From NEW YEAR TO CHRISTMAS!
Let’s face it: in November the Internet is filled with tutorials and videos on how to make the perfect garland or the most original baubles for a homemade tree. Little angels pop up in every corner, the glass jars are filled with fake snow and candles, the instructions for wrapping the gift packages using a tiny scrap of leftover wrapping paper from the year before, while the children bring home Christmas crafts to warm the heart and the atmosphere.
The diktat is often only one: economy and recycling, because no one wants to spend a fortune on decorations that maybe less rewarding or successful, and the spirit of recent years has fortunately also made us consider the value of ecology and creative reuse of waste materials.
We can offer you some great ideas to treat yourself to a super ecological and environmental Christmas. It’s not that hard, and you might even like the result better!
Real tree or fake tree? It might seem obvious to opt for the second way, but plastic trees are not biodegradable and their production involves large amounts of energy.
So why not choose to decorate a tree that is already planted in our garden?
Or if we don’t have one, a sustainably grown fir, which can be purchased in a pot and can be planted out later or composted after use. Another idea: why not create many small paper Christmas trees to decorate the house or a tree itself? Quick and easy, a perfect job even for the little ones!
Which wrapping paper? How many square kilometres do we throw away every year? We see our gifts under the tree, we tear them open with curiosity and desire and at the end of the day we scrunch everything up and chuck it away without thinking twice. Maybe it has been made with a paper that pays no attention for recycling because it is covered with shiny gold and silver films. What a waste and what a pollution!
So it is off then towards the ecological, recycled or even neutral papers, perfect for hand decoration with graphics and drawings made by ourselves or perhaps with small decoupage additions made as always with coloured and recycled paper.
Another idea? Coordinate greetings cards and gift paper for small packages. Choose our Calligraphy line: Available as many versions, all equally elegant and refined, it is good for the planet as well as for those who receive them, because it is made from the processing waste of natural products and some from the food chain.
To each his own: citrus fruits, olives, almonds, leather, seaweed from the Venetian lagoon, linen or parchment effect, smooth or ribbed, there really is something for all tastes and gifts. Plus, it already pre-exists in a Christmas version, created by Multifolia Atelier, an ethical and beautiful company. Look for it online!
Greeting cards?
Let’s do it ourselves, thank you! For the same reasons, say goodbye to those plasticized or singing cards, full of glitter and non-recyclable details: choose the Special Events selection, the combination of envelopes and cards designed specifically for important occasions.
And since designs matter, we decided to create them in many colours and finishes, so each one has its own: in this case, we opt for the metallic version, which already has the flavour of the party!
Red for Christmas, needless to say, but why not, also for graduation celebrations. And while we’re at it, let’s get in there early and take a look at White, perfect for wedding invitations, at Cream for anniversaries and confirmations, at pink and light blue for new births and invitations to christenings and birthdays for the little ones, to Gold, Silver and Sand, which immediately give a touch of glamour to parties, gala events, menus and place cards.
Decorations, the fun part. Plastic baubles, fake snow, glittery and metallic decorations, lights, tinsel – to be eco-friendly we might have to give up all this but this doesn’t mean at all that we have to resign ourselves to a Christmas with no atmosphere!
Dried fruit, berries, twigs, cinnamon and star anise, small pine cones, dried orange slices … here is a truly ecological solution, which allows us to give space to our creativity while avoiding exposure to factors that are harmful to our health and the planet. But, if it is undeniable that Christmas triggers within us a desire for decoration and the hand crafted, it is also true that the desire to create with our hands and give personality to anniversaries and important occasions can become a theme that accompanies us throughout the course of the year.
Following these simple instructions and recycling ideas can become a common thread that can also be applied to Halloween and fancy dress and decorations, party themes, Easter dinner decorations or even for the next family wedding…
slowly you will rediscover the joy and satisfaction of showing decorations made directly from your own and your children’s hands, plus they also carry with them an added value of being good and responsible to the environment and nature that surrounds us.
Sometimes fashion trends are not wrong, ephemeral or stupid, sometimes they amplify and emphasize real needs that society has already detected.
The time is ripe, the web is full of alluring and good tutorials to take our inspiration, the change is already underway. And it’s a beautiful change, full of art, colour and party occasions.
Let’s take advantage of it!
