Christmas season is upon us! We can already feel the excitement in the air. It's such a special time of year, taking some much needed rest from work and spending time with family and friends. Want to know our favorite part though? Decorating! There's something so special about getting the whole family together and filling your home with lights, ornaments, wreaths and of course, the Christmas tree! It really brings out the holiday spirit in everyone!
Unfortunately, Christmas decorations also create a lot of waste each year and, as you know, sustainability is a foundational element of Ponderlily and our life. We believe that sustainable living is not only a way to give back, but a necessity in our world today!
To help you decorate your home in a more sustainable way this Christmas, we’ve put together a list of tips and tricks you can try (and we guarantee they won’t compromise the Christmas spirit!)
Fresh Produce
When putting together your dining room table centerpiece or accents across your home, aim to use as much seasonal produce as possible. Fruits such as pomegranate, cranberries, oranges and apples make perfect additions to your table. They offer the artificial version of these fruits in most decor shops, however simply buying the real thing is cheaper, prettier and you actually get to eat it afterwards! Try laying them around some greenery or set up in a decorative Christmas bowl. There is plenty of decorative inspiration online, but I would suggest playing around with it and seeing what works best for your home!
See The Light
Christmas lights are far from being a sustainable option, but they are a staple for most households. They add a gorgeous holiday ambience to everything from the tree to the mantle or even around headboards (if you are decorating bedrooms as well!). While they might not be the most eco-friendly, there are choices you can make that will have less of an impact on the environment. LED lights are by the far the best option when it comes to sustainable lights. Not only do they use less electricity, but they last much longer than most other options, saving you money and a new trip to the store every year for a new set. Be sure to store them in a way that keeps them from getting tangled and broken so you can reuse them year after year!
DIY Wreath
If you have a Christmas tree nursery near your home, or even just a Christmas tree stand, the farmers will likely have branch scraps from shaving down the bottoms or just moving the trees around. Sometimes, they might give you good bulk of them for free and you can piece together a real, beautiful evergreen wreath without costing you half as much as an artificial one from the store - and you’ll be saving the scraps from going to waste! If they don’t have any of these scraps on hand, burlap is another great option and makes a beautiful wreath. Get your whole family involved and look up different designs or tutorials to see what you want to create together!
Edible Ornaments
Making your own ornaments out of various foods is a fun holiday activity that will save you money and benefit the environment! There are so many different ways to do this - one of my favorites being dried oranges! If you have oranges that are going old, slice them into thin rounds and dehydrate them in the oven. Once dry you can stick a string through to make ornaments or string a bunch of them together to make a homemade garland. Another fun homemade ornament is sugar cookies. If you have any Christmas cookie cutters, there is a recipe online for sugar cookie ornaments that will give you a detailed step-by-step to make your own!
Opt For Real
Artificial trees, garland and wreaths may seem like the best option due to their ability to be reused, however as humans a lot of times we end up losing them, breaking them, or just wanting something different and they end up right back in the trash! While it may seem more expensive, buying real pays off in the long run as you support your local farmers, and fill your home with the authentic evergreen smell that just cannot be replaced!
Gift Sustainably
The beautiful thing about Christmas is that the gifts themselves are a part of the decorating process. While you may not be able to see the gifts as they are wrapped in their sustainable wrapping paper, aim to buy gifts that are good for the environment, recyclable, or made with quality products that don’t compromise your values. At Ponderlily, we make it a priority to use sustainable materials and if you look at our website we have links to other companies that do the same!
Christmas is a beautiful time of the year and is made all the more special by being able to spend precious time with family and friends. By using these tips, you’ll be able to make sure your home is decorated in a more sustainable, eco-friendly way without missing out on the Christmas spirit that makes this time of year so special!
