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Tell Whirli your tips for little ways you can make Christmas more eco-friendly: £200 voucher prize

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  • This year we will not be wrapping all the presents, like we do, we are just going to use some labels that we have left over and I have some card that we can make it look pretty, We have ribbon that go in their hair we can use it for tags,. We have some gift bags from last year so we will take the label and put another on so don't need to buy any gift bags at all, Not buy  wrapping paper, I bought a load about 4 years ago for about 10p a roll,I won't be buying any New tablecloths or matching napkins, We will use what we have in. There is never any food waste, as my partner hates waste, so we know amounts and things I have already told you about recycling the toys we do that. I won't be buying plates are a dinner service, we will use what  we got or go without. We see people buy ing shede loads of food trolleys over flowing the shops are only closed 2 days, so need to do a big shop
  • We no longer send Christmas cards. Downloadable games for their computers, wooden toys and resell or give to charity any no longer wanted toys.
  • I love buying all my Christmas gifts from charity shops! This helps to save the environment by not buying new and often most charity shop purchases don’t come wrapped in plastic like new toys. My mum also uses a toy library for when we go to stay so the children always have different age appropriate toys to play with! 
  • We are using leftover wrapping paper for smaller gifts and primark's bag for wrapping medium sized gifts. This a perfect idea from them with their chic style and added gift tags, perfect up-cycle especially as I am their regular shopper!
    I will also be making confetti out of any smaller pieces off leftover paper to decorate my dining table and sprinkling some glitter to make it look glam.

    For presents, I will be re-using my first childs toys (no longer used) and gifting them to my second childs.
    And for my first childs, I will be having some gifted by family and friends and receiving some hand me down toys from family as they are moving house.
    I have kept empty nappy boxes, and will be cutting them down to use them inside out to put the presents in.

    We will be using regular cutlery and of course re-using our party decorations like we do every few years before they show signs of wear!

  • Oops I meant baby wipe boxes, not nappy boxes
  • Oops I meant baby wipe boxes, not nappy boxes
  • Thank you for your great ideas so far - been loads of fun reading these! My idea is to use brown paper for wrapping pressies,and use silver and gold threads to tie presents up in a bow, like string and that way you are avoiding sellotape which is expensive and cannot be recycled, and also you can reuse the brown paper again or alternatively recycle it!
  • I've brought most of my gifts used this year, mainly from ebay! 
  • We've got reusable advent calendars
    I like to go to local charity shops & always find plenty of gifts for family & friends.
    We reuse wrapping paper
    I make gift tags from previous years Christmas cards we've been sent or given

  • Buy 2nd hand toys as I have and build the toys up instead of using wrapping paper to wrap them and we are also making gifts with the kids to give as presents this year. 
  • We have been getting toys from the charity shop this year for my daughters for Christmas or from online secondhand sellers. Toys have so much life if them to just be used by one child. 
  • Use fabric and string to wrap gifts. They look lovely and can be refused time after time.
  • Buy second hand, reuse gift boxes and bags, use recyclable wrapping paper.
  • I buy second hand gifts for my grandchildren where possible, we make decorations from pine cones etc, we use any wrapping paper we have even if its birthday wrapping paper we just wrap with the plain side decorated xmas stamps that I've had for a long time. I also use wallpaper in the same way. I ask for a list of 3 or 4 things that people want and then I choose one knowing that what I give them will be used  
  • Less is more in our house. We haven't sent cards for several years now, not because of cost, but prefer that trees are left to grow as the world is too keen to cut trees down and concrete over everything. 
    We are down to one present each these days at Christmas, locally sourced, and find that wrapping in a pillow case suffices. 
  • Like many we reuse gift bags and paper. We make our own gift tags, decorations and cards and I try and make gifts throughout the year when I can. We also don't get much for the kids because they get so much from relatives, whatever we do get is wooden/will last longer and get passed down to future generations born in the family. We tend to get experience gifts for everyone so we can all spend time together throughout the year rather than buy plastic rubbish that will sit in a cupboard for years before being thrown in landfill. 
  • Go to charity shops and check for good quality toys. I bought some lovely wooden toys and once cleaned they looked lovely and meant the toys were being reused. I'll also donate them again when he's done with them so even more opportunities to reuse 😊
  • Buy local and scour the classified ads (Gumtree, for instance) for local bargains
  • For younger children FSC certified wooden toys make for sustainable toys. 
  • Buy second hand toys for young children . They won't know the difference  when they are young ..  
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