Decorate a tree in your garden instead of an artificial one or a tree cutting placed indoors. Go
traditional. You can keep using garden trees for years.
If you haven’t bought one, invest in a potted one. Don’t buy a plastic tree, get a natural one instead that
you can keep indoors and reuse for a few years and then can be planted in a garden. If you do not have
space, you can gift it to someone who has a green space.
If you have an artificial one, use it and reuse every year. Please don’t throw it away, it’ll only add to the
pile in landfills.
Buy eco products, local crafts, books, saplings, abandoned kittens or puppies to gift your loved ones. Buy
gifts only if necessary, for example kids matter the most, older relatives and friends understand that
Christmas is not just about receiving gifts! Present gifts that are non material, like a trip to a wildlife
Sanctuary, membership to a local library, etc.
Wrap your gifts in cloth or old present papers or even news paper
How about solar powered Christmas string lights?
Avoid plastic, thermacol decorations as these are non biodegradable. Use eco friendly decorations made
from paper, bamboo and cloth.
Send e-cards and save paper. If you need to use cards, source those made by NGO’s, self help groups,
etc. Make your own cards too like a collage from old photos, news papers, recycled material, etc
Beeswax candles are so natural, use if required. Use instead of artificial lights.
Celebrate this Christmas in as ethical and non material way as possible. Family, friends and the
environment are more important. Enjoy in a way that benefits our world.
Get Christmas sweets made locally. Plan in advance so that your requirement is taken care of.
Please reduce on the use of fireworks this Christmas. Go for smoke less and less noisy ones. Encourage
your ward or housing colony to buy fireworks rather than each family buying in bulk. It also promotes
the idea of sharing and communal harmony.
Make cribs out of natural material like mud and grow grass naturally. Also use terracotta statues instead
of plastic ones. Even for professional cribs or competitions follow this practice. Avoid the use of nonbiodegradable
items. Support local crafts and potters.
Make sure that you or others in your area do not place any wild animals like pythons or civets in the
cribs to attract the attention of the crowd. If you come across this practice please contact us
HAVE A MERRY GREEN CHRISTMAS!