Christmas Shouldn't Cost the Earth

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Christmas is my favourite 'celebration time' of the year. I love the build up, the excitement, the decorations, the music and all the fuss. BUT what I don't like is the sky-rocketing cost of Christmas both financially, to buy so many gifts , send cards, decorations, clothes etc, but also the environmental cost of the throw away plastic stocking filler toys, the endless packaging , the throw away gift wrapping and overall excess and resulting wastage.  

Yes you can now buy cheap Christmas goodies - ornaments, stockings, decorations etc - but images and stories (like this one from last year's Huffington Post) about where these cheap Christmas things are made provide even more of a reason to make things yourself! Do you want a plastic, artificial Christmas, mass produced in China? or a more personal handmade - eco-friendly Christmas just the way you want?

Christmas shouldn't cost the Earth

I believe you can celebrate Christmas in a big way and in style without it costing the Earth.

You can  'use what you've got'  to make and create decorations, gifts, foods etc and do it all in an eco-friendly and sustainable way by using what you've got and being smart.

For example, in past years I've made:

A Puffy Yo-Yo Wreath Ornament  from old clothes 

Cost $0

A Merry Christmas Banner from fabric I found in the charity shop

Cost $2

A Christmas Handibag from a fabric remnants.

Cost $2

And most recently, Mini Christmas Treat Stockings from old clothes

Cost $0

My Christmas Project

In past years I've only done the odd one or two Christmas projects, but this year I'm aiming for much MUCH more!

Over the coming weeks leading up to Christmas, I'm going to explore and share how to celebrate Christmas with all the fuss and trimmings but without the big price tag; looking at every aspect from Advent Calendars, Stockings and Gifts to Gift wrapping and tasty Christmas treats. If there's anything you feel I'm missing over the weeks, then please feel free to point it out or ask for suggestions. 

Equally if you have any ideas or tutorials for a frugal and eco-friendly Christmas, I'd love to hear from you.

But Christmas is still a long way off!

I'm starting this nice and early (in August!) so as to give me plenty of time to create and make all manner of things and so make a BIG fuss of Christmas.

I do hope you'll come back each week to see what I'm making, and sharing of frugal, crafty Christmas things other people have made. I'll be looking at a different theme each week and will start this week with Stockings!

So it's time to start the countdown of how much time we have left for Christmas crafting!