Halos And Rainbows

Are you as Re-use & Recycle Savvy as Santa? 

Every year we buy hundreds of cards and presents for our loved ones, but think about how Santa does it.  Reindeer pulling his sled, homemade toys - not a spot of plastic to be seen, ok it's not practical with all the toys advertised and desperate youngsters tugging our heartstrings for that "I need it!" or "have to have one - pleeeeeease!" item, for it to be forgotten before New Year if not Christmas lunch.  Santa does only send a card if we send a letter first, hmm now there's a more practical starting point.

Paper can be recycled up to eight times before the fibres get too short, but before we pop it in the recycling bin is there anything we can do with it first?

I bet you saved last years cards - or your favourites anyway - why oh why do we do it - well I'm going to tell you!

Old Christmas cards can be made into gift tags and with a little imagination book marks for special presents for special friends or family! Any extra bits can be given to local playgroups for the little ones to make cards and calendars from.  If you have time you can make your own beautiful personalised cards from them too, these are always appreciated, you can give them back for revamping again too.  Card-making is quite popular at the moment and what a wonderful way to reuse before we recycle.

What about sending family and friends who live away a Christmassy e-card - often free and always paper free!

You could make and decorate cookies for the tree instead of giving cards - give cookies - fun for little fingers!

Every year we buy new indoor decorations and I hope we use as much as we can over and over again until it needs replacing. But what about that old tinsel that's a bit tatty - kids room or kids Christmas Costume making.  If it's really had it what about twisting it around a winter tree in the garden?  The same goes for any old decorations - wrap up warm and have a garden decorating party.  I still have silver bells in my special cherry tree from last year, tinkles in the wind - lovely.

If your old decorations aren't quite that tatty yet why not give them to a local youth club or charity shop where they can be reused and maybe bring a smile so someone who may not have any Christmas Sparkles otherwise?  Pop them into your entrance hall or dining room, brighten up winter plants, herbs love tinsel.  Your car might want to feel jolly with that old plastic holly!  Your kids could make brilliant imaginary things with them, just watch that your old baubles are not glass - no cut fingers please!

What about all that wrapping paper, yes there's going to be tonnes of the stuff all over the floor.  Shiny slippery wrapping is often good enough to reuse for smaller parcels so pop it to one side. The rest - drawing paper if it's not too mangled, and you can store it, especially if there are paints in those presents - it can make a good table protector.  At worst you know it's going to go for recycling so try to fold rather than scrunch  in all the excitement, it helps the paper fibres last longer.  You could cut pretty pictures out towards making next years cards if you are highly organised.

Turn off your outside tree lights overnight and if you're out although I turn mine on for the boys to see when they get home, or it's not magical - they're for our kids to "ooh and ahh"  at after all.  A timer can be a big help putting your indoor tree lights on for when you return - I'm always wary of leaving them on unattended!

Well that's a start folk - why don't you all post a simple and easy Santa Recycles tip that we can all do?