These holidays, join WasteMINZ to share the message: Make memories, not waste.
Read our tips and tricks for easy ways to have a sustainable, low-waste holiday below
Gift giving:
The holiday season doesn’t need to be about buying more stuff – consider “experience gifts” or homemade treats rather than actual items. Things like:
- vouchers for the movies, swimming pools, or indoor playgrounds
- For adults, how about an IOU for babysitting, or picking up the tab for morning tea?
- baking,
- tea blends,
- crafts,
- preserves,
- bath salts, or
- plants, fruit trees or seedlings.
Secret Santa is a Kiwi staple, whether at the work holiday party or at family gatherings. For work parties – challenge work mates to only buy thrifted finds or even make or upcycle an item. This not only provides an additional challenge but can provide a low-cost alternative for those who are especially stretched with holiday bills!
Wrapping and decorating:
There’s loads of options you can use instead of wrapping paper, which you probably already have lying around somewhere:
- Newspaper or circulars
- Children’s artwork (or quickly decorate your own)
- Gift bags you’ve been given over the years
- Scarves
- Old boxes
- Pieces of random fabric
- Brown paper bags from your supermarket shopping
- Giant leaves (seriously - it’s really effective)
- A nice tea towel
- Reusable bags of any shape - just tie them to fit
There’s also lots of ways to make these options extra pretty. Pieces of ribbon, baker’s twine, tidbits from your garden, a Christmas decoration, themed stamps, string, spending extra time on a nice name tag, or making puffy rosettes from old magazines.
- The Japanese art of using fabric to wrap items for gifting and also transportation, can create beautiful gifts, regardless of the shape of the item – no more ripping paper wrapping sharp corners! Furoshiki is based on a series of standard knots and technics – experts run classes in many cities across Aotearoa or try your hand after watching a YouTube tutorial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f1wQAb6QMM
- Handy with a sewing machine, or maybe you have an aunty who could teach you? Making a stash of reusable gift bags means that you’ll never have to buy wrapping paper again – and wrapping presents is suddenly easy peasy!
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If your home or gifts need some extra pizzaz, consider decorations which can
eventually be composted – things like flowers, pinecones, leaves, origami, popcorn garlands, or cardboard ornaments. -
Try these amazing smelling orange and cinnamon decorations – especially great if you have leftover citrus on any trees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IROD4V7It9A
Food waste:
This season, make-ahead meals are your secret weapon, saving you time and keeping good food from going to waste!
Prepping ahead frees up valuable headspace so you can truly relax and enjoy the festive season.
Check out the Love Food Hate Waste website for handy Christmas hacks - from make ahead meals, to storage hacks, to delicious leftover inspo!
Storage:
- Keep your fridge between 2–5°C so your food stays safe and lasts longer.
- Store salad greens and crunchy veg like carrots in airtight containers
- Broccoli loves sitting in a glass of water, stalk-down, like a bouquet of flowers for your fridge!
- Cucumbers, courgettes, and beans stay at their best in the crisper drawer, away from ethylene-producing fruit like apples and bananas.
Leftover inspo:
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Extra roast veg can become delicious taco filling, colourful salad or a frittata.
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Leftover roast or BBQ meat makes a perfect filling in rice paper rolls, sandwiches, or pies.
- Mashed potatoes can be transformed into delicious waffles, perfect for brunch, and even the last spoonful of gravy can add flavour to soups or sauces!
- Learn more here.
