{"id":41801,"date":"2021-12-21T09:20:24","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T08:20:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ferrovial.com\/blog\/?p=41801"},"modified":"2025-12-12T00:22:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T23:22:36","slug":"no-wrapping-please-tips-for-more-sustainable-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ferrovial.com\/blog\/en\/2021\/12\/no-wrapping-please-tips-for-more-sustainable-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"No Wrapping, Please! Tips for More Sustainable Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the Three Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem, they were carrying gold, frankincense, and myrrh on the backs of their camels. They’d traveled hundreds of kilometers guided by a star<\/strong>. They had no idea what the words “fossil fuels” meant, nor did they imagine that, several centuries later, the planet would be worried about something called climate change.<\/p>\n

Today, Christmas is quite different. So many gifts circle the globe<\/strong> before reaching their destinations, and these stacks of presents are wrapped in paper and plastic. During this season, consumption skyrockets in a world that’s already very consumeristic.<\/p>\n

However, it is possible to have a sustainable Christmas. In fact, more and more people are taking the time to think about how to plan their parties <\/strong>to reduce their impact on the environment. We’re going to give you a few tips to give gifts, decorate, eat, and travel more sensibly this Christmas.<\/p>\n

The first step: rethinking presents<\/h2>\n

It’s estimated that the United Kingdom’s residents alone use more than 365,000 kilometers of paper<\/a> to wrap their gifts every Christmas. That’s enough to circle the globe more than 25 times<\/strong>. The vast majority of these gifts also come in their own packaging, which ends up filling trash bins around the world.<\/p>\n

A simple first step to reduce Christmas’s environmental impact is to look for alternatives to wrapping paper<\/strong>. There are so many options once you start using your imagination: reusable bags, newspaper, old magazines, or packaging from other products are just a few. Instead of tape, you can use strands of wool or twine.<\/p>\n

If you like crafty options, there’s furoshiki<\/a>, a traditional Japanese technique for sustainable gift-giving. It entails making wrappers out of squares of fabric<\/strong> that can be reused over and over.<\/p>\n

\"Gifts Gifts wrapped with the Japanese technique of furoshiki. Weekend knitter (Flickr).<\/em><\/p>\n

And what about what’s inside the wrapping? There are many options for responsible gift ideas. Among them is Esturirafi’s Sustainable Christmas<\/a> initiative: its Instagram account showcases hundreds of ethical, ecological, and beautiful brands and products to suit all tastes.<\/p>\n

In the home: options for sustainable decoration<\/h2>\n

Another result of holiday excess is wasted energy. To prevent this, you can use candles instead of lights<\/strong> or make sure that the bulbs are energy efficient. It’s also important to turn them off whenever they’re not in use. This will help bring down your electricity bill and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions we release into the atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\"Candles Candles are another option for decorating without increasing energy consumption at Christmastime. Sixteen Miles Out (Unsplash)<\/em><\/p>\n

Candles aren’t the only interesting alternative to traditional Christmas decorations. The options for creating alternative centerpieces or garlands with recycled items <\/strong>are endless<\/a>. As for the tree, why not go for a real one and re-plant it when the holidays are over?<\/p>\n

A feast with a lower carbon footprint<\/h2>\n

You’ve probably heard it before: food production is behind one-quarter<\/a> of global greenhouse gas emissions. Our current food system is also tied to food waste<\/strong>, which leads to vast waste generation and contamination of soils and water reserves.<\/p>\n

However, small changes when deciding on the menu and buying food can make big differences<\/strong>. Here are a few tips to make meals more sustainable at Christmas and year-round:<\/p>\n