue paper or the beautiful cloth alternatives.

Or you could also go for a double gift and make the wrapping part of the present.

I wrote an entire guide for wrapping beautiful holiday presents and ways to upcycle your holiday cards from the year before. Be sure to check it out.

Zero Waste and Eco Friendly Guide to Wrapping Holiday Presents

zero waste traditions

Can you believe we’re only halfway through this guide!? When I said ultimate… I meant ULTIMATE.

One of my favorite parts about the season is all of the family traditions passed down.

As a family, we didn’t have a ton of traditions, but one of my favorites was always going to look at the lights the night before Christmas Eve and sipping homemade cocoa.

We would also always make the classic Christmas sugar cookies complete with red and bright green frosting.

When switching to a zero waste lifestyle, I’ve had some traditions that work and some that don’t. I wrote about my failed attempt at zero waste-ifying a king cake.

However, I’ve had a lot more success with creating delicious and colorful sugar cookies with natural food coloring! Also, check out these amazing candy cane cookies!

I love being able to use natural food dye from things around my kitchen instead of those tiny plastic bottles filled with synthetic dyes.

Maybe see if there are a few family traditions you can do while creating a little bit less waste. I personally opted for the homemade advent calendar that’s full of things to do instead of small items.

If you’re looking for inspiration, Reading My Tea Leaves has been doing this for a long time.

I have definitely noticed that I tend to simplify some of my traditions. I don’t think it makes them any less special, it just makes them more intentional. This post does a great job of talking about simplifying during these busy times for a truly zero waste Christmas.

the zero waste food

There are so many layers to the food. There’s food waste, buying the food, planning the food, and of course eating the food — which I’m sure you don’t need any help with. 😉

When it comes to buying holiday food, be sure to check out my Guide to Zero Waste Grocery Shopping.

When it comes to food waste, I created a great guide full of creative ways to use up your holiday leftovers. But, sometimes, the food is just past its prime. If that’s the case then don’t toss it in the landfill — compost it!

I have great guides on composting in your backyard and composting if you live in an apartment.

Now, if you’re planning food for a crowd, then be sure to check out the next section all about parties… my fave.

Picture of a plant based holiday meal for a zero waste Christmas.

the sustainable parties

You know me — I LOVE a good party, and I especially love throwing them.

On Thursday, I’ll be sharing my lust worthy ethical and sustainable holiday dress guide featuring dresses that are perfect for your office party down to ringing in the new year.

Here are my top five tips for throwing a zero waste party, plus my tips for staying zero waste at a non-zero waste party.

It might be kind of weird at first to bring your own cup to a party, but I do it all the time and have had nothing but positive responses.

But, the one thing I always do when I show up to a party is come with a gift.

I think bringing a hostess gift is always so classy. These are my favorite zero waste hostess gifts.

During the holidays, I find that lots of parties include the white elephant party game — which means you’re most likely to wind up going home with something that you don’t want.

If you can help plan this sustainable Christmas party, maybe suggest doing a cookie swap instead?

Or suggest that the gift be consumable? Or that the gifts be donations towards charity instead?

If you can’t get away from it, I would probably bring a small item like reusable straws, neutral tea towels, nice handkerchiefs, or a thermos. I’d try to opt for something that helps to reduce the receiver’s waste.

faqs

how do i celebrate a sustainable christmas with extended family?

Communication, communication, communication. Let your family know you’re shooting for a more sustainable lifestyle. Request consumable or experience gifts for your own family, and consider gifting the same to them.

Ultimately, put an emphasis on less. Nobody needs 13 gifts from every person. Communicate and narrow it down to 3-5 super thoughtful, sustainable gifts rather than a bunch of gifts that will be forgotten about by New Years.

how do i have zero waste christmas lights?

Consider buying second-hand (see above). Or, make the switch to LED lights. LED lightbulbs use about 75% less energy than incandescent lightbulbs, and they last almost 25 times longer. Talk about sustainable use!

Even so, be sure to use a timer so your lights aren’t on all day and all night. Keep them on for peak viewing, then turn them off to save even more energy.


WOWZA. This was a monster post. If you feel like I missed anything please, let me know in the comments down below and I’ll do my best to answer it. 🙂

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  1. Love this post Kathryn!! So thankful for your blog and encouragement along this journey. Have a wonderful close of this year and vacation!!

  2. I was wondering on your thoughts or resources on buying a Christmas Tree potted and then donating it to someone(who has the space to plant it) or maybe an organization.