How To Have A Sustainable Christmas: Easy Eco-Friendly Decorating Ideas

Most Christmas decorating waste comes from three things: foil tinsel, glittered paper and cheap plastic that breaks in its first season.

Swapping those out isn't a sacrifice - the alternatives are the ones that photograph better anyway.

Honest note: we make cards, pin badges, prints and party decorations, not paper star lanterns or foliage.

What to stop buying

• Foil tinsel - mixed plastic and metal, not recyclable anywhere in the UK, and it sheds all year.
• Glitter-coated anything: glitter contaminates the whole paper recycling stream.
• Plastic-laminated wrapping paper - if it doesn't stay scrunched, it isn't paper.
• Single-season novelty decorations that break before Twelfth Night.
• Disposable plastic tableware for one dinner.

Plastic-free swaps that look better

• Paper star lanterns instead of tinsel: reusable for years, then recyclable.
• Paper chains and honeycombs in plain kraft rather than foil garlands.
• Real or foraged foliage instead of plastic garland - it composts.
• Dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks and pine cones on jute string.
• Wooden or felt tree decorations that survive being dropped.
• Full styling guide - Read the guide

What can and can't be recycled

• Plain paper decorations, kraft chains and uncoated card: paper recycling.
• Foliage, wreath bases made of moss and willow, and cut greenery: garden waste or compost.
• Fairy lights: small electricals recycling at the tip, never the household bin.
• Glass baubles: not kerbside glass recycling - they're a different glass type, so donate them instead.
• Scrunch-test wrapping paper: if it holds the shape it's paper, if it springs back it's plastic.

Low-waste wrapping and cards

• Plain brown kraft paper with jute string and a sprig of foliage - recyclable end to end.
• Fabric wrap for anything awkwardly shaped; it comes back every year.
• Skip the sticky tape where you can and tie instead - tape stops paper being recycled.
• Paper-only cards without glitter or foil go straight in the recycling in January.
• Cut last year's cards into gift tags.

Making decorations last

• Store paper flat and dry, baubles in dividers, lights coiled loosely.
• Repair rather than replace - a re-glued star lasts another five years.
• Buy second-hand: charity shops are full of good wooden and glass decorations in November.
• Pass on anything you've stopped using instead of binning it.
• Rented or real potted tree, replanted, beats a plastic one used twice.

Shop party decorations

How to write it so it lands

• Scrunch-test every roll of wrapping paper.
• No glitter, anywhere.
• Buy things that last five years, not one.

Where to shop next

• All our Christmas guides
• Party supplies
• Bunting and banners
• Christmas cards
• Wall art and prints
• Funny pin badges
• Paper Christmas decorations
• Scandinavian Christmas decorations
• Over-table Christmas decorations
• Christmas bedroom ideas
• Alternative Christmas tree ideas
• Christmas mantelpiece ideas
• Christmas bay window ideas
• Hanging garland around a door frame
• How to hang prints without damage
• Christmas gift ideas
• Christmas card messages
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Christmas Card Messages
• Christmas Cards UK: The Complete Guide
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

Is tinsel recyclable in the UK?

No. Tinsel is a mix of plastic and metallised film and no UK kerbside service takes it. Paper decorations are the straightforward swap - reusable for years, then recyclable.

How do you know if wrapping paper is recyclable?

Scrunch it. If it stays in a ball it's paper and can be recycled; if it springs back it's plastic-laminated and can't. Glitter or foil means general waste either way.

Are paper Christmas decorations really more sustainable?

Yes, provided you reuse them. Plain uncoated paper stars last several years stored flat and then go in paper recycling, unlike tinsel or plastic garlands.

What do you do with broken fairy lights?

They're small electrical waste - take them to a household recycling centre or a supermarket electricals bank. Never put them in the household bin or kerbside recycling.

Is a real or artificial Christmas tree better for the environment?

A locally grown real tree that's chipped or replanted usually wins unless you keep an artificial one for more than about ten years. A rented potted tree is the lowest-waste option.

Do you sell paper star lanterns?

No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Paper stars and lights are recommendations from elsewhere - the only things linked to our own shop are ours.