Have yourself a merry – and green – Christmas

Christmas can often be a time of excess but there are ways to have a jolly time and be environmentally aware and friendly.

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Invest in a real Christmas tree

Here are 10 ways to have a 'greener' Christmas:

1 Reduce food waste

Plan your meals carefully, use a portion planner, and get creative with leftovers. Leftovers can be reinvented into new meals like bubble and squeak or used for making stock with peels and ends.

2 Use sustainable wrapping

Ditch shiny, metallic or glittery wrapping paper, as these are not recyclable.

Opt for plain brown paper, newspaper, or use reusable options like cloth bags or boxes.

You can also use paper-based tape instead of plastic sellotape.

3 Choose a "greener" tree