Have yourself an ethical Christmas

Buying clothes can be a minefield - will you get the right size, will they like it, will they even just begrudgingly wear it the next time they see you, pretending they like it? Perhaps ask someone who is close to them if this is something they would actually like and wear, and make sure you ask their size!

Always include the gift receipt and tell them the receipt is with it just in case - this saves a bit of embarrassment, they can pretend they like it and then sneak off back to the shop to exchange it for something they will get use from. Another option is to get them a voucher for their favourite shop so they can pick something they like, however try not to get one of the plastic voucher cards!We are 100% against fast fashion, so we’d always recommend buying something that is made to last! Buying Fairtrade and organic clothing is one way to ensure the clothes you are buying are not just cheaply made fast fashion. 

It’s important to spend appropriately - sometimes it is difficult for people who aren’t so well off to keep up. You may think you are being more generous by spending a lot of money on presents for friends, but don’t forget this can put pressure on them to spend a large amount on a present in return, so remember you don’t need to go overboard!

Plastic seems to have got into all aspects of our lives and toys are certainly no exception. So what do you do? Well, it is hard not to get toys without plastic, so if you need to you should by toys that will last. A good quality plastic toy which can be enjoyed for years and then passed on is much better than a cheaply made throwaway plastic toys.

There are better alternatives however, with companies like Green Toys who use recycled plastic for all of their toys and package them in minimal cardboard.

But one thing that is making a big comeback is wooden toys! Wooden toys have a much nicer feel than plastic, are loved by children and have a timeless feel - plus won’t be resulting in bits of plastic floating round in the sea for hundreds of years!

Being ethical at Christmas doesn’t mean being a spoilsport and it’s the same with Christmas jumpers. If you do buy one, buy one that is designed to last and actually be worn so you can use it year after year - the older and more years it has been used, the more authentic it is!

You could go one better and make your own Christmas jumper. Get an old jumper out of the cupboard and go to town - just make sure you leave your sense of taste and style at home when you make it! 

So, it’s a great idea to get your children to see the world doesn’t just revolve around them, Christmas is about helping other people as well. They are too young to be buying presents, so why not get them to make presents for family members? This gets them to think about others, and what they would like, not just which toys they want for Christmas.

One sustainable tradition from other countries, such as Japan, is wrapping gifts in fabric, which can then be reused by the recipient rather than thrown away. We think this would be a great tradition for us to adopt here in the UK, it would make Christmas less wasteful for everyone. To get you started on using fabric wrap, we’ve started stocking reusable gift wrap from Wrag Wrap, which includes double sided fabric wrap, reusable bottle bags and a set that includes both!

Volunteering at a soup kitchen – this one is actually better not to do at Christmas. The numbers of people volunteering at Christmas spikes every year. Whist this kindness is great, there are few people volunteering at other times in the year. So make a promise and set a date later in the year to volunteer.

Take a dog for a walk – dogs deserve to have fun at Christmas too! A Christmas walk is a tradition for many families, so why not contact your local RSPCA centre and sign up for voluntary dog walking? Give to your local food bank  - December is the busiest time for food banks, so why not take part in #foodbankadvent which is a reverse advent calendar. Instead of eating a chocolate from your advent calendar each morning (although technically you still could!), you donate an item to your local food bank every day in the run up to Christmas.

Make a donation to a children’s charity - there are many great charities to choose from such as Barnardo’s, Save the Children and Action for Children.

Ecotricity & Ethical Superstore unite on their mission to make every day choices more ethical and sustainable. If you switch your energy supply to Ecotricity, not only will your home be powered by 100% renewable electricity and carbon neutralised gas but as a thank you they’ll also send you a £50 voucher to spend with The Ethical Superstore.