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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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  • We make our own Christmas crackers from used loo rolls, wrapping paper we've saved from last year and personalised treats inside! It started as a tradition to do with the kids, but works out eco-friendly, too!
  • An advent calendar with little boxes which they open and inside is a number, and they unwrap a ‘present’ that matches that number - each ‘present’ is a Christmas book, mostly gifts or from charity shops 
  • We try to be eco-conscious, and especially so at Christmas. It's very easy to go over the top at Christmas, but we stick to the 4 rule presents for the kids (something want, need, to wear and to do) and use brown paper and twine rather than wrapping paper and cellotape. Gifts are usually preloved or wooden. We don't buy an extra decorations, we just have a prelit tree that was gifted to us and no baubles/tinsel etc :) 
  • Local Facebook groups always have 2nd hand toys in really good condition! I also keep my older kids toys in a good condition to either pass down to my others or help others for gifts to. 
  • We started early and have bought some toys second hand. There is the local event called Mum2mum market which is really great and just happens to take place close to home! Hoping the toys our girls play with will have enough life in them so can be passed on.
  • We give our old toys to Winnie’s cousins so that they have something to love. We take good care of all of Winnie’s things to ensure it can be loved by any other child when she is done. We donate to charity and also give to domestic violence refuges as this is something close to my heart with my job. So that when a family has to flee with nothing they have beautiful clothing and toys to make them feel like they have some kind of safety. We buy preloved toys because not only are they saving the environment but they have a story to tell. We love that there is an option to rent a toy what a fabulous way to save the environment little by little. But also a fab way to help parents who don’t have lots of money to buy their little ones the latest gadgets 💓
  • We don't give cards at Christmas just do a charity donation instead. 
  • Buying new items from parents via eBay less cost and giving life to an unused item.
    we will be eating mainly vegan foods.
    reusing bags and cloth bags to gift presents 

  • We collect wrapping paper over the years and cut out squares and then fold over and loop with others and make Christmas paper chains. Also making wreaths out of bent coat hangers and winter foliage 
  • I recycle as much as humanly possible.  Use gift bags and re-use where possible.  I make homemade consumables, like cookies, etc, in jars that can be used again and again.  I do online gift cards for those friends that I don't see or don't live near - to save postage and unnecessary packaging.  I think presence is way more important that presents ... so where I can - I organise experiences with friends, attend events, spend time together, lunches out, etc, make memories.
  • use household objects to make christmas decs, ie waterbottles. toilet rolls 
  • We’re making this Christmas more eco-friendly by buying ethically made wooden toys that will be used for all three of my girls then passed on to family. We’re deciding on fewer gifts and more local experiences to make memories and spend time with loved ones. For wrapping paper we are using brown paper or recycling drawings done by my children. 
  • Instead of using wrapping paper I will be packing gifts into reuseable personalised bags. That way everyone will get two gifts 
  • Top tips for an eco-friendly Christmas:

    Buy presents throughout the year to save on ££s and carbon footprint that is associated with overcrowding over the Christmas holiday shopping period. Also, you can bookmark your ideal items online and use Honey, Coupert, Kindred or Karma extensions on Chrome to get discounts. 

    Save Christmas gift bags given that can be reused for your own wrapping. Get creative with wrapping, e.g., use fabric, container or paper bag.

    Save on gas and electric and cut down cooking time for that special Christmas dinner by using a pressure cooker. It also helps to boil the kettle rather than bringing a pot to a boil. 

    Share your eco tips with a family or friend who may exchange their own in return . Happy holidays, everyone ☺️🥳🎁☕
  • Re-use any gift bags collected over the year to make decorations and cards with the kids 
  • We use personalised fabric sacks for each person’s gifts that we bring out each year. This saves on wrapping paper entirely - helpful environmentally and on the pennies too! 
  • Visit charity shops for gifts and stocking fillers. It's amazing what you'll find! A lot of places get loads of donations at this time of year as people try to clear out before Christmas. 
  • I volunteer in a charity shop and we (plus a lot of the other charity shops) have lots of new (unopened) toys and children's books and clothes donated to us plus ones that have been so well looked after, they are like new. It is worth scouring these shops first, especially for very young children as not only are these toys being recycled, you will get a good deal on them and the charities will make money. Guess where I will be buying mine from this Christmas.
  • We are reusing out Christmas tree which we potted in the garden so every year is always looking nice and green also when i buy clothes at Primark if you notice they paper shopping bags you can reuse it as a wrapping paper 🤩❤️
  • Buy second hand. Xmas doesn't have to be about brand new, in the box toys. Have a look in charity shops and your local selling pages.  You ca  get toys as good as new without the hefty price tag! Also keep you brown paper parcel packing from any deliveries and get the kids to paint it to create your own, hand crafted wrapping paper.
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