ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS… 12 TIPS AND TRICKS TO CARRY ON THOSE NEW ECO HABITS

There are lots of tips online for how to have a more environmentally-friendly Christmas from thoughtful, recycled gifts to home-made decorations. But what about after Christmas? How can you keep the eco activities going and entertain our little eco-heroes?

Our sustainability expert Sarah Walkley explores activities for the 12 days of Christmas.

Day 1

The first day of Christmas is officially Christmas Day. With all the excitement around presents, trees and Christmas dinner, it is easy to forget our best environmental intentions. So let’s start small.

Take time on Christmas Day to unwrap your presents. Not only does it give you more time to appreciate what people have given you, if you don’t rip the wrapping paper, you may be able to use it again next year.

Day 2

Christmas is a great time to play games. How about creating a nature-based quiz? Or challenge friends and family to name as many animals starting with the letter A or to come up with the most interesting fact about the natural world that they know.

Day 3

Having cooked a bit too much for Christmas lunch, you probably now have lots of leftovers. That may mean a week of turkey sandwiches, but why not find some more interesting things to do with what’s in the fridge? There are some great recipes online for Christmas pudding or mince pie ice cream. You really only need to crumble the leftovers into vanilla ice cream, stir and refreeze. It’s a fun cookery project for any eco-hero helping to reduce food waste.

Day 4

’Tis the season of goodwill to all – people and animals. If someone in the family has been given a bottle of wine in a wooden gift box, why not turn it into a mini bug hotel? Make sure that the person doesn’t want the box themselves first!

Day 5

It gets dark early in winter. In the days after Christmas, it is nice to snuggle up in front of the television and watch a film or two. Make time to watch a nature documentary too. It’s a great way to learn more about all the amazing and wonderful things to be found in the natural world.

Day 6

Get creative. At Christmas, there’s always extra bits of cardboard, coloured paper, ribbon… around the house. Instead of throwing them away, they are the start of a fun afternoon of crafting.

Day 7

See the year out in style and get closer to nature on a walk. You’ve probably been cooped up indoors for several days, so it is good to get some fresh air. You may also be able to take a new bike for a spin, or fly a kite with your family.

Day 8

It’s New Year’s Day! This year why not make an environmentally-focused resolution? There are lots of things you could pick from making sure you always have a refillable bottle with your when you go out to having one plant-based meal a week or learning some fun facts about a new animal every month.

Day 9

You’ve had lots of great presents over the Christmas period. But you have probably outgrown a few too. Why not take some time to sort through the toy box and take any toys or games that you are not longer going to play with to a charity shop? Another child will love them.

Day 10

It may be cold outside, but it will soon be spring. Why not investigate what you can plant now and harvest in the summer months? Or plant chillies or herbs to grow on your windowsill.

Day 11

Sort through your Christmas cards as you take them down. If you cut the back off them (where people have written their Christmas greetings), you can turn them into gift tags for next year’s presents. Cut down larger cards to make interesting shaped tags, or use pinking sheers to get a nice crinkly edge.

Day 12

Traditionally, Twelfth Night is the day the decorations come down. Once you’ve packed away the baubles and the tinsel, recycle your Christmas tree. You can cut it up and put it in your own compost heap (if you have one). If not, most councils set up a special recycling centre where you can take your Christmas tree.

As you go into the new year, remember to check our website regularly. The news section is full of ideas of things you can do with your little eco heroes this month, along with good ‘eco’ news stories from around the globe, recommendations and information on our latest Tool Kit For Eco Heroes.

Sarah Walkley is a freelance writer and researcher on a mission to empower everyone to play their part in addressing climate change and nature loss.

She set up Purplefully to help organisations develop their sustainability strategy and communication.