Tis the season!
I love Christmas. I love everything about it. And just because I try to live my life with less impact on the environment, doesn't mean I don't decorate and get into the festive spirit. I've had a Christmas record on repeat at home since the beginning of December, and spend my nights staring at the lights on my Christmas 'tree' (foraged and dried native branches). That said, just because we can find more 'eco' alternatives to Christmas (second hand toys, organic food, up-cycled or handmade decorations) the root of the problem here is the waste. Apparently in Australia alone, we use around 8,000 tonnes of wrapping paper every Christmas (the equivalent of 50,000 trees), we create 125,000 tonnes of extra waste in plastic packaging, and the nation spends an extra $554 million on extra food with a third of it thrown in the bin. (Bentley, 2018)
We must try to adopt thinking of things with their full lifecycle in mind- Once I am done with this where does it go? Can it be recycled? Can I use it again next year? Can it decompose? Can it be up-cycled into something else?
Exhibit a. Christmas wreaths. Made from an up-cycled wire hanger (that can be recycled afterward), native flora and fauna, and natural twine - all of which can return to the earth and decompose after use. Or, as it will dry beautifully, store and use year after year.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to easily make your own DIY Christmas wreath without needing much more than a wire hanger in less than 30minutes.
What you will need:
Wire coat hanger
Scissors/garden clippers
Twine
Locally collected branches, flowers etc (make sure to ask if you want to take some from a private property)
Voilà ! A completely bespoke, beautiful and sustainable Christmas wreath in under 30mins.
If you decide to make your own, be sure to tag me @sonzaistudios so I can see your creation!
You can also check out my personal IG @celestetesoriero for more Christmas tips in my stories.
xx
Celeste