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Simplify Christmas Tips:
Little ways to simplify your Christmas.
Whether it's finding ways of making the Christmas dinner go further, buying less gifts, getting new and creative ideas of saving money or the environment, there are lots of ways that we can Simplify our Christmas, without giving up on it.
Here we have provided some tips on how you can have a simpler but strengthened festive time.
Tips that will help save those precious pennies, save you some time or reduce your impact on the environment. Cutting back on some things can benefit your health or your relationships with other people, as well as your bank balance.
Taking time out for yourself or spending it with people you love, enjoying existing relationships or maybe building relationships with the people and projects you're giving your money to - none of it need cost a penny.
We're sure you've got lots of ideas on saving or cherishing your relationships and utilising your time. We would love to put them on the site - so please fill in the form and we'll share them with the other Simplify-ers!
To see the Tips we have so far select one of the categories below...
EnvironmentEnvironment
Environment
- Perhaps choose a chocolate and a personal message for each member round the table rather than a cracker.
- Plan your portions and make good use of leftovers.
- Make a stocking smaller or use pillow cases instead of plastic. Fill it with stocking fillers such as satsumas, mini variety pack cereals or energy bars.
- Make your own decorations, with children, from old CDs, boxes or bottles
- Consider an organic turkey and whether you could locate a farmers markets which is cheaper than organic in the supermarket. These changes will mean a reduction of food miles and Co2 emissions and boosts rural UK jobs.
- Recycle your Christmas tree and cards. Donate unwanted gifts to charity.
- Turn off the twinklers in the day
- There is an ever increasing range of available products for gifts that support eco living such as trees, refillable pens, solar power gadgets or made from recycled materials.
- Choose cloth napkins rather than paper serviettes which makes it more posh anyway and they can be reused.
- Dispose of batteries properly by looking up the nearest collection point and keep using food scraps for compost.
- If you have to get a top of the list toy, buy British and durable rather than mass produced products which may be made in sweatshops.
- Fully load your dishwasher with the Christmas pots and pans before switching it on and may be ask Santa for some low energy light bulbs?
- With the Christmas dinner, buying in bulk saves extra packaging and Christmas foods in season such as sprouts, pumpkin, parsnips and red cabbage can be found locally.
- Use string or ribbon instead of sellotape and alternative wrapping. Natural decorations like holly and mistletoe will give your home a traditional festive feel without producing waste that is not biodegradable.
- Make some jam as presents or give away allotment produce.
- Parents could put together a coupon book of experiences that children can cash in anytime of year eg. Breakfast in bed or a trip to the ice rink etc.
- Make your own Christmas cards and cut down your Christmas card list - just send them to the people you won't be seeing (saves paper and postage costs).
Bake cookies and give them as gifts - cheap and usually much appreciated.
If a gift includes an item like a scarf, use it to wrap the other items to save paper (and it looks pretty!)
Body and SoulBody and Soul
Body and Soul
- Do a Secret Santa with friends, colleagues or housemates. Everyone gets and gives just one gift.
- Make a stocking smaller or use pillow cases instead of plastic. Fill it with stocking fillers such as satsumas, mini variety pack cereals or energy bars.
- Offer a couple of hours cleaning, ironing or computer assistance as your gift and they can be requested at a convenient time
- Recycle your Christmas tree and cards. Donate unwanted gifts to charity.
- There is an ever increasing range of available products for gifts that support eco living such as trees, refillable pens, solar power gadgets or made from recycled materials.
- If you have to get a top of the list toy, buy British and durable rather than mass produced products which may be made in sweatshops.
- With the Christmas dinner, buying in bulk saves extra packaging and Christmas foods in season such as sprouts, pumpkin, parsnips and red cabbage can be found locally.
- Use string or ribbon instead of sellotape and alternative wrapping. Natural decorations like holly and mistletoe will give your home a traditional festive feel without producing waste that is not biodegradable.
- Have a sing along of the carols in your street or choose to visit a person that is alone to encourage them.
- Play games and share about your favourite parts of the year as a family or group.
- Local craft markets or fairtrade markets have a larger variety of handmade and unique options.
- A phone call to people far away could be much more welcome than a card or gift as they will love spending time talking to you.
TimeTime
Time
- Plan your portions and make good use of leftovers.
- Offer a couple of hours cleaning, ironing or computer assistance as your gift and they can be requested at a convenient time
- Use leftovers in imaginative ways and follow Economy Gastronomy’s method of making a bird last more than a week for soups etc.
- Have a sing along of the carols in your street or choose to visit a person that is alone to encourage them.
- Parents could put together a coupon book of experiences that children can cash in anytime of year eg. Breakfast in bed or a trip to the ice rink etc.
- Play games and share about your favourite parts of the year as a family or group.
- A phone call to people far away could be much more welcome than a card or gift as they will love spending time talking to you.
RelationshipsRelationships
Relationships
- Hold a Christmas clothes swap for a sparkly new outfit for that sensational party look.
- Do a Secret Santa with friends, colleagues or housemates. Everyone gets and gives just one gift.
- Offer a couple of hours cleaning, ironing or computer assistance as your gift and they can be requested at a convenient time
- Make your own decorations, with children, from old CDs, boxes or bottles
- If you have to get a top of the list toy, buy British and durable rather than mass produced products which may be made in sweatshops.
- Make some jam as presents or give away allotment produce.
- Create a photo book or family calendar as a unique and personal memento as a gift.
- Have a sing along of the carols in your street or choose to visit a person that is alone to encourage them.
- Parents could put together a coupon book of experiences that children can cash in anytime of year eg. Breakfast in bed or a trip to the ice rink etc.
- Play games and share about your favourite parts of the year as a family or group.
- Local craft markets or fairtrade markets have a larger variety of handmade and unique options.
- A phone call to people far away could be much more welcome than a card or gift as they will love spending time talking to you.
PursePurse
Purse
- Hold a Christmas clothes swap for a sparkly new outfit for that sensational party look.
- Perhaps choose a chocolate and a personal message for each member round the table rather than a cracker.
- Plan your portions and make good use of leftovers.
- Make your own decorations, with children, from old CDs, boxes or bottles
- When buying new things, thinking ahead can spread your budget throughout the months. Choose practical gifts that serve a need.
- Do a Secret Santa with friends, colleagues or housemates. Everyone gets and gives just one gift.
- Make a stocking smaller or use pillow cases instead of plastic. Fill it with stocking fillers such as satsumas, mini variety pack cereals or energy bars.
- Consider an organic turkey and whether you could locate a farmers markets which is cheaper than organic in the supermarket. These changes will mean a reduction of food miles and Co2 emissions and boosts rural UK jobs.
- Use leftovers in imaginative ways and follow Economy Gastronomy’s method of making a bird last more than a week for soups etc.
- Fully load your dishwasher with the Christmas pots and pans before switching it on and may be ask Santa for some low energy light bulbs?
- With the Christmas dinner, buying in bulk saves extra packaging and Christmas foods in season such as sprouts, pumpkin, parsnips and red cabbage can be found locally.
- Make some jam as presents or give away allotment produce.
- Have a sing along of the carols in your street or choose to visit a person that is alone to encourage them.
- Make your own Christmas cards and cut down your Christmas card list - just send them to the people you won't be seeing (saves paper and postage costs).
Bake cookies and give them as gifts - cheap and usually much appreciated.
If a gift includes an item like a scarf, use it to wrap the other items to save paper (and it looks pretty!)
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