Are you dreaming of a Green Christmas

Now, the big day is just a few weeks away and whilst we all love to give (and also receive) wonderful gifts, we need to remember this lovely planet of ours. Christmas is potentially one of the most wasteful periods of the entire year, from food waste to packaging. We've spent the year thinking about ways that we can reduce the impact that we have on the environment around us this year, so here are some ways that you can make Christmas Green! 

Consider where your Christmas Tree comes from! 

I'm sure we can all agree that a beautifully decorated tree is the pinnacle of festive decor, but did you know that annually Great Britain consumes over 8 million Christmas trees & according to recent Grown In Britain findings, £3 million is spent every year bringing in trees from European countries including Scandinavia & this can be a threat to our national forests and bio-security & travelled thousands of miles to be in your front room! When shopping for a tree, why not take a moment to consider where yours comes from and look for the Grown In Britain logo to ensure a Great British Tree!
We recommend taking a look at some of our local partners like Madley Plants, who supply a great range of both potted and cut Christmas trees. 

Shop locally this Christmas.  

 By shopping from small independent shops around you this year, rather than from large chains or online, you will be directly contributing to local businesses and the local economy too! It also has a positive effect on the environment as you won't be driving as far or receiving lots of deliveries on different days and lowering your emissions and the distance that goods have travelled. You can also take your bags, reducing the packing materials used within deliveries! It's also much nicer to have a friendly chat with someone rather than staring at the computer screen. We are also blessed locally to have many towns and villages full to the brim of local independent shops with beautiful gifts to choose from such as Hay on Wye, Ledbury & Ludlow! On our website we have a directory of businesses that we work with locally, so why not start there for some inspiration? 

Recycle, reuse & be creative! 

If we all recycled just half of the 8,000 tonnes of wrapping paper produced each Christmas, that would save 25,000 trees (they could absorb over half a million kgs of CO2 each year)! Why not ditch the wrapping paper this year for something a bit different? Master the art of Furoshiki this year by wrapping gifts in fabrics like tea towels or even scarfs, which not only look nice, and saves the environment, but can also be an extra gift! Take a look at the Country Living guide to gift wrapping with fabric here. 

Plant a Tree! 

Why not plant a tree for a friend, family or loved one this Christmas through our Plant A Tree scheme? At Certainly Wood we are passionate about creating new woodland within the UK and we have been involved in tree planting for many years. When you place an order with us, you have the opportunity to plant a tree and when you do, we will keep you informed on what's happening through their life so you can be part of their journey! 

Plantable Christmas Cards

If you love to send Christmas cards, then opt for some of these eco-friendly ones which are filled with seeds that your recipient can plant afterwards. You can choose from a range of cards containing lots of varieties of seeds, such as these wildflower cards available from the National Open Garden Scheme. Not only will buying these cards help the planet, but they also raise money to help support nursing and health charities too! 

Make your crackers

Why not get crafty this year and have a go at making your crackers ready for Christmas dinner? This is an eco-friendly and sustainable way to reuse and recycle things from around the house and is a great way to add your personal touch and style to the celebrations! You can write names onto each cracker too, making them extra personal and you also have full control of what you put inside each one and further eliminate any unnecessary plastic! For a full guide to making your crackers, check out this guide by House Beautiful.

Although you may get rid of the plastic frog, you can't forget to include the awful jokes, so to get you started have one of our personal favourites: “What do you do when you chop firewood quicker than you can stack it? A backlog!”

Try making your own wreath

Not only will a homemade wreath look great, but it's a brilliant way to kick-start the Christmas festivities! You can get the whole family around the table and get creative! Start by wrapping up warm and heading out on a walk to forage for your wreath materials! You can include anything from leaves to feathers that you may find along your way. Pile back inside, light up the log burner and spend some time together. Find our guide to making your wreath here! 

Remember the true meaning of Christmas

This is a time of year, not only for celebrations, but for reflections on the year gone by, and we're sure you'll all agree it's been another year of ups and downs for many people. Spend quality time with your friends and loved ones and be grateful for the good times you've had and the ones that are coming. Switch off the electronics and spend some time together in front of a roaring fire with a good old-fashioned jigsaw or a board game.