With so much uncertainty surrounding this Christmas, it is difficult to plan ahead to make sure your day is as special and normal as any other year. If this sounds familiar, don’t despair! We have identified some key elements of what makes a calm, collected and enjoyable Christmas which is sustainable, active, fun and most of all safe.
Have a look at our top tips for a somewhat unique Christmas during this challenging time!
Preparation is always a dutiful task for whoever is assigned as Christmas Cook. This year may have its added difficulties due to unforeseen shop closures, social distancing queues and lots of people using online shopping. This will be the case for many people up and down the country.
To ensure you are best prepared, it may be advantageous to shop at your local butcher, local grocery shop, or arrange a food delivery from a local farm supplier to ensure you are getting quality food at your convenience. This will enable a more sustainable Christmas as produce from a local retailer tends to have less packaging, be organic and has travelled shorter distances. Alternatively, you could opt for a pick and mix approach between supermarkets and your local retailers to make sure you have everything you need, on time.
Before Christmas has even begun where do you start with all your wrapping? Wrapping paper is usually part of the Christmas decoration, adding a shiny and decorative finish for under the Christmas tree! Unfortunately, most wrapping is not recyclable, so if you are looking for an eco-friendly alternative, why not consider using the following:
Who says Christmas this year will be boring? Make it a fun but intimate affair with whoever you’re spending Christmas with this year by playing a mix of traditional and virtual games to add a bit of fun and excitement to your day. From Monopoly and Scrabble to Trivial Pursuit, Charades or Pictionary there is a range of traditional board games to get everyone involved in. Alternatively, you could try and run a virtual party to get your whole family/friends involved. There are several apps that host Christmas themed parties, which feature themed games, activities, and songs. There are trivia themed apps which feature interactive chats, polls, break-out sessions and more. There are even video streaming for carolling! See what apps are available for you on your device and download in advance so you will be ready on the day!
After the Christmas dinner is over, what happens with the leftovers? To make sure you get the best out of your Christmas meal, there is an abundance of tasty recipes which can be made from your Christmas food.
Have a look at some of our suggestions below:
So once all Christmas dinner is over and everyone is satisfied where does all the waste go? During the cooking process, it may be advantageous to choose a recycling option for all your food waste. A compost box would be advisable since all waste can be utilised for growing purposes. For all packaging, try and ensure all boxes, glass and plastics are recycled. To make life easier, it may be useful to find out when the bin collection will be scheduled. Your local council should come and collect trees for recycling - or if you call your local garden centre, they may run a post-Christmas tree collection.
That's it from us. Whatever you decide to do, have a very Merry Christmas and we look forward to what next year brings!
