Photo Credit from Flickr by SpacePotato
We’ve all done it. You bring out the boxes of holiday decorations from storage and inevitably there is always some damage. Whether broken, shattered, dented or chipped no holiday goes by without some mishap. But all is not lost after all we have plastic right? Not if you are environmentally conscious you don’t, or shouldn’t! So what do we do? We go back to basics… Reduce, reuse and recycle
Reduce the amount of wasteful packaging and shipping energy by buying handmade decorations from local craft fairs, markets or Etsy. Many charities and churches are getting in on the handmade holidays by holding holiday sales and fetes specializing in homemade holiday wares so check your local listings for details. Go au natural, if you are a traditionalist there are lots of options for
the nature lover. Opt for popcorn strings on your tree, this can be
unthreaded at the end of the holidays and given to the birds for a
tasty snack. Pine cones are a traditional item this time of year, and
there is bound to be a home in your neighborhood with an excess of
these! Likewise for holly or pine wreaths. Ask a neighbor if their tree
wants a free trim, most are glad to get the help! All these things in
nature can be composted or simply
Reuse the items you already. As the saying goes “If it ain’t broke, don’t try and fix it!”, same applies to holiday decorations. Sure you may have had the decorations for 5 years or more but if it still works why replace it? Simply find a new use for it. In many families there is the tradition of handing down decorations, especially tree decorations. If you have existing glass baubles that have lost their sheen, or are perhaps chipped give them a new lease of life with some existing products you have round the home. Whether you use paint, glitter, ribbon or old gift wrap you can spruce up all your old baubles in one afternoons work, and it’s a craft great project to do with children! Re-purposed ornaments are bringing a whole new meaning to up-cycling and
reusing, tree ornaments can be made from old CDs, toilet roll tubes and
Recycle what you already have. If the items are in good working order you could donate them to a local charity, church or similar organization (either for decorations or rummage sales) or give them to family members or friends. Many stores are also offering incentives to switch to more environmentally conscious lights like LEDs. These programs offer discounts on the new LED lighting when you recycle your old incandescent holiday lights, check your local stores to see if they are participating in any of these programs.
If all fails and you really do need to replace existing tree decorations then look for more eco-friendly alternatives to plastic. Wood and metal ornaments really stand the test of time and look great year
after year. Plus if you’re a traditionalist with your decorations then
wood should already be a staple of your holiday decorations. Whether
you buy the ornaments or make your own, these items will probably
outlast you and could be passed down for generations!
