What 'newer' Christmas traditions could be scrapped to help save the planet

Oh TanaMa, why don't you get someone to get you down a few of those old memories & put up just a few? Maybe you can relive a few good memories, & maybe donate a few decs that are still in good conditon to family so they can share the memories, or give to someone less able to afford any this year?Don't go climbing in attic yourself though eh ?

I have always opposed the idea of Secret Santa presents in the places I have worked in.

As a student working part-time to earn a living while studying, I was horrified to find myself forced to find a preseent for a person I didn't know who was. It made a significant hole in the money I had put aside every month in order to be able to make or buy Christmas presents for friends and family.

As a teacher, I have explained to the parents of my classes that I appreciate them wanting to teach their children to give and to think of others, but that having to provide the secret Santa present can be hard for parents with nothing but social security to live on.

Instead I asked that we explain at the start of the school year that there would be no secret Santa presents.
They agreed to my idea that each child put the smallest coin we had, (about equal to 5 p) in a piggy bank on the first day of the month throughout term. This gave 57 p or thereabouts from each child in the course of the school year.
Multiplied by 24 (the number of children in the class) this gave about £13.

This money was sent to a charity that the class chose from a list that their parents had approved in advance.

This way no child was forced either to admit that he or she could not afford to take part in Secret Santa, or as was more common was forced to buy the very cheapest thing they could find, which every other child in the class knew was cheap as it was bought in the equivalent of the £ store.

Even the poorest family could afford 5p a month and the children were still learning consideration for others.

So we discussed charities and giving to charity, and, as the children grew older, why some people dislike the thought of donating to the large charitable organisatins, whether giving to charity actually solves anyone's problems, how else we could solve famine, or the lack of clean drinking water etc.

grandtanteJE65 I love that idea - so simple, yet something which is going to make a real difference and hopefully leave a lasting impression in the children's minds too.

I have some tartan bedding that comes our every Christmas in the guest room. I love balloons and usually buy a few little ones for the (many) children to play with on Boxing Day, I find that the adults enjoy playing keeping the balloon in the air every bit as much as the children do.
Always bought and received very thoughtful presents when I was involved with secret Santa at work.
I send Christmas cards to let everyone know I’m still alive as I have incurable cancer.
When faced with one’s demise, even the silly Christmas tat is wonderful.
Yes, we all need to save the planet, I am a brilliant recycler and use only recyclable paper and fabric bags for presents but let’s all just enjoy this Christmas, it’s been a difficult 2 years, if they want to buy silly secret Santa presents, let them.

I used to hate touching balloons when I was a child, likewise taffeta material, it gives me goose pimples and makes a funny noise too. I am better at it now, but can't blow them up.
We don't decorate for Xmas now as no one comes to see it, it is very freeing not having to worry about it. As we go to my late husband's family for Xmas day, I don't have to think about it at all except for one or two cheques for my granddaughter and family. Bliss.

I forgot to say I do all my Christmas cards via Jacqui Lawson, I used to send 120 cards every Christmas and lots abroad, cost me a fortune, now it cost me less than £ 20 per year and I can send as many cards as you like during the year.

Where I worked we did a Secret Santa and it worked really well because we all wrote down a few ideas of something we’d like to the value of a fiver. Then our lists were put in a bin, shaken up and we each picked out one. We then knew what to buy and who for but the recipient didn’t know who had bought their gift. No plastic tat, unless asked for. I’ve had some very lovely hand creams, books etc. still got my book of Greek Myths and Legends and still dip into it.

How about those large containers of individually plastic wrapped items of over sweet ghastliness with child slave labour in the supply chain. Please, please, please do away with them.

Tizliz

Balloons. Apart from the fact that I hate balloons, why is it suddenly fashionable to have decorative balloon arches? You can’t reuse them. How long do they last? Not recyclable, and dangerous to animals if they fly away. Anyone else here hate balloons touching them? Or am I strange?

I’m anti balloon these days too. Especially the ones that are released into the air to celebrate or commemorate. The idea is lovely but the reality of them being eaten by animals when they come down is what makes me dislike them.
I’m not anti plastic as such, just single use or limited use plastic.
As others have said, I think we’re all reconsidering our behaviour nowadays and stuff we used to buy now seems so wasteful and useless. I’m also avoiding anything with glitter and shiny wrapping paper. Still plenty if it in the shops though.

Christmas eve boxes tend to hold things like Pyjamas, activity stuff like colouring books, a Christmas film and popcorn to eat whilst watching said film, also things like bathbombs to help the kids relax before bed.

Bewitched.
Oh come on isn't it the thought that counts

Chestnut

Things I would ban altogether as they are so bad for the planet they upset me:
* anything that goes up in the sky (balloons and lamps)
* plastic or foil wrapping paper (can't be recycled)
* glitter!!!!!

Me too!

Completely disagree ! You can do a Secret Santa and be environmentally aware ! Let’s just suck all the fun out of the festive season shall we ! We do our bit all year round, we also use recycled wrapping paper, try and buy eco friendly products all year and Christmas, buy Charity Christmas Cards…..by all means do what you need to do to keep yourself happy but in our house this year we will be having a real tree, bling bling decorations, Turkey with all the trimmings and as much fun as we possibly can !

We had a Secret Santa at an event quite recently and I was tasked with "receiving" the gifts, arranging them around the Christmas Tree and issuing a ticket to donors which entitled them to claim a gift later in the evening as not everyone was going to be taking part.
Some of the gifts looked like a two year old had wrapped them up in last years, used, Christmas paper! Some items were 'leaking' their contents through the paper too.
There was an upper spending limit on the gifts to keep it cost effective but from feedback that I've received since a great deal of the items were cheap, nasty, and in some cases, used tat!
I now have to pass the feedback on to the organisers of the event which I'm not looking forward to. I just hope they learn from it and scrap the idea in the future.
Secret Santa might be a lovely concept amongst small groups of friends and families but for large groups it is simply a way for some to dispose of unwanted or used gifts.

I have always loved Christmas and enjoy decorating our home and gardens for the festivities. For many years now DH and myself dress as Santa & Mrs Claus to go to local children's hospital and deliver sacks of toys collected each year from family and friends. I also make up hampers of dozens of 'cupcake' snuggle socks topped with a wrapped lollipop to bring to the local hospice - each one makes a thoughtful little gift for patients and staff members at what can be a very fraught time of year for many.
This year I paid for Covid vaccines to be given to people in Bangladesh in the names of my family members. When I told my family they then decided to send more vaccines themselves as they realise nobody is safe until everybody is safe.
It costs £4 to vaccinate one person in the third world
Bin the tat and save the people of the world this Christmas
It is what Christmas is all about

We have the same decorations year after year, with the occasional new one added, the continuity and memory of each one is special. I have a wrapping paper and gift bag drawer and no plastic bows or similar are used. I do fancy the idea of the sari gift bags though, I must look into that. My biggest contribution to saving the planet this Christmas is buying locally produced wine, just think of the air miles I have saved!

Presents for teachers, I really don’t like it. The children that cannot afford them feel bad and I am sure the teachers would happily do without 30 mugs that say best teacher.

I used to think Christmas bed linen was an expensive fad. But this year I have succumbed. Some of our GC will be staying with us for Christmas (their first Christmas away from their own home) so I thought I'd try to make it a bit special for them especially as we haven't see them at Christmas for three years.

I won't do Christmas Eve boxes (don't agree with them), but their quilt cover has a pocket on it for Santa to leave presents, so I'll put Christmassy books and games in there for them to find when they arrive and keep them amused for a while.

For the first time ever I'm lighting the front of the house with little lanterns and two lit reindeers on the drive. Nobody at our end of the village really bothers with Christmas lighting and it can look a bit sad sometimes.

Our artificial Tree comes out each year with the hundreds of decorations collected over the past 40 years. Each year I buy 2 new decorations for the tree, and for the past 20 years I've bought only blown glass or crystal baubles, they're just so beautiful. I also have a few (very fragile) painted glass decorations that were my Mum's, and things that our children made when they were little.

In past years I have made my own crackers, just buying the snaps and putting suitable little gifts into each but ran out of time this year. However I have made my own table decorations.

I'm going to wrap all my gifts in brown wrapping paper this year and write the recipients name all over the paper with marker pens and tie with ribbon. CRAFTING TIP: If anyone else is doing this, write on the paper before you wrap the present or the marker ink might bleed through onto the gift!

I recycle nearly all the cards we receive making them into gift tags or next years cards. Paper and card that can't be recycled is shredded for parcel packing or fuel for the boiler.

i do not like or celebrate christmas but i respect that others do, i sent childrens presents last year wrapped in christmas paper and then wrapped in wall paper for posting, secret santa is always family so i usually get a ceramic mug or perfume. i still have the same tree from when my son was 10 and only put it up each year when i know children are coming to the house, i give cards each year to family and neighbours (53 for neighbours) i am not doing it this year as cards for neighbours were all written back in march but my partner died in may to had to throw them all away. as for plastic, until they stop making items using plastic we sometimes have to use it. when people come to my house they get things on paper plates and kids use plastic cups and paper straws. i think everyone tries to do their bit for the planet but to a lot of people christmas is special, to see my little grandsons face light up when he sees the christmas lights.....priceless.

Elizabeth27

Presents for teachers, I really don’t like it. The children that cannot afford them feel bad and I am sure the teachers would happily do without 30 mugs that say best teacher.

I helped my son pack up when he moved house. I did laugh when I saw all the Best Teacher mugs he had but I suppose it isn't really funny.

We have winter and rest of year bedding i.e. flannelette duvet covers, essential as no heating upstairs!

Reused Xmas paper, gift tags from Xmas cards made with the fancy edging scissors, the same crib.
Last year my like minded son wrapped his presents with the illustrations from a large old calendar, they looked more interesting than the usual wrappings.
My late husband loved Xmas and bought too many seasonal themed things, bless him. I couldn’t see the point for the use for a few days.
I now bring out the Xmas mugs, tea towels etc he collected every year but make sure I don’t add to them.
Off piste, my pet hate are baby showers.

I have just ordered Christmas bed linen for the room used by GC, if it makes them smile I am happy ????

Same tree and decs here year after year. Frosty the snowman is 71 years old and hangs proudly on the tree. Most of the decs are ancient and I love them, full of memories.Does anyone remember those twisted foil strips we used to hang over the fireplace and they would twirl with the heat from the fire? Yes they were made of foil but reused year after year. I also hate balloons, always have, they set my teeth on edge. Cannot be in a room when people are blowing them up. Christmas used to be a lovely time, now it’s too commercialised, some people trying to outdo each other with most expensive gift, best decorations etc.

Beswitched

There must be thousands of people every year smiling politely as they unwrap a set of santa themed plastic cocktail glasses or a drinking chocolate making kit

... this gave me a giggle.

I do not even like receiving presents any more, as an adult. It's not a 'bah-humbug' thing. I buy what I like, or need (if I can afford it) and don't want to further clutter up the house with stuff. Although I've gratefully received a bottle of wine or home-made cake.

A good dinner, chatting in a relaxing atmosphere with family and friends. That's my idea of a perfect Christmas - and pretty environmentally friendly.

Giving presents to children tho' - that's a delight.