Guest post by Gemma Reeves*

Living an eco-friendly lifestyle does not stop at eating organic food or choosing organic and environmentally-friendly products, you can celebrate special occasions such as Christmas with an eco-friendly outlook  too.

Try these great tips:

1. Use eco-friendly decorations.

Ditch the commercial type of decorations you usually buy from department stores, and start crafting DIY (Do-It-Yourself) decorations.

For Christmas trees, you can either use a real, potted plant or create a minimalist Christmas tree with recycled paper, cardboard or from extra wood and materials that might just be lying around your house. Same thing goes with wreaths – you can create one from real plants and pine cones or with recycled paper.

Upcycle tip: You can even transform old, small toys and figurines into Christmas tree hanging decors using a cord and hook.

2. Prepare and plan a healthy feast.

If you are committed to celebrate an eco-friendly holiday, that means that you should also go for healthy, organic food. If you want to cook meat dishes, choose ethically reared organic-fed, and local if possible as products from intensive farming are known to have a negative effect on the environment.

3. Wrap your gifts with recycled products and materials.

Reusing is one of the best ways to reduce your impact on the environment. Make use of recycled paper and previous year’s wrappings to create presentable gift boxes. You can add some flare to your DIY gift wraps by adding seasonal natural features such as leaves and flowers fixed with some gardening twine.

4. Going on a shopping spree? Don’t forget your tote bag.

Whether you are shopping for gifts or for yourself, try to help save on plastics and boxes by bringing your own shopping bag (eco-friendly bags or tote bags) while you shop.

Did you know? 

“Research in Europe has shown that a paper bag must be used three times to compensate for the larger amount of carbon used in manufacturing and transporting it. 

Likewise a plastic “bag for life” must be used four times, and a cotton bag must be used 131 times.” BBC News

5. Take an Eco-Friendly Holiday

Opt out of the commercialism of Christmas altogether with an eco-friendly break. A staycation has a lower carbon footprint than hopping on a plane, however, if you are keen to expand your horizons, why not give locations such as Mexico or Cyprus a visit… known for  their use of natural resources and strong conservation programmes. You don’t just take in natural, scenic views of the place on these tours, but you also get to learn more about environmental habitats and the efforts involved to preserve them.

Make sure that you choose eco-friendly options when on your holiday too, such as taking public transport, cycling, and travelling by foot instead of taking a car. It may not cancel out your plane journey, but every little bit helps!

*Please note that the views are that of the author, not necessarily that of en-form.

For more tips on having a more environmentally friendly Christmas check out our 25 Top Tips for a Green Christmas.

Author Bio:

Gemma Reeves is a seasoned writer who enjoys creating helpful articles and interesting stories. She has worked with several clients across different industries such as advertising, online marketing, technology, healthcare, family matters, and more. She is also an aspiring entrepreneur who is engaged in assisting other aspiring entrepreneurs in finding the best office space for their business.