Give birds a Christmas treat

As the days get colder and snow starts to fall, our garden and countryside birds can struggle to find enough food. Give local birds a treat with an edible Christmas wreath. This will also give you the chance to see these birds up close and personal, including some species that are only around in the winter months.

Bring nature inside

Instead of buying new Christmas decorations, make your own from what you can find in nature. Use small twigs to design star patterns for decorations, attach pine cones together in a garland, or paint them green to look like a Christmas tree. Make sure that you take only as much as you need and leave plenty for wildlife.

Give someone the gift of a wilder future

We all know that one person who is impossible to shop for, giving a wild gift will support nature on your doorstep and give them the joy of knowing wildlife near them is being looked after. You can purchase wildlife sponsorships, gift memberships, books, clothing and even bat-inspired gin from our online shop!

Wrap with care

Avoid buying shiny and glittery wrapping paper and cards that can’t be recycled. Why not buy brown paper and add your own personal touch by decorating it – potato stamping is a great crafting activity. Use string or twine instead of sticky tape, or reuse any ribbons you may have saved from gifts given to you. Better yet, go for a completely reusable option like a box, bag or fabric wrapping (called ‘furoshiki’).

Reuse or replant Christmas trees

If you are buying a fake Christmas tree, try to buy a pre-loved one instead of a new one to minimise plastic. If you are buying a real tree, buy one in a pot that you can replant and use year-on-year. Or why not make an ‘alternative’ Christmas tree out of unconventional items like driftwood, curly branches, wall hangings, garlands or even books. There are so many innovative Christmas ideas online to get inspired by!

Shop small and local

Support your local community this Christmas. Visit your nearest farm shop to stock up on Christmas nibbles or create a delicious festive hamper – much of which will be sourced locally and seasonally. Include a bottle of local Ultrasonic gin from Puddingstone Distillery to give wings to your Christmas tipple this year, knowing that the Trust receives a donation for each bottle sold. Buy an item of clothing or a backpack from our lovely friends at Hertfordshire-based company Tommy and Lottie – each item from their Bee and Butterfly Collections sold will result in a donation to the Trust.

Support wildlife whilst you shop

Protect your local wildlife whilst you are doing your Christmas shopping online. If you use Amazon, switch to Amazon Smile instead and, at no extra cost to you, 0.5% of the sale price of all eligible purchases can be donated to Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. For other online retailers, shopping through EasyFundraising and Give as you Live will mean charitable donations for the purchases you make.

Cook sustainably

Try to minimise food waste by planning meals ahead and coming up with ways to use your leftovers. Compost any vegetable waste that you are left with. Buy local produce where possible to minimise your food miles. Avoid food with lots of packaging and increase the number of plant-based meals you have to reduce your carbon footprint.  

Ask for donations instead of gifts

We all get those messages asking us what we would like for Christmas. Instead of trying to come up with something you don’t need, why not ask your loved ones to give a donation to charity instead? You can set up a JustGiving page here and send the link to your family and friends.