Well it's still months away really but I've slowly started thinking about Christmas, although next week's Halloween festivities are mainly filling my mind-more on that on next week.
The first things I'm having to think about are present lists, for me and for family, and Christmas decorations.
Christmas is normally a time of excess and it can be hard to remember the otherwise second nature green habit's you've been working on all year. Once December arrives I'll jump at the chance to buy plastic decorations, buy lots of presents with packaging and wrap everything up in non-recyclable paper. But by starting early this year hopefully I can stick to my principles a little better.
My first thoughts are decorations. I'm going to try my hand at making some this year (definitely a later blog there!) and I've started by using my crochet skills to make a snowflake runner-which I'll use either as a centre piece or to hang Christmas cards off on a wall. I found the pattern here and if you can do any crochet it's really simple. By starting now and using old white wool I'll hopefully save money and I won't be using lots of plastic to decorate the house and tree. I'm also planning on making some wood and fabric decorations but we'll see how that goes later!
Present's are tricky to do ethically. Books are quite an easy green present (especially if you can get ones using FSC paper) and things that will last are good too, rather than ones which will be thrown away before next August. I've made presents a bit in the past including sloe gin and gingerbread biscuits. These are good as you can personalise them and decorate them without spending lots and you'll also have fun doing it-less stressful than city centre shopping!
In mid December and then mid January I have a purge of old presents/unwanted things from the house and do a big trip to the charity shop. That way I know my old things will be used again and I have room for anything new I get.
It's really to early to think about Christmas too much yet, but I'll be thinking about it lots more nearer the time.
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