There’s something in the air this year…it seems that there is a shift to doing Christmas a little differently - and not just because many of us won’t be able to be with our loved ones. I think many of us are wanting to make more conscious choices this year, whether it’s the way we’re decorating our homes, the gifts we’re giving our families and friends, or the food we’re choosing to put on our tables. So after a little research and thought into this myself, I thought I’d share a few of the things that I stumbled upon, in the hope that it maybe inspires you, or leads you to a more sustainable Christmas and end to 2020!

decorating

Green elf trees

Sustainable Christmas trees delivered by out-of-work musicians and entertainers - Green Elf are supporting the planet and the people on it. All they’re trees are British-grown and sourced - they spend as little time on the roads this way reducing their carbon footprint. Their growers also promise to plant 2 trees for every 1 they cut down. Oh and if that wasn’t quite enough…for every tree sold they’ll donate to charity of your choice!

Discover: Green Elf Trees

Handmade + independent

Have you heard of Botanique Workshop? They’re a London-based store and flower in Clerkenwell that is a hive of activity and creation. Alongside their beautiful bouquets (that they deliver UK-wide) they make their own range of candles, flower presses, dried flowers, and terrariums which are all made in-house and the perfect way to fill your house with a bit of nature-inspired joy over Christmas (and all year-round too). They also support independent makers and creators by stocking a curated selection of like-minded British designers so that we, in turn, can support them too. And if you fancy having a go yourself, they’re also offering wreath making kits and workshops!

Discover: Botanique Workshop

GIFTING

ocelot

A little more pricey than your average bar of chocolate, but since the founders - husband and wife team Matt and Ish - insist that chocolate should be it’s own food group and that their bars should not be compared to your regular chocolate bar, I guess we can overlook it? Based in Edinburgh the little team behind Ocelot are committed to using only the highest quality ethical produce and business practices that they can.

they use UK made FSC certified paper stock for their outer packaging and 100% home and industrial compostable for the inner wrapper
their cocoa farmers are given the fair trade and resources that not only enable them to produce health, high quality cocoa but that they are also able to look after their own families, environment, and communities around them

They’re amazingly illustrated packaging ties the whole company together - beautiful boxes on the outside to reflect the beautiful chocolate on the inside!

Discover: Ocelot

the future kept

For ‘consciously crafted, responsibly, and ethically sourced products’ - head to The Future Kept. Based on the beautiful south coast of England, they curate beautiful collections for our homes encouraging us all to live a more eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle. Their products are simple, things that you’d find and use and enjoy in your day to day lives - but don’t mistake simple for boring or mundane. They support independent makers, designs, and artisans that create products that are made to last and go against the very common throwaway nature of the 21st century.

So instead of filling our (or our loved ones) homes with excess items that we won’t ever use or we’ll throw away in a few months time, why not gift something that every time it’s used, it makes that special someone think of you?

Discover: The Future Kept

Leopard Magzine

This one is for the littl-ies in your life! Leopard Magazine is aimed at children aged 4-9 and is crammed full of art inspiration, stories, activities, and wellbeing. Some of the things they covered in previous issues [which you can still buy FYI]

homemade bubble baths and oils
learning about the moon
a how-to for natural tie-dye

I also love that the pages include strong, female role models and no ads or plastics!

Discover: Leopard Magazine

Do Make

If you needed a little encouragement or reminder that we are all - or can be - makers then this little book is just that. This quote on the blurb really resonated;

‘Making requires us to slow down and become absorbed in the process: an antidote to our fast-paced world’.

The author, James Otter - an award-winning wooden surfboard maker by trade - invites us all to rediscover the joy of making. Learn about:

Preparation: what to make, where and how to get started
Process: learn to trust it and let go of perfection
Power: develop confidence in your natural skills and ability

Noe seems like a good time to remind ourselves how wonderful it is to have made something with our own hands!

Discover: Do Make

other ways to gift

Still looking for inspiration? A couple of other wonderful ways you can gift this year; a little smaller and a little more mindfully.

Trouva: a platform to discover that perfect gift - whether it’s for your mum, best friend, brother, niece, partner, cousin, room mate…the list goes on - from 100’s of independent boutiques from across the country

Discover: Trouva

Bookshop: instead of jumping straight to Amazon to order that book [because books are one of the greatest gifts], why not redirect your search to Bookshop? It is, on the surface, an online bookshop, but the books you order come from local, independent bookshops. And they stock pretty much everything - from teen fiction, to crime drama, to cookbooks, to education. Their mission is to keep alive our bookshops that are an integral part of our culture and community, and you can support them in that mission!

Discover: Bookshop

EATING

transform Christmas leftovers

If I’m ever in doubt of what to do with a fridge of leftovers or random veggies that are at the end of their life - and I reckon we all have a little too many of those at this time of year - I often turn to Melissa Hemsley. She’s always coming up with smart but always delicious ways to use them. Whether it’s a base recipe that you can adapt with whatever veggies you have to hand. On the menu? A dahl, a big batch of soup, a traybake, fritters, bowls of noodles, chilli…the list could go on!

Discover: Melissa Hemsley

love your freezer

A few last tips to love your trusty freezer and make the most of it’s super power of holding onto delicious meals and saving leftovers from the bin…

Freeze chillies and ginger and grate them straight from the freezer into your cooking
Fruit going bad? Bag them up in your favourite combos for easy, go-to smoothie packs! Just add liquid and blitz
Freeze squeezed lemons and limes and add them to water - they add flavour and keep your dink cold without the need for ice

n.b this post wasn’t sponsored/paid for - the brands are just ones that I have come across that I wanted to share with you here.
None of the images are my own and all are taken from instagram where the brands have posted themselves or been tagged in by others.

A Sustainable Christmas