Christmas Cards: Tips and Ideas to be More Eco This Season

 Christmas cards- the age-old tradition of sending good wishes for the festive season, to friends and family. A tradition that most likely causes a lot of waste. And although I have never been wasteful when it comes to cards myself, I am aware many do throw them away straight after the festivities are over.

So, how can you be eco where Christmas cards are concerned? Well, the most obvious way to go is with digital cards. It's also pretty easy, and means that you're not up against the deadline of the mail services for them to arrive on time. There's an abundance of options out there too, different styles to suit everyone. There are even ones that donate to charity.

The back of the Tesco cards packaging.

But if you want to go with physical cards, then there are some green options out there. Something to look out for is of course the packaging. Make sure the cards are not wrapped in plastic, and instead come in card/paper, or no packaging at all (which would be more for single cards I suppose). We found some in Tesco that come in recyclable card packaging, and for those who choose to throw cards out (although there are so many ways to reuse them with the pretty designs there are), they are recylcable too. They are also "made mindfully", with responsibly sourced paper, which is FSC approved. Looking out for these kinds of things, checking for logos/labels, will help you pick the more eco options.

Tesco Plastic-free Christmas cards!

Something that should probably be avoided, no matter how pretty it makes cards look, is ones with glitter. Usually, the glitter used will not be eco-friendly or recyclable. If you can find a brand that uses sustainable glitter (you can get eco body/face glitter, so it must exist for other uses too), then that's great. But usually glitter Christmas cards should be something to steer clear of.

A lovely eco idea is that of seed cards. Basically, there are plant seeds in the paper, and you can just tear the card up and plant it. It's a great idea for those gardeners in your life. The paper is usually recycled, and it will just compost and leave the seeds to grow.

There are also just regular cards with recycled or eco-friendly paper, such as those from one of my favourite online zero-waste shops, Eartbits. As well as doing seeded paper, they have lots of other types of paper to choose from. There's of course recycled paper, but also cotton, tea, coffee, lemongrass, coconut, banana, and even elephant dung paper! And the designs are so cute too! Although I haven't yet purchased any cards from them, it's definitely something I'd consider getting in the future.

Another idea is to get hand-painted cards, from someone like my sister (shameless sister-plug here). She has finished taking orders for Christmas 2021, but takes orders for paintings, cards, and other handmade items all year-round, as well as commissions for special occasions. Helping small businesses like hers, who strive to be more green, is better than purchasing from bigger companies.

There are honestly so many options out there for greener Christmas cards (and other occasions). You just have to pick what works for you! Maybe getting hand-painted cards, or ones that are a bit pricier, is not possible for you, so opting for something like the Tesco ones or online may be a better option. The common misconception is that being eco is expensive. But it doesn't have to be. There's something for everyone!

-Sustainable Sarah