Christian Ford has not wrapped a Christmas gift in wrapping paper for at least eight years.
Determined not to see his recycle bin overflowing with paper on Boxing Day, the Anglican EcoCare Newcastle Chair has instead committed to a couple of hours at a sewing machine every few years.
“My wife and I put all our gifts in cloth bags,” he explains.
“I don’t think we’ve used wrapping paper for years.
“We’ll tie the bags up and we include a special note saying we hope the bags will be reused, and, that if they aren’t needed, we’ll be happy to reuse them.”
He admits he doesn’t scrimp on style to be sustainable either.
“I’ll try and find some festive-looking material from Spotlight or a print I know will be enjoyed. One year we found a great Star Wars festive pattern that was appreciated.”
Deliberately avoiding single-use wrapping is one way Christian is helping reduce the wastage associated with Christmas.
The CSIRO estimates Australians use more than 150,000 kilometres of wrapping paper during the festive season – nearly enough paper to wrap around Earth’s equator four times.
“It’s still about the joy of Christmas,” Christian says.
“It still has the look and feel of the festive season, but it’s about being aware that there are little things you can do to be a bit more sustainable.
“Everything we use for decorating and gift giving at Christmas gets neatly packed away for another year.”
Christian and the faces behind Anglican EcoCare Newcastle have a few ideas to help you get started:
- Get crafty or sew and make your own decorations using old cardboard or old clothes, or sticks and leaves from the garden, that can be hung or placed around the house or given as gifts.
- Instead of buying a plastic tree, buy a real tree, use items around the home to build a tree like sticks and books, decorate pot plants and even buy a pineapple and decorate the leafy top!
- Avoid plastic toys, give the gift of experiences or buy gifts that are made ethically, sustainably, with recycled materials, or locally made.
- Buy sustainably farmed seafood and buy vegetables loose or in reusable bags, rather than wrapped in plastic.
- Use beeswax wraps instead of plastic or aluminium wrap.
- Instead of buying wrapping paper, reuse old wrapping paper, recycled paper, newspapers, magazines, brown paper or handsewn cloth bags.
- Buy reusable, bamboo or biodegradable cutlery rather than plastic.
- Use cloth napkins and cloth bon bons.
- Avoid adding to landfill – donate or regift presents .
Mindful choices can make a big difference. Celebrate with your loved ones while also loving the planet.
Anglican EcoCare Newcastle is looking for new members to join them in 2026. If you have a passion for the intersection of faith and care for the creation, they’d love to hear from you.
Contact Christian Ford at christianford@newcastleanglican.org.au.
