Tis the season of happiness and joy and there is hardly anything more appropriate than to have a party to celebrate it!! Christmas followed by New Year eve is such a joyful time to meet old friends, decorate homes and get creative. However, partying sustainably and responsibly sounds cooler than just partying and creating a ton of waste.
In this era of technology and globalization, we have grown greedy and over consumption is at its peak. While doing so we totally forget about the harm we cause to the environment. With a little imagination and consideration, we can create eco-friendly and meaningful ways to celebrate. It is now time to act more responsibly and give something back to nature, even in times when we are celebrating. Don’t you agree?
Now you might ask, “How to decorate sustainably when the party is all about glitters and being environment friendly goes entirely against these ideas?” Don’t worry, we have got you covered. We’ve got 15 sustainable Christmas and New Year decoration ideas to make your place aesthetic and fancy too!
15 Sustainable Decor Ideas for Christmas and New Year
Cardboard Banners
Parties are all about adding your personal touch to the decorations and what is more creative than creating your own banners. Instead of throwing away the delivery cardboard boxes, you can make signs like “Merry Christmas” or “Happy New Year” and paint them. Trust me, these signs will definitely stand out more than any plastic banners.
Eco Friendly Balloons
Instead of buying rubber and plastic balloons try using biodegradable ones this time. The balloons look very attractive but are extremely harmful for the environment. These biodegradable balloons are a more eco friendly option. You can also try making soap bubbles by mixing dish wash soap with water.
Sustainable Confetti
It looks so beautiful when confetti falls from above and you are all soaked up in it (ignore the mess, we will clean it later). But have you realised that the colourful confetti is often made of plastic. There are options for reusable confetti cannon available in the market but let’s look at some sustainable ones too.
Try replacing plastic confetti and glitter with flower petals and dried flowers this time. Adding fragrant herbs to it will make the room aromatic too. Trust me, it’s gonna be an amazing Christmas decor.
Streamers
Now that the entire decoration is eco friendly, why leave the streamers behind. You should definitely try replacing the twirly plastic strands with that of crepe paper. Crepe paper is colourful and also reusable. Fabric straps are also a good alternative.
Another alternative is that of flower garlands too. Add your favorite colourful flowers in a thread and brighten the entire room.
Christmas Special Centerpiece
Replace your huge plaster of paris and marble sculptures with a dried branch and see the difference it will make. You can also hang small ornaments of that branch to make it look more attractive. This can also act as a replacement for the Christmas tree. Since it is already dried, you are also not harming the environment by disturbing its ecological balance.
Ornaments
The plastic Christmas ornaments available in the market are very eye-catching but sadly not very eco friendly. They use a lot of plastic which goes against our aim of making the party a sustainable one with all sustainable decor. A very innovative option for this is actually knitting or crocheting ornaments. They look adorable and are made of wool making it reusable too. Additionally you learn a new skill if you do not know how to knit or crochet already!
Clay Sculptures
Moulding clay is one of the most enjoyable things to play with. Did you know that you can also dry it, paint it a bit and create beautiful decoration pieces? It acts as a great pastime and boosts your creativity too! Pierce a hole through it and hang it on your Christmas tree to make it look prettier! Do give it a try.
Pompoms and Tassels
Who does not love tassels and pom poms! But not every time is it an environmentally friendly decoration item. Paper works as a great alternative to these tassels. The silver lining of the chips packets also acts as a perfect alternative. Vegan acrylic wool too is a great option. After all everybody appreciates the idea of upcycling. So, let’s have a sustainable new year this time.
Decoration Pieces
Pine cones, shells collected on the beach, random pebbles that you have been collecting all your life can be put to the right use for this festive season. A pine cone tree will steal everyone’s attention too. You can even make structures using these natural materials and elevate the look of your party!
Wrapping Paper
Throw those plastic wrapping papers away for we will give you a great alternative – newspapers! Newspapers once you read them are of no use. Newspaper wrapping is a simple, eco-friendly alternative to traditional gift wrapping. Instead of using glossy, non-recyclable paper, wrapping gifts in old newspapers can reduce waste and promote recycling. This sustainable practice not only minimizes environmental impact but also adds a unique, creative touch to your presents.
You can personalize newspaper wraps by using sections of the paper that reflect the recipient’s interests, like comics, travel stories, or art. Adding a reusable ribbon or twine can further enhance the look while keeping the wrapping completely sustainable. Newspaper wrapping is a fun, stylish, and environmentally responsible way to wrap gifts.Trust us the receiver will love it.
Lights
Fairy lights and even bulbs look very pretty but run on electricity and are not environment friendly; so lemme share with you a perfect sustainable decor solution to replace them. A perfect alternative to them is natural light and candles. Candles made from soy wax are very sustainable and add to the aesthetic of the room. Adding fragrances to these candles will make it even better.
Lights using solar energy and LEDs will also help in producing less energy thus harming the environment a little less.
Light Holders
Coconut shell holders and coconut candle lanterns are a great replacement for the plastic bowls and glass holders. Coconut shell light holders are a beautiful, sustainable way to add a warm and rustic touch to your decor while reducing waste. Made from discarded coconut shells, these light holders repurpose natural materials that would otherwise be thrown away. They can be used as candles or lantern holders, creating a cozy, ambient glow. Instead of throwing the shells away, they can be scraped, cleaned and the lights, candles can be placed in them to give it a Boho rustic look to add glam to your Christmas or new year sustainable decor.
Light Jars
What do you do with the glass jars after eating all the snacks from it? Throw? Wait, do not do that henceforth for we have an idea for you. Add your favourite lights in those jars and they will act as pretty corner pieces in your house. This way you are reusing the jars to its optimum capacity and also enhancing the look of your place. A must include in your sustainable decor list for new year.
Plants
Potted plants and small flowering plants will complete the look of your house this new year. The size, shape of the plants can be determined by the space and aesthetic you prefer. Place them in corners to give a complete look to the place. Your family and friends are surely gonna love this natural and eco-friendly new year decor of yours.
Sofa Throws
Thrifting great pieces of linen, rugs and sofa throws instantly change the whole vibe of the room making it more cosy and warm. This winter season, you can try borrowing or renting these vintage rugs and impress all your guests while being sustainable too.
These sustainable decor hacks are just the tip of the iceberg of celebrating sustainably yet in a fancy manner. Leading a sustainable lifestyle is a slow yet gradual step. To sum up, celebrating in a sustainable manner is a great approach to lessen your influence on the earth while still having fun and creating memories. We may design celebrations that not only uphold our ideals but also safeguard the environment by using strategies like reducing waste, choosing eco-friendly presents, encouraging regional craftspeople, and choosing environmentally responsible travel alternatives.
Every tiny adjustment, like using reusable decorations or choosing mindful foods, adds to a bigger, group effort to be more sustainable. By making thoughtful choices, we may celebrate in ways that are both responsible and pleasurable, guaranteeing future generations a healthy future.