As wonderful as Christmas is and as magical as this time of year can be, the amount of waste that’s created during the festive season is really quite astronomical. 

While, of course, you want to spoil friends and family, it’s important to do so in a way that doesn’t have a negative impact on the planet - but the good news is that there’s a huge amount you can do that will keep your environmental footprint to a minimum without having to compromise on the festivities in any way.

Where your presents are concerned, looking out for reusable products is a great idea. There are all sorts of amazing and fun items you can now buy that are super stylish and make wonderful presents, everything from reusable lunch boxes, flasks, bottles and bamboo cutlery sets to reusable straws, which would make excellent stocking fillers.

Other ways you can go green with your presents includes making them yourself. Homemade jam is always an appreciated gift, so why not put together a little hamper of preserves for someone? Or you could consider giving an experience-based present instead of something material - like tickets to a popular show that you can both go to together!

Also consider the carbon footprint of your presents when you’re out Christmas shopping. Doing your present shopping with local brands and businesses helps prop up the local economy and reduces the distance that your gifts will have travelled - helping to reduce the environmental impact of your Christmas this year.

And, of course, make sure you think about how you plan to wrap your presents so you can do so in a sustainable way. Wrapping paper with glitter means it can’t be recycled, so perhaps steer clear of this. What about learning the art of furoshiki, where cloth is used to wrap gifts instead of paper!