Let’s make this Christmas more about filling stockings than bin bags. Buy and choose well from independents, rather than in bulk from the big boys.
It’s the most wasteful time of the year! We fill our homes with too much food and too much plastic; we buy unnecessary presents for people that don’t really want them.
Don’t get us wrong – we love Christmas and you’ll never hear us bah-humbugging. This year though, we’re making a little more effort to not to get carried away. You don’t need to be a Scrooge to make a difference.
Gifts
Christmas shopping can all too easily get out of hand: it’s stressful, expensive and wasteful too. Talk to family and friends: make mutual non-buying agreements or start a Secret Santa for the adults. Yes, it can feel awkward bringing it up, but be brave. Everyone else probably feels the same way and will welcome the suggestion. You could each buy yourselves one lovely thing you really want, rather than amassing a collection of gifts that are a bit…. well, meh.
Sack the wrap! The Japanese use beautiful wrapping cloths, which are not only re-usable, but a part of the gift itself. Wrap special gifts in cloths or lovely scarves – search online for ‘Furoshiki’ to see how it’s done.
If you are using wrapping paper, remember the scrunch test. If you can screw it into a tight ball, it’s recyclable (minus the sticky tape): if it springs open again, it’s not. Be creative: wrap gifts in colourful magazine pages – ordinary brown paper looks stylish teamed with string and a tasteful sprig or two.
The Tree
Already got an artificial tree? Keep using it for as many years as you can. If you’re buying a real tree, check it’s been grown sustainably.
Buy your tree from a local small business – like Chorlton Nursery – if possible. Local businesses, garden centres etc rely on income from Christmas trees – and they care much more about quality and where their trees come from. The pop-up dealers who set up in parks and other places are often large-scale national chains.
Make sure you know the details of your Council’s tree recycling scheme and have it ready. Your tree will be shredded and used in local parks and woodland, rather than mouldering away on the pavement and depressing everyone on wet Wednesdays in January.
If you’ve an outdoor space and even vaguely green fingers, a living tree’s a good option – Chorlton Nursery sells them too. Keep it happy and it could last for years – getting bigger every time!
Food
Every year it’s the same – supermarket trolleys piled high like we’re preparing for a siege. Think things through beforehand, don’t be swayed by special offers and assess quantities realistically. Buy from local independents for special, good-quality produce, rather than buying mountains of cheap stuff from the supermarket.
Shop more thoughtfully and buy a few extra bits for a local foodbank: that way there’ll be no waste at all.
Shopping
Leave the car at home. Treasure your high street by shopping locally. We have fantastic independent food, drink and gift shops in Chorlton, run by people who choose their stock with love and care.
Christmas shouldn’t come by courier in brown boxes! We want Santa!