Christmas has been and the New Year is just over the horizon. Recently I read Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming’s Save which includes all sorts of tips to save money, time and the planet. I thought some of their tips relating to Christmas would make a good TT topic.
Thirteen Ways to Recycle Christmas
1. Strip the needles off a discarded pine Christmas tree and use them for garden mulch.
2. Turn the thin branches of the tree into a Christmas wreath for the following year. Cut the thin branches with secateurs to fit in a bucket and soak them in hot water for two hours. Weave the branches into a wreath for future use.
3. Use old Christmas cards for children’s craft projects.
4. Use old cards for decoupage.
5. Reuse old wrapping paper. Remove tape and fold ready for the next time.
6. Some charities collect old Christmas cards to recycle.
7. Cut shapes from old wrapping paper and stick them together to form new paper. You can also weave pieces together to make new paper.
8. Turn ribbons into bookmarks.
9. Spray pine cones with gold paint or sprinkle with glitter. Arranged in a pretty container they’ll make a good party decoration.
10. We always have pavlova for a Christmas dessert. It uses heaps of eggs. Egg shells are high in calcium. Crush them and mix with birdseed to feed the birds.
11. Take unwanted gifts back to exchange or donate them to a charity.
12. If your Christmas lights are past it, remove the wiring and use for tying things such as plants in the garden.
13. Use pictures from old greeting cards to decorate soaps. Cut out the image you like, dampen the surface of the soap with water and rub the picture on to it with your finger. Make sure you get some of the soap film over the top to help the picture stick. Allow to dry.
Do you have a Christmas recycling tip?
