Brrrrr, it’s chilly out there today!
I have just this morning been for a delightful but freezy walk in the Ashdown Forest with my lovely friend and our three little (and not so little!) babies. There’s definitely more than a feeling of Christmas in the air when it’s 3 degrees out there, and we’re all wrapped up in woolly hats and scarves. We got talking about plastic free handmade Christmas ideas that we are doing with our children, so I thought I’d put together some ideas, together with some suggestions from other mum friends too.
Make Your Own Plastic Free Christmas Decorations
Here’s what my friend has made from materials sourced from her glorious garden, made alongside her 4 year old. It’s so incredible! Maybe next year, I’ll ask her to film a tutorial to share on this Blog! Her top tip is to weave it from willow or dogwood, and when you use jute string to tie it together, and real greenery, then at the end of the festive period, the whole thing can go straight onto the compost heap. A gorgeous plastic free and zero waste Christmas decoration idea!
Other friends are currently busy making Christmas decorations out of cardboard and paint. And just this weekend, my son and Finn and I created a whole bank of Christmas cards using his handprint as the basis for a Christmas tree card, with paint embellishments dotted on afterwards. Was great fun!
(shhhhh - we have also made handmade snow globes using biodegradable glitter… but don’t tell anyone, we will be giving them as gifts for Christmas!)
Handmade Artisan Plastic Free Gifts
support small artisan makers and small business this Christmas, by turning away from mass produced imported goods, and opt for small batch, locally sourced and sustainable artisan goods. Here are some lovely Christmassy examples - they are totally plastic free, made by hand in the UK.
Ceramic Christmas Tree Decoration - These special little hanging Ceramic Christmas trees will be seen year after year on your Christmas tree. They are made from natural white clay with a gorgeous green speckled glaze; no two are exactly the same.
Butterwhips Baby and Mummy 2 pack of whipped body butters. Butterwhips are all natural, handmade and cruelty free organic moisturisers, formulated for 1 month plus and for mummy bump care.
Recycled Offcut Material Handmade Lavender Bags (Plastic Free Baby) - These little bags of peace and calm, are made with our planet in mind. They are made from textiles which would otherwise be wasted. Would hang beautifully above a crib for all the delightful calming aromatherapy properties.
Handmade Artisan Hanging Ceramic Butterfly (Epple Bay Ceramics) - These would make a delightful and unique plastic free addition to any nursery or front room.
Or send a Plastic Free Gift set to a loved one this Christmas, featuring artisan handmade and unique ceramics and products.
The Plastic Free Advent Countdown
My lovely Mum friends came up with some great ideas here.
“Make an advent calendar and instead of putting things in the pockets put experiences in each day like baking Christmas biscuits together, or have a Christmas disco…"
“Last year we did a book advent calendar, in each drawer of her advent calendar I put a treasure hunt clue as to where the book was hidden”
“We have a weekly fabric advent calendar and E gets something every Sunday in advent, not every day”
Home Baked Treats
There are SO many things that are easy to make with kids at Christmas. Here are a couple of ideas, with links through to possible recipe suggestions:
You can also make a wonderful range of homemade cosmetics, such as balms and oils, to give as gifts. I will be sharing a Blog with a recipe from one of our lovely suppliers, The Solid Bar Company who make vegan and organic toiletries, next week for BABY CALENDULA BODY BUTTER! Keep your eyes peeled for that.
What other things are you doing this year with your little ones?
Happy making everyone!
Warm wishes,
Laura