We wish you a green Christmas

Did you know that the 1942 “White Christmas” song, from Bing Crosby, is still the best-selling single of all time, with over 50 million estimated copies sold worldwide?
More than 75 years later, his dream for a “White Christmas” is still shared and treasured, but the planet might be now asking for a greener option.

The most festive time of the year can also be characterised by excessive consumption – of goods and resources – and greater waste. This is why we need a “greener” Christmas – a concept that urges us to celebrate the season with greater mindfulness. This doesn’t mean you need to give up the Christmas spirit or your traditions; it’s about combining them with more sustainable choices for the environment.

A green Christmas challenges us to turn off the “autopilot,” adjust our habits to reduce our environmental impact, and make more informed decisions: choosing local or recycled-material gifts, minimizing food waste, avoiding excessive use of disposable plastics, and even exploring creative alternatives for traditional decorations.

1. Avoid food waste

   It is normal to cook too much food at Christmas. However, food waste is a serious problem on a world scale. Plan your meals in advance so you don’t cook too much food. If there are leftovers, start a traditional “leftovers day”. Or even better, give some to a neighbor, a family member, or a social institution. You can also put it the freezer.

2. Go for reused wrapping paper

   As beautiful as the wrapping paper is, it turns into waste the second the present is unwrapped. So, there must be a better way to make wrapping paper more sustainable. And there are plenty! If you chose a wrapping paper made of recycled materials, you’ll already be reducing its carbon footprint impact. But you don’t even need to buy new one – why not reusing it from previous years? You can even make your custom wrapping paper from old newspaper pages and use old cardboard boxes to make name tags. Either way, try to avoid tape, so it’s possible to reuse it next year.

3. Adopt a tree

   A Christmas tree is an absolute must-have for most families. However, chopping down a tree isn’t the most sustainable eco-friendly thing to do. If you prefer real plants, decorate a tree in your garden – after all, what counts is the time spent with the family while decorating it, right? If you want a real Christmas tree indoors, buy a small potted Christmas tree. You can keep it for years and when it becomes too big for indoors, just plant it outside. If you live in Lisbon, there is another alternative: renting a “Pinheiro Bombeiro” (“Firefighter Pine Tree”), a charitable initiative that repurposes pine trees already slated for cutting as part of forest clearing efforts. Some of the proceeds go to essential equipment for Portuguese volunteer firefighters.

4. Choose LED decoration

   And if we’re talking traditions, then we can’t escape Christmas lights. LED (Light Emitting Diode) holiday lights can use up to 90% less energy than traditional non-LED lights. Additionally, they will last longer, up to 100,000 hours. Nowadays, it is very easy to find LED Christmas lights, so you will have no problem. LED or no LED, you should turn your Christmas lights off when nobody is enjoying them.

5. Give more sustainable gifts

   We know the tradition of Christmas gifts is an important one, so why not make it an opportunity to change some minds? There are some very good and useful sustainable gifts out there, just waiting to be wrapped. Think about socks made of recovered fishing nets, fabric tote bags for groceries, reusable metal straws or fair-trade chocolates (discover the hidden story behind the cocoa production and why should you choose fair-trade chocolate).

   For kids, consider colouring pencils that have seeds, and can be planted when worn, wood building blocks, or even science kits that can teach them about renewable energies, like solar, work. There is so much to choose from, and in the end, you might make a difference in someone’s life.

6. Go handmade

   Not all Christmas presents need to be new, store bought. The true magic of Christmas is intention, and a handmade gift fits just the purpose. Delicious homemade cookies or DIY ornaments for Christmas trees are just some examples. Remember, however: nothing speaks more to the heart than a handwritten postcard.

7. Reuse, reduce, recycle… re-gift?

   Re-gifting – the practice of giving someone the gifts you’ve been given and don’t use – is becoming increasingly popular. For example, if you loved a certain book but it’s sitting on your shelf, why not give it away so that more people can read it? The best thing about ‘re-gifting’ is that it makes someone happy and is more sustainable, as you won’t have to spend more money – and resources on the planet – buying new presents.

8. Why not vegan?

   If you have a vegan or vegetarian family member on your Christmas Eve or day, you should have something for them to eat. Even if you don’t, why not give veganism a try? The easiest substitutions are those with eggs, milk and butter: you can use corn-starch or chia seeds and plant-based milk – such as soy, almond, oats or rice. Try out these nine vegan Christmas recipes.

9. Simplify gift exchanges

   If your gift list is too long, why not gather the family and suggest a Secret Santa? Each person draws the name of a family member and focuses on finding a special gift just for that one person. For an extra touch of personalization, try these 11 DIY gift ideas – a thoughtful way to show care and dedication while saving money and the environment.

10. Choose battery free gifts

    Many toys and electronic devices still rely on batteries, which end up as toxic waste – although it is possible to recycle used batteries. If there are kids in the family, choose educational toys and games that don’t require batteries, such as books, puzzles, or arts and crafts materials. If batteries are unavoidable, choose rechargeable ones. This is also a great time to sort through toys your child no longer plays with and donate them to someone in need or a charitable organization. After all, a green Christmas is also about sharing.

11. More sustainable Christmas decorations

    For a “green” Christmas, pick sustainable decorations. Go for a walk in nature and collect natural items to adorn your home. Pine branches, pinecones, dried twigs, holly, and various leaves can be transformed into table arrangements, wreaths, or tree ornaments. Pair these with reused items, such as ribbons from previous years, and avoid disposable or plastic materials.

12. Give experiences

    Skip material gifts and invest in experiences – there are so many to choose from to make Christmas “green”. For example, a ticket to a concert, a trip to the theatre or a museum, a voucher for dinner at a special restaurant or, for those with a thirst for knowledge, a workshop. Follow this guide to find out how to give more sustainable gifts.

Adopting sustainable practices for a green Christmas doesn’t mean giving up the season’s magic – it’s about reimagining it with an environmentally responsible touch, from thoughtful gift choices to reusing decorations and reducing food waste.

Have yourself a merry green Christmas!