How to Plan a Low Waste Christmas Party

Decking out your space with tinsel and festive plastic ornaments is a quick and easy way to transform your office or home into Santa’s grotto. But it can generate lots of hard or impossible to recycle waste. Careful planning creates that classic Christmas vibe without filling Santa’s sacks with rubbish. These are some low waste decorating ideas:

• Rent a Christmas tree – if you can’t decide whether a real or artificial tree is more sustainable, consider a zero waste Christmas tree by renting one. Various companies offer services that deliver a real tree you decorate and look after, before they remove and replant it. For businesses that only need a tree for a few days or weeks, it’s a sustainable and affordable option.
• Use seasonal flowers – amaryllis, poinsettia, and holly wreaths all introduce traditional Christmas colours of reds and greens and a nice natural aroma to your party atmosphere. Plus, you can repot them later or add to compost or garden waste for sustainable disposal.
• Choose reusable Christmas decorations – if you must buy new Christmas decorations, avoid those that include the year on them so you can reuse them. Ensure anything fabric is washable and that you have storage space for everything.
• Avoid plastic tablecloths – Christmas tablecloths provide an easy way to bring the festive spirit to your party. Go for washable cloth and fabric ones you can keep and reuse, as plastic tablecloths are hard to recycle and less likely to last as long.
• Encourage collaborative decorating – throwing a workplace Christmas party? Rather than buying new decorations, encourage your team to bring in any spare ones from home to decorate the space. Then they can take them home for the holidays, eliminating Christmas décor waste.

It’s estimated that 300 million plastic cups and straws are used at Christmas parties around the UK every year. These are tricky to recycle, and many are thrown away, ending up in landfill where they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. That’s not very Christmassy.

Avoid disposable plastic cutlery, cups, and plates – even those with Christmas designs. You might intend to wash and reuse them, but many get caked in food and drink then end up being thrown away anyway. Instead, use the cutlery and cups your home or office already has. Add a few Christmas stickers to any glasses for a festive touch.

Crackers are a tradition at any Christmas party, but they create a big waste problem. While the paper hats are often easily recycled, it’s the plastic or foil coating, glitter, and plastic prize inside that aren’t recyclable. Thankfully, there are now many no waste Christmas crackers available as an alternative.

Search for recyclable and eco-friendly crackers in the shops. These are normally made from pure cardboard or fabric that’s reusable or recyclable. You can also make you own no waste Christmas crackers. Use some old Christmas cards, wrapping paper, kitchen roll tubes, and bunting or string and get creative – you can even recycle or reuse them again.

Illuminate your party with LED Christmas light strings to form a warm and energy-saving atmosphere. These can use up to 80% less energy compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. Plus, they’ll last longer so you can use them for many Christmas parties to come. Some subtle varieties can be reused for Easter, summer, and Halloween parties.

Another eco-friendly lighting choice is to use candles. Create a cosy environment and cut lighting costs at the same time. Reusable candle holders are a greener option than tealights as they create less waste. Just ensure you have a safe setup to reduce any fire risks (especially when the beer and wine is flowing).

If there’s going to be gift giving at your Christmas party – whether exchanging presents between friends or it’s the Secret Santa finale – keep it low waste. You could set some rules in advance, such as insisting all gifts are wrapped in old newspaper to eliminate wrapping paper waste.

If you’re doing a Secret Santa at your work Christmas party, it’s likely there’ll be a spending limit in place. Introduce some further rules, like no plastic gifts or only second-hand or homemade presents allowed. This should help reduce waste, leading to some more sustainable, unique, and thoughtful presents.