How to keep it festive while celebrating a sustainable Christmas in Canada

Canadians love celebrating Christmas. By the time December rolls around, it's easy to get into the mood. Most of the country is covered in beautiful white snow, making things feel naturally festive and magical. 

North American Christmas is also known for being the most waste-heavy holiday of the year. Wrapping paper, packaging, food waste and holiday travel are all part of the regular Christmas experience. 

With a bit of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, it's possible to have a low-waste Christmas while keeping it simple and budget-friendly. This guide offers easy, sustainable tips and ideas to up the festive spirit and reduce waste. That way, you and your family can celebrate joyfully, while maintaining an eco-friendly Christmas.

• Choosing long-lasting decor that looks great
• Real vs. artificial trees. What’s more sustainable?
• Gifts that create joy, not waste
• How to wrap gifts the eco-friendly way
• Sustainable, low-waste Christmas meals
• Sustainable Christmas traditions
• Guilt-free post-holiday cleanup
• A more meaningful, less wasteful holiday

Choosing long-lasting decor that looks great

Go for durable, reusable decor

The goal with decor is to buy items that are either upcycled, natural and long-lasting. Better yet, make your own. 

• Ornaments made from metal or wood are natural and last the longest. 
• Garlands made from fabric last the longest.
• LED Christmas lights use the least amount of electricity and last a long time.
• For greenery, you can harvest pine, spruce, fir, holly or cedar branches from your yard. As a bonus, they have a beautiful fragrance to get you in the festive cheer.
• Homemade wreaths from gathered materials reflect your unique bioregion and honour an ancient tradition.

Hot tip: Look for solar-powered outdoor string lights. Even in winter when the days are shorter, there’s usually enough light to power some lights. 

Thrift, upcycle, or borrow decor

Thrift stores start displaying their Christmas items right after Halloween. Secondhand stores and Facebook Marketplace are great ways to find unique, low-cost decorations. You may even be lucky enough to find rare, vintage decor to bring some (joyful) nostalgia into your home. 

Hot tip: Collect artificial flowers from thrift stores throughout the year. Come November, string the blooms together for a unique, DIY floral garland.

Earth-friendly outdoor decor ideas for kids

• Make edible garlands for the birds by stringing together cranberries and popcorn.
• Dip a pinecone in peanut butter that has been thinned with water, and roll it in sesame and sunflower seeds. Hang it on a favourite outdoor tree, because the birds deserve to feast too!

Real vs. artificial trees. What’s more sustainable?

Numerous tree farms in Canada exist solely to dedicate a small plot of land to grow and sell Christmas trees.

When you buy a tree from a tree farm, you:

• Support a small, locally-owned business.
• Avoid plastics needed to make an artificial tree.
• Avoid products that are usually shipped from overseas manufacturers.
• Avoid supporting large corporations that don’t give back to communities.

The best part of having a real tree? Your home will smell great, and you can compost the tree after the holidays. 

You can even go to your local nursery and buy a living tree. Plant it in a large, festive-coloured ceramic pot and enjoy the same tree year after year. No killing or plastics involved.

Expert tip: If the thought of strapping a tree to the top of your car sounds like something out of a horror movie, get one of Wise Move’s best moving teams to deliver your tree for you. They have the skills needed to transport it to your home easily and safely.

Gifts that create joy, not waste

Gift-giving combined with mindfulness brings more meaning to the gesture. Here are some gift ideas that are just as exciting as flashy, mass-produced store-bought items, without the ecological anxiety and guilt. 

Experience-based presents

• Local workshops
• Museum passes
• Spa days
• Snowshoe rentals
• Local travel, activity or restaurant gift vouchers
• Sports or concert tickets

Practical and consumable gifts

• Artisanal coffee
• Local tea blends
• Local chocolates
• Handmade treats and food hampers
• Beeswax or soy candles
• Organic personal care items
• Cozy socks, mittens and toques (beanies) made from natural fibres
• Handmade, practical household items, like kitchenware

Shop local, small, and Canadian-made

• Support artisans, markets, and local makers to reduce shipping emissions and support the regional economy. Circular economies benefit all.
• If you like to do online shopping for your Christmas gifts, look for options from sustainable Canadian companies. 

Mindful packaging

• Avoid plastic-heavy holiday sets.
• Choose minimal or recyclable packaging.

How to wrap gifts the eco-friendly way 

There are so many sustainable ways to wrap holiday gifts. Once you know how, you’ll never have to buy wrapping paper again or tape ever again. If you do end up buying some wrapping paper, avoid the metallic kind, as it can’t be recycled. 

Reusable gift wrap ideas

• Fabric (furoshiki)
• Reusable bags
• Scarves (thrift stores have hundreds!)
• Tea towels
• Sheets or blankets for larger items

Expert tip: If you are gifting furniture or anything larger, Wise Move is your go-to service provider. You can book a reliable moving team to help you get your gifts to your lucky recipients.

Alternative wrapping supplies

• Newspaper
• Leftover tissue paper
• Kids’ art
• Twine
• Re-used ribbon

Hot tip: Reuse plain cardboard boxes for gift wrapping. With markers, draw fun, festive designs on the outside of the box and voila, a custom gift box. This sustainability hack is especially great for involving the kids.

Sustainable, low-waste Christmas meals

The reality is that there’s a lot of food waste on our planet. This has an eco-unfriendly domino effect due to the wasted energy, time and resources to produce the food. Luckily, there are some simple hacks to avoid this, and who knows, your feast may turn out even more delicious than ever before. 

1. Plan portions realistically: As North Americans, we tend to over-cater for gatherings. Plan out the portion size for each dish you’d like to prepare for your Christmas table. Consider children and elderly family members who may eat less. 
2. Shop local and seasonal: Support local, Canadian farmers and value-added food producers. This not only reduces transportation costs but also helps boost the local economy. 
3. Use what you already have: Take inventory of your pantry food and freezer items before shopping for your Christmas groceries. 
4. Donate surplus if safe and possible: If you overstocked on Christmas groceries, look for local food banks and soup kitchens in your area that need donations of sealed, non-perishable food. 

Sustainable Christmas traditions

There are many easy ways to keep Christmas traditional without overusing valuable resources or creating a mountain of waste. 

1. Swap material ‘stuff’ for shared activities: Instead of centring Christmas around gifts, try celebrating with board games, baking together, carolling, or neighbourhood walks to enjoy Christmas lights.
2. Normalize second-hand gifts: This makes gift-giving eco-friendly, budget-friendly, and often, secondhand finds are much more unique than new purchases.
3. Keep your December power bill low: LED string lights and lanterns, smart timers, and avoiding large, lit-up statement pieces will all keep your electricity use down. 

Guilt-free post-holiday cleanup

Part of having an eco-friendly Christmas is doing a responsible cleanup. 

1. Start by recycling any paper or packaging from gifts. 
2. Most municipal dumps will take your (real) Christmas tree and large cardboard boxes. 
3. If you received gifts of new furniture or electronics, bring the old furniture and working electronics to the thrift store or the free pile at the dump. 
4. Broken electronics can go to special recycling depots.

Everything from furniture moves, disposal runs, tree dropoff and hauling donations to thrift stores can be less of a hassle by booking the services of vetted moving teams in your area. This way, you’re making a wise, sustainable move. Fewer emissions are needed when everything goes in one trip.

A more meaningful, less wasteful holiday 

Celebrating sustainably is easier than people think. It's all about small changes adding up, creating an eco-friendly Christmas that everyone can feel good about. Traditions are special, and making them waste-free adds to the cheer. Even if you implement just a few of the tips in this article, it will still make a difference. Real change happens when small steps are taken by many. Happy Holidays!