A Low-Key Guide to Low-Waste Holiday Ornaments
Today, I want to continue the sustainable holiday conversation by talking about tree ornaments. If you’re new here, first of all: welcome and hello! Secondly, my mission with The Purposeful You is taking a step-by-step approach to sustainable living. I believe in making small, manageable changes so that I am living with intention, being mindful about my environmental impact — and my family’s — and sustainably forming new habits. It all started for me when I became a parent, because I want a world where my son can lead a thriving, healthy life.
This means that almost every day, I notice a different part of my life that I want to be more considerate of and learn more about lowering its footprint. Lately, that’s been happening with all things holiday decor. My eyes are opening to the repercussions our holiday habits have on the planet.
Before we go any further, you should know that I’m never going to say we shouldn’t enjoy ourselves or continue the traditions we look forward to throughout the year! I just want to share my journey and right now, being purposefully festive is on my mind. :)
So, as beautiful as tree ornaments are, the reality is ugly: plastic does not decompose — and glitter is a microplastic that litters our water systems, travels up the food chain and ends up in what we consume. I know, I know, it’s sad to think about the environmental impact of shiny things and not the joy they bring. But it’s important that we do, because ultimately these ornaments end up turning into waste.
To me, low waste means keeping things out of the landfill, and so anything that can be composted or recycled is a win! That’s why I’ve been gravitating towards more natural materials, as well as DIY projects that involve reusable items and are ideally zero waste (although I am not 100% zero waste in my day-to-day!).
I know it’s wonderful to get new ornaments each year. It’s also wonderful, when you purge the ones you no longer want, to share the seasonal love and donate them to Goodwill, shelters, etc. instead of throwing them in the garbage. Then, to freshen up your tree’s decor this year, why not try using materials that are better for the planet at the end of the day? To get some inspiration, keep reading because here are five low-waste holiday ornament ideas.
Five kinds of eco-conscious holiday ornaments
My ideal combination goes like this: something edible, something foraged, something homemade, something soft, and something strong. I’ll explain:
1. Dried orange ornaments with cinnamon
Dried oranges are easy to make and compostable, or reusable if you keep them in a sealed jar for next year. To add a pop of colour to your tree, add twine and hang as is, or tie on an ethically sourced cinnamon stick. Find instructions (and more uses) for dried oranges here.
2. Pine cone ornaments
Super simple: forage some pine cones, dry them and tie with twine to hang on your tree!
3. Salt dough ornaments
Salt dough ornaments only take a few ingredients to make, and look gorgeous on a tree. They’re versatile, fun to make with or without kids, and something you can keep for years to come! Our tip is to make sure you don’t make them too thick. Here is the recipe with a couple of extra ideas to give your ornaments a different look!
4. Yarn or wool ornaments
These materials are natural and can break down in years to come, unlike plastic or glitter. You can find a lot of locally made ornaments that source yarn and wool ethically. Bonus, particularly for those with energetic pets and curious kids: these are unbreakable! This year I’m loving my feather ornament and the neutral look it adds to my tree.
5. Metal or wood ornaments
Another favourite this year: metal can be recycled so it feels good to include in your holiday decorations. Wood is another durable natural resource to look for in your tree ornaments. I love that these are also unbreakable as a mom to a fur baby and a human baby!
If this blog was helpful, it would mean so much to hear from you! I always love getting DMs and tags on Instagram, and the comment section below is there for you to add your sustainable holiday ornament ideas.
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Happy holidays,
