A sustainable Christmas needn’t be bah humbug

‘Tis the season to be thriftless. That’s right, folks, the capitalist beast called Christmas is upon us.

And spare a thought for us lifestyle journalists, who are bombarded with festive emails as early as July. For the past six months, my inbox has been invaded by every possible iteration of Christmas gift idea, from the run-of-the-mill to the truly absurd. Alongside the usual wreaths, hampers and tipples, I’ve been recommended post-poo sprays, a Birds Eye fish finger fragrance, CBD mince pies and advent calendars for your pet.

And yet while retailers find ever more creative with ways to part us from our hard-earned cash, shoppers are increasingly seeking to enjoy Christmas as sustainably as possible.

Is a real tree, for example, more or less environmentally friendly than a plastic one? A woollen Christmas jumper more or less eco-friendly than one made of acrylic? How can one wrap gifts sustainably without looking like you’ve fished something out of the recycling? Ultimately, we know the truth: shopping sustainably is a contradiction in terms. Less consumption is the only real answer.

That doesn’t mean we have to get all Grinch about it. I suspect my relatives wouldn’t appreciate me turning up to Aunt Brenda’s house empty-handed, blaming environmentalism for my frugality.

One of the most wasteful forms of Christmas consumerism comes in the form of the disposable party outfit. Indeed, research this week found that 95 per cent of Christmas jumpers are made with plastic – the epitome of disposable fashion.

Previous years have seen me be swept up in a festively frenzied hunt for the right Christmas party wear. Regrettable purchases around this time have included but are not limited to: velvet tassel trousers embellished with moons and stars (worn once); an entirely sequin, backless top (worn twice: freezing); a gold polo-neck (unflattering, unworn). I still have all these items in the faint hope that they will one day prove themselves not to have been dire mistakes. This year, however, I’ve adopted the “shop your own wardrobe” mentality and realised that my existing clothes really will do fine. I don’t need to transform into a bauble as soon as December hits.

Perhaps our habits are changing as we become more aware of the contribution we are all making to the climate crisis; or perhaps it’s because sky-rocketing overdraft fees have made us all a little more cautious. Here on the lifestyle desk we showcase the myriad beautiful things you can buy, but also want to promote sustainable alternatives like second-hand shopping, lending apps and repurposed fabrics. Because a sustainable Christmas needn’t be bah humbug.

Yours,

Harriet Hall

Lifestyle editor