**Simple, joyful ideas for a greener holiday season.**

Christmas is a magical time of year but it’s also one of the most wasteful.

At OzGREEN, we believe the holidays shouldn’t cost the Earth. Thanks to work experience student Marie Black, we’re sharing 10 fun, easy and genuinely joyful ways to reduce waste this Christmas. These ideas help you cut back on unnecessary clutter, save money and enjoy a more meaningful festive season with family and friends.

Whether you’re trying just one idea or all ten, every small change helps create a cleaner, healthier environment for our community.

View resource

1. Choose Mindful Gifts

Unwanted or short-lived gifts are a major contributor to Christmas waste. Choose durable items made from eco-friendly materials, give homemade presents, or gift experiences like workshops, bushwalks or locally made products from small businesses. A thoughtful gift goes a long way.

2. Wrap with Reusables

Most commercial wrapping paper - especially the shiny or glittery kind - wait for it… cannot be recycled. Try repurposing scrap paper, using old fabric, or getting creative with decorated newspaper. Save wrapping from your own gifts to use again next year.

3. Rethink Christmas Food

Food waste spikes dramatically during the holidays. Buy in-season produce from local farmers’ markets, plan your meals carefully and use leftovers quickly to prevent spoilage. A little planning makes a big difference.

4. Sort Your Waste Smartly

Christmas packaging, plastic plates, wrapping, toys and decorations pile up fast. Before tossing anything out, ask:

Can this be reused in craft?
Can it be composted?
Can it be recycled properly (clean cardboard, check numbers)?
Send waxed cardboard to landfill to avoid contaminating recycling.

5. Choose a Greener Christmas Tree

Plastic trees shed microplastics into our homes and environment. Consider making a tree from gathered branches or buy a native tree in a pot - enjoy it every year, then plant it when it grows too big.

6. DIY Table Decorations

Skip mass-produced plastic centrepieces. Instead, decorate with native foliage, pinecones, flowers, or branches collected from your backyard. They’re free, beautiful, and compostable.

7. Make Your Own Bonbons

Most store-bought bonbons can’t be recycled and contain plastic trinkets that break immediately. Create your own using toilet-paper rolls and fill them with small, thoughtful items like wooden spinning tops, cookie cutters or lip balm.

8. Create a Low-Waste Advent Calendar

Instead of plastic-filled calendars, make one using a branch and little compostable paper bags tied with jute string. Add tiny notes, homemade treats, affirmations or activities for a more meaningful countdown.

9. Craft Your Own Ornaments

Homemade ornaments make beautiful keepsakes and reduce plastic waste. Try origami snowflakes, carved wooden shapes, paper chains, ceramic stars or flower chains. Or support local makers who create durable ornaments designed to last for years.

10. Make a Native Wreath

A wreath made from local native foliage looks stunning, smells amazing, and can be composted afterwards. Gather friends and make an afternoon of it - it’s a beautiful new tradition to start.

free Resource created by marie black

This resource was proudly created by Marie Black, a work experience student who worked with us last year and is passionate about low-waste living.

Want More Local, Sustainable Living Ideas?

Visit: www.ozgreen.org/resources to explore our free resource library designed to support more connected, regenerative and resilient regional communities.