Recycled Christmas, could it work???

oops_a_daisy

baaaaa humbug :rudolf:

savvy

Excellent idea Annando, we've got another thread running on this subject so if you don't mind I'll merge this one with it.

Annando

It might be too late to suggest this but might come in handy for next year, re-use the old Xmas cards you get. I know that the University of Portsmouth collects old Xmas cards for them to be re-used, they put new backs on and save whatever can be saved and give them to charity to be re-sold.

As a first year student last year (2005/06) we had a course called Sustainable Development, the 2 tutors were absolutely brilliant!!! They gave us loads of ideas for a greener Xmas.

savvy

Annando wrote:

As a first year student last year (2005/06) we had a course called Sustainable Development, the 2 tutors were absolutely brilliant!!! They gave us loads of ideas for a greener Xmas.

Good stuff............you gonna post them then?? ;)

Annando

As soon as I find my notes...

Penelope_Penguin

Hi, yesterday in York I bought DH 2 brand new books for £2 each, and received from Freecycle 3 new items for DS's stocking.

Have all charity shops improved? They used to be more like jumble sales, so I avoided them, but having an hour free in Beverley, mooched round some, and the clothes are clean, ironed, sized, and colour coded. That's where I'll be doing my shopping.

This year even elves will Freecycle!

Penny. x

Julieboo

I love, adore xmas because I have wonderful memories of family xmas's with my lovely gran who sadly won't be here with us this year but is most definately with us in spirit. My gran never had much money but spent the whole year finding bargains and making things for everyone. It was her company and the getting togteher at xmas that was the thing I most remember though. My mum and dad used to also make presents for me and my brother, handmade dolls house, a fun house made out of cardboard boxes, rag dolls, doll clothes and all was great. Now I'm older and my children are teenagers and my parents have moved away we go away for xmas. Last year was the first year (took the decision mainly because my gran had died a month earlier and my parents felt uncomforatble celebrating). Going away was the best thing ever, we had a log cabin in Scotland and spent the days hiking, visiting wildlife sanctuaries and involved in local events. The cabin was also decked out very simply with a tree and home made decorations, it was lovely and the kids faces were a picture when we got there. We took a few presents to put under the tree, but just being there was the xmas treat. We had a 'traditional' xmas dinner and everyone helped. Scotland was so clam and peaceful and it was great to get away from the busy stressed out towns of england as people jostled to get as much in their trolleys/shopping bags as possible. It was so good that this year I've booked it again as a surprise and I've found myself some bargains for presents and I'm making home made soap and bath ball sets for family.

Annando

Ok I found my notes and here were the suggestions:

1-Wrapping paper and Xmas cards have already been mentioned.

2-Make your own presents (candles, soap, calendars, boards, diaries, paintings, photo albums...)

3-Make your own Xmas tree out of old branches and twigs, this is particularly good if you have a lot of prunning to do. Admitedly you will not have the greenery but you can put loads of decoration on it and it looks great!

4-If you are not making your own presents, stick to re-use and recycle so scour charity shops for presents, a jar can always be improved by a bunch of home-made biscuits inside! Freecycle!

5-Make your own Xmas decoration - on this subject I will be making another post about as I have a book with loads of ideas.

6-Make others feel good about Xmas- on the last lecture before Xmas we collected more than £200 and gave a donkey, a plough and some goats and chickens to a village in Africa, at the end of the year no one could remember what Plato and Aristoteles did, but we could all remember that we had given a donkey, plough etc to a village in Africa! (It was all done through the Good Gift catalogue and you can choose all different sorts of things!) There are different things you can give, gift of sight, animal welfare gifts etc... Or why not open your house to someone in need of some company, an old person you might know or someone who will be alone or far from home.

7-On the animal welfare subject, try having a free range turkey or chicken and source locally produced vegs and meats at local farmer's market. On the same subject, only buy what you know is going to be used so you don't have to through it all away!

8-If traveling go by public transport in stead of using the car or plane - although this might be a bit difficult for some, so if you need to use the car/plane offset the CO2 emissions.

9-Give a book "The Man Who Planted Trees" by Jean Giono to whomever is in need of some GREEN inspiration.

10-If buying a gift try to buy gifts from companies that have some kind of ethical / green background and try to limit the damage they do to the environment. (For instance that try not to use cotton, or that fund research into how recycled materials can be used). Try doing a google search for a clothings company called Patagonia, there are loads of links to ethical companies and campaigns there. Go fairtrade.

Ok, now I'll try my hand at making a list of green Xmas decorations! Will post it shortly.

Annando

Sorry if this is such a long post...
Ok here is the list of ideas for Xmas decoration. The ideas have been taken from a book called Ultimate Xmas by Jane Newdick. I think being 3 months away from Xmas gives us a great advantage of being able to plan ahead and look for twigs, pines cones and dried leaves in gardens and parks. I’m sorry if any of these have been mentioned before.

Trees:
As mentioned before, have a living tree, or make one out of old branches and twigs (Some DIY skills required). Instead of using a pine tree that doesn’t always stay alive after Xmas (even a living tree can die if taken out of their natural habitat), try having a bay tree or a small holly that can be planted in the garden later or remain in a pot on the patio or a terrace.

Decorations:
Baubles can be made out of large cotton balls (available from craft shops) decorated with different materials:

- cinnamon sticks cut into little round bits and stick them on a large cotton ball (available from craft shops).
- Recycle dry rose petals, dry leaves, dry red chillies, aduki beans, clover or dried star anis pods.
- Old fabric cut into strips and rolled over the balls, the same can be done with string.
- Old buttons.

Bundles of cinnamon sticks and raffia look and smell great.

Ginger biscuits cut into stars, angels, Xmas tress and used as decoration on a tree. Put a hole on the shape before cooking it so you can put some string on it.

Dried citrus fruits “stamped” with a zester and left to dry in a very dry place (I think the airing cupboard should do).

I quite like the idea of an edible tree, where all the decoration can be eaten, so you could decorate it with all sorts of ginger biscuits shapes, fresh apples and oranges, and garlands made of dried fruits (apricots, prunes), marshmallows, popcorn, cranberries, whole walnuts, small biscuits, even slices of dried oranges or lemons.

Make your own Xmas decoration (or have the children do it) with coloured card and paper, using corrugated card is quite nice as well. They can be cut into all sorts of shapes, stars, baubles, bows, camels, fish, dogs, hearts, cats, rabbits… I’m sure you get the picture! You can make great garlands out of rolled paper or even use the centre bit of toilet or kitchen rolls, cut them in sections and decorate them.

Use dry leaves and flowers (this should be the time to pick them up in the garden), pine cones, you could even use fresh herbs as decoration or tie them in a bunch and dry them (thyme, rosemary, marjoram, coriander etc…). You could even use a dry artichoke.

Recycle old glass jars by using them as lanterns (paint them on the outside with water based paint to avoid any dangers!)

If you are handy you could make rosettes or even an advent calendar out of old bits of fabric, or make personalised “Bags for Life” and give them as a present or use them to wrap presents (a double present!) J

Does anyone have other ideas?

Cheers! Anne

savvy

Annando wrote:

Recycle old glass jars by using them as lanterns (paint them on the outside with water based paint to avoid any dangers!)

OOOOOO I'm liking that idea...............you could decorate with glitter and stuff!!! :j:j:j:j Tie wire around the top and hang in trees lighting up your driveway