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Seasons greetings and let’s get chatting about all the best eco friendly swaps for Christmas!
None of these things are necessary which may sound counterintuitive. Why buy things you don’t need when trying to live more sustainably? And that is a great point. Buying only what you need is one of the best ways to combat the rise of items discarded in the landfill.
But! People love Christmas.
Like they really LOVE Christmas and they will be buying unnecessary Christmas items either way because it brings them joy and simply to celebrate.
So this post was inspired by that fact and I wanted to highlight some amazing eco friendly swaps for Christmas you should look into if you are obsessed with Christmas but also want to make earth friendly choices while enjoying the season.
This post is all about the best eco friendly swaps for Christmas.
How can we celebrate Christmas in eco-friendly way?
It’s called the season of giving for a reason. Why not give back to the earth and your community by buying products that are sustainably made and won’t further harm the environment?
As mentioned previously, the items on this list are not necessities. For most posts on this site, we really encourage you to only buy what you need.
Is sending out Christmas cards a basic necessity to human life? No, but it does fall into community care and spreading love to your loved ones which is also really important!
Spoiler alert, there is no perfect way to sustainably celebrate Christmas perfectly but we can be mindful of the purchases we make and try to do our best!
The Best Eco Friendly Swaps For Christmas
1. Stasher bag or beeswax wrap for baked goods gifts
The absolute best part of the holiday season is all the baking! Whether you are the one whipping things up in the kitchen or the recipient of said baked goods, it really is just the most wonderful time of the year being surrounded by sweets.
Instead of using plastic containers to transport your baked goodies to your families and friends, consider opting for reusable options like beeswax wrap or stasher bags.
These options are great because unlike disposable plastic bags or plastic containers, they are durable enough to be reused all the time.
Now, similar to other reusable items, beeswax wraps and stasher bags are a bigger investment. You can always make your own wraps which could be more affordable!
2. Homemade natural wreaths and skip the plastic ones
Walk into any craft store during the holiday season and there will be rows and rows of plastic Christmas wreaths.
Now if you plan to save it and reuse it for many years to come then that is one thing, but if it is getting thrown out then that is just pure wasteful. Also, we all know wreaths shed a bit so unfortunately little bits of plastic can leave your beautifully curated Christmas front porch and end up harming the earth.
On the flip side, if you make your own wreath from natural items from your area, when your wreath inevitably starts to fall apart, its pieces are just being returned home.
If you are not a crafty person, no shame, consider checking out a local farmer’s market to see if anyone in your area is making non plastic wreaths.
3. Eco friendly Christmas wrapping paper
I was so pleased to find Wrappily eco friendly wrapping paper when researching all of these eco friendly Christmas swaps!
Normally I just use second-hand wrapping paper or cloths to wrap gifts but it is so great that an eco friendly wrapping paper with really cute designs exists!
For full transparency, I have yet to buy their wrapping paper but it seems amazing! Let me know if you get a chance to try it and your experience!
Why we love wrappily:
- Fully recyclable
- Use Newsprint which can be recycled up to 7 times
- Use soy-based inks
- Composts within about 6 weeks if it ends up in the trash
4. Eco Friendly Christmas scented candle
Have you noticed how important smell is to the Christmas season? It really doesn’t feel complete without a warm and sweet scent floating through the air.
Check out the Vanilla Nutmeg Cardamon in their apothecary jar. It screams Christmas and the jar is perfect to reuse when the season is over. Another scent we love from them is the Noble Fir which is specifically for the Holidays.
Why we love Goodlight candles:
- Plant-based
- Use vegan, non-GMO, clean-burning wax
- No phthalates, synthetic or artificial fragrances, chemicals, paraffin, etc.
- Pure cotton lead-free wicks
5. Dried fruit for garland or ornaments
Dried orange slices are a classic Christmas decor and luckily it is also a more sustainable holiday decor option! As long as the orange slices are real and not made from plastic.
There are plenty of small businesses on etsy that sell them pre made or you can diy them!
6. Eco friendly Christmas cards
Sending an e-card through email is probably the most eco friendly option but some people just really love a tangible card they can hang up for decoration or collect throughout the years.
Lucky for you we have a full post all about our favorite eco friendly holiday card options linked below!
{RECOMMENDED POST: 5 Unique Sustainable Holiday Cards For Your Zero Waste Holidays}
7. Eco friendly Christmas scented soap
If you want your hands to smell like a Christmas tree then this is the perfect soap for you! Kidding but also, the evergreen Blueland soap is super fun and festive and a great useful holiday decor piece to help your home feel more festive this Christmas.
I love that their soap comes in soap tabs so you can thrift a Christmas themed soap dispenser, drop the soap tab in, fill it up with water and you are good to go!
Why we love Blueland:
- B corp certified
- Climate neutral certified
- Cradle to cradle certified
- EPA Safer Choice
- MADE SAFE seal
- USDA BioPreferred
- Leaping Bunny certified
What other eco friendly swaps for Christmas do you love to have on hand for the holiday season? If I missed any good ideas please let us know in the comments below and it can help others as they try to find eco friendly swaps for Christmas too!
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Stay well,
Maggie
This post was all about the best sustainable Christmas tips.
Other posts you may like:
- Your Go-to Guide For The Best Low Waste Holiday Gifts (Inspired By The 5 Love Languages!)
- 7 Impactful Ideas For a Sustainable Christmas Season
- 11 Best Eco Friendly Stocking Stuffers for Kids (Last Minute Ideas!)
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