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Sustainable Christmas gifts are an amazing way to celebrate the first holiday in your new home. Giving greener gifts to your family, friends and loved ones is more popular than ever, so why make your home an exception? It can prove to be fruitful for both you as the home’s occupant and the environment in the long run.
Whether it’s decor or a new upgrade, giving your pad a new treat during the holidays can offer adrenaline like no other.
Going Sustainable in Your Holiday Home
While commercial spaces are the main culprit behind using energy and materials, residential properties also contribute to that fact. Homes in the U.S. are responsible for 20% of carbon emissions due to energy use and building attributes.
With the busy holidays approaching, the carbon footprint of residential spaces may increase as lights are left more often and more resources are consumed. Having a sustainability mindset in mind when celebrating Christmas in your new home may contribute to decreasing that.
Picking Out the Sustainable Presents
Opt for an eco-friendly alternative if you want to deck your home this Christmas with particular items. Making this subtle shift can guarantee comfort in your home while picking the necessities that are better for the environment in the long run.
1. Recycled Wine Glassware
Nothing beats wine during the holiday season. If your home doesn’t have seasonal glassware yet, try to look for varieties that utilize recycled glass. Whether it’s champagne flutes, cozy tumblers, a decanter or just the standard glass, sustainable variations should be available.
Plus, you can get some interesting designs when you choose recycled wine glassware over regular ones. Since manufacturers are more intentional about shaping the finished product from broken glass, the outcome and quality can seem more stunning.
2. Upcycled Reading Chairs
A cozy reading chair is a must for Christmas, especially when your plans include curling up with a book after all the parties. Consider looking at upcycled reading chairs or creating your very own during the holiday season.
Upcycling can help you transform an unwanted piece into high-quality furniture. You can make it more visually appealing as well when you change up the fabric and paint, allowing it to match the rest of your Christmas decor.
3. DIY Christmas Ornaments
Speaking of Christmas decor, engaging in DIY projects is a great way to spruce up your home. If you have a tree ready to be decorated, deviate away from the regular tinsel and baubles that can cost you plenty of dollars and make your own trinkets instead.
Empty plastic ball ornaments are much cheaper and more customizable. Plus, you can make them sustainable by placing leftover ribbons inside them. You can also use pictures lying around, repurposing them into meaningful Christmas decor.
4. Eco-Friendly Scented Candles
Another sustainable Christmas gift perfect for any home is a scented candle. Whether you’re a fan of peppermint and pinecone fragrances or the smell of gingerbread cookies, it can be lovely to light up the jar and take a moment to breathe.
Just be sure to look for the eco-friendly variations. There should be a label that indicates that they are environmentally friendly and toxic-free. Ensure that the material is biodegradable and organic, like wood or beeswax. You can also opt for wickless candles.
5. Reusable Advent Calendars
Advent calendars are a household staple, especially for families that like to count down the days before Christmas with special treats. However, they’re harder to recycle since they typically use a mix of different materials.
If you want to place an advent calendar in your home, choose the reusable kind instead. Pop in some chocolates and candies throughout the 25 doors to enjoy throughout the month. When all is said and done, you can keep it for next year.
Giving the Home Eco-Friendly Upgrades
When you want to commit to the sustainability aspect of your Christmas gift to your new home, make a deliberate investment to make your home a more Earth-first space. Try to follow a whole-house systems approach when upgrading your home.
6. Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
Lights are almost always on when it comes to Christmas, and they can use up quite a bit of energy. Investing in more energy-efficient bulbs to use throughout your home is a good step towards lowering your carbon footprint.
Aside from the regular light bulbs in the living room, personal rooms and more, try to make your holiday lights more energy-efficient too. LED lighting strings and options are 90% more efficient compared to their incandescent counterparts, and they last longer.
7. Solar Panel Installation
Having solar panels installed in your home can be quite a significant step since they can increase your independence from electrical energy consumption during Christmas and beyond. Making this upgrade just before the year ends can also be fantastic, as the panels will be prepped and ready for next year.
8. Smart Meter Devices
If you aren’t ready for solar energy yet, consider setting up smart meter devices with an in-home display. Being able to track your electricity and water usage throughout the holiday season with feedback that updates in real-time may seem unprecedented, but it can help you estimate how much your home’s utility bills are and act accordingly.
9. Composting System
Plenty of leftovers during the Christmas season mean it’s an excellent time to add a composting system to your home. Creating compost can give you a rich and natural fertilizer that you can use for building up a sustainable garden when springtime finally comes next year, which is an upgrade in and of itself.
10. Digital Subscriptions
Initial media coverage claimed high energy use and carbon emissions from watching 30 minutes of Netflix a day. In reality, digital streaming subscriptions have a low climate impact, as the data centers and networks involved in keeping these services running are also becoming more energy efficient.
Have a Merry Green Christmas
Celebrating Christmas in your new home can feel incredibly unique and exciting, giving a whole new meaning to “housewarming.” Make it more meaningful with sustainable objects and upgrades. They will surely keep your home green until the next 25th of December.
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About The Author
Olivia Elsher is a Senior Writer and Editorial Manager at Renovated. She has over 5+ years of experience writing about property related topics such as: real estate, home improvement, renovation, and construction.
