Christmas Countdown Week 3

Christmas Decorations

In week 3 of our Countdown -

ways to decorate the home that don't cost the earth.

Every year magazines tell us what the latest fashion trend is for Christmas decorations, what the latest fashionable colour is for baubles on your tree.   It was not until i bought one of these magazines a few years ago that i realised that Christmas had 'fashion trends".     This is madness.    Christmas decorations can be frugal, sustainable and still festive so lets share our ideas for how to make a festive home.

What's in the attic?

Most homes have a stash of decorations from previous years, and rather than seeing them as dated see them as vintage or retro.   The shops are full of new decorations trying to look old. 

My childhood memories are of my mum and dad bringing down from the attic a dusty old suitcase, covered in cobwebs, looking grimmy and battered, but once the old zip had been opened and the lid raised it was full of brightly coloured baubles, sparkly tinsel,  and lots of handmade cotton wool snowmen,  pompom baubles,  angels made from wooden clothers pegs and other delights that me and my brothers and sisters had made over the years both at school and at home.   

These battered decorations came out, one by one, and were remembered fondly and placed on the tree or on the mantlepiece.       Each year the suitcase got fuller as we made yet more pompoms, or angels and had to squeeze them back into the case on January 6th.  Now i have my own kids we already have a collection of peg angels, snowmen and other decorations that take pride of place every year.  

Bring in Nature

Holly, Ivy and other greenery all instantly say "Christmas" but not everyone has these available in their own gardens.   Details of free local wreath making events are in the Christmas Countdown week 3 newsletter.  A wreath on the door looks so festive and welcoming.


Choose a real local tree

If you already have a fake tree it makes sense to re-use it, but when it needs replacing buy a real tree from a local supplier and either buy a living one with roots that you re-use each year, or make sure your tree is recycled into compost or chippings in January.    According to the Carbon Trust, the average six foot fake fir creates a whopping 40kg of CO2 during its lifetime from production to landfill. A real tree on the other hand, creates a relatively small 3.5kg if it’s chipped and composted properly.

Reduce, Reuse Recycle

There are lots of ways to make decorations out of things that otherwise would be thrown away, and there are links in the Christmas Countdown week 3 newsletter to some good suggestions.

so  Click here for the Christmas Countdown week 3 newsletter

and in week 4 we return to planning the weeks food for Christmas week itself.

Helen Cunningham
Secretary Transition Matlock