Decorate Sustainably: Holiday Decorations from Nature

The holiday season is a time for joy, warmth, and festive traditions—but it doesn’t have to come at the planet’s expense. By embracing sustainable decorating practices, you can reduce waste, save money, and create a beautiful, nature-inspired holiday ambiance. Here’s how to make your home merry and mindful this season.

Why Choose Sustainable Decor?

Many traditional holiday decorations are made from plastic and non-biodegradable materials, which can harm the environment. Opting for eco-friendly alternatives helps you:

• Reduce waste by choosing biodegradable or recycled materials.
• Save money with DIY projects or secondhand finds.
• Add personal touches to your décor with unique, handmade items.
• Bring nature indoors by incorporating organic elements.

Find Secondhand Holiday Treasures

Not feeling like getting crafty? No problem! Secondhand shopping is a great way to decorate sustainably.

• Thrift stores: Look for ornaments, festive linens, unique candleholders, garlands, cards, holiday plates, and more!
• Online marketplaces: Platforms like Facebook Marketplace are a super efficient way to find what you're looking for, but pre-loved.
• Community groups: Local freecycle or buy-nothing groups are great for finding holiday items that need a new home.
• Family hand-me-downs: Repurpose decorations from loved ones for a nostalgic and sustainable touch.

DIY Holiday Decoration Ideas:

Add a natural, fragrant touch to your gifts or tree with simple rosemary wreaths.
What You’ll Need:

• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• Floral wire or twine
• Scissors
• Optional: dried berries, small bells, or leftover ribbon

How to Make It:

1. Bend rosemary sprigs into a circle and secure the ends with wire or twine.
2. Decorate with small ornaments, like berries or bells.
3. Attach the wreath to a gift with twine for a festive finish.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Gather and Prepare Materials
   Collect fresh rosemary sprigs. Aim for longer pieces as they are easier to shape into circles. If needed, gently wash and pat them dry before use.

2. Form the Circular Base
   Take a sprig of rosemary and carefully bend it into a circular shape. Overlap the ends slightly to maintain the circle, and secure them using floral wire or a small piece of twine. If one sprig isn’t long enough, attach a second piece by overlapping the ends and wrapping them together with wire or twine.

3. Add Decorative Touches (Optional)
   Personalize your rosemary wreaths with small ornaments like dried berries, tiny bells, or leftover ribbon. Use the floral wire or twine to secure these embellishments to the wreath. Be creative—small, natural touches add extra charm.

4. Attach to Your Gift
   Once your wreath is complete, place it atop your wrapped gift or as an ornament.

Pro Tip: Collect materials from your garden or a local farmer’s market.

2. Nature-Inspired Ornaments

Skip buying plastic baubles and try these charming, nature-inspired ornaments.

Pinecone Ornaments:

• Clean and dry pinecones.
• Tie a loop of twine around the top for hanging.
• Optional add salt crystals or paint the edges.

Dried Citrus Ornaments:

• Slice oranges, lemons, or grapefruit into thin rounds.
• Dry them in the oven at low heat (about 200°F/90°C) for 2-3 hours.
• Use a needle to thread twine through the dried slices for hanging.

Twig Stars:

• Gather small twigs and cut them to equal lengths.
• Assemble into a star shape and secure with hot glue or twine.
• Hang with twine or ribbon.

3. DIY Garlands

Make garlands with recycled or natural materials to drape on mantels, trees, or staircases.
Materials:

• Twine or cotton thread
• Popcorn, cranberries, dried citrus slices, pine clippings and more
• Cinnamon sticks or fabric scraps

How to Make It:

1. Thread a needle with twine and string your materials in any pattern you like.
2. For a rustic look, tie strips of fabric along the string.

Eco-Friendly Decorating Tips

• Choose LED lights: Save energy and reduce your electric bill. Plus, they last forever!!!
• Skip single-use wrapping: Use fabric, old maps, recyclable paper, reused tissue paper, or kraft paper shopping bags for gift wrapping.
• Compost natural decor: After the holidays, compost wreaths, garlands, and other biodegradable decorations. Pack and store what's reusable carefully for next year. 

Decorating sustainably doesn’t mean sacrificing beauty or tradition. From DIY projects to secondhand finds, every choice you make helps reduce waste and adds meaning to your holiday season. This year, let’s celebrate with creativity, care, and a commitment to a greener future.