When the holidays arrive, we all know how easy it can be to go overboard. We spend a little too much on the perfect gift. We buy a second present for someone just because we know they’d love it. We reach for that fifth cookie even though we told ourselves we’d stop at two.

We know those areas are the hardest to hold back on. So why don’t we simplify somewhere else?

Save some money and be kind to the environment at the same time. Let’s take a look at some fun ways to decorate for an eco-friendly Christmas.

Go Repurposable

eco-friendly christmas

Take a look at what you’ve already got at home. You never know what you might find and what you could use it for.

Lighting fixtures, or even animal heads, mounted on the wall? Mini-wreaths and Santa hats turn them into instant festive décor. Bucky from our Cardboard Safari collection turns into Rudolph with a simple red bulb or ornament on the tip of his nose.

Pool noodles turn into giant candy cane lawn ornaments. Bend the top third of a noodle over until you’ve got a cane shape. Tie some fishing line around the bent end of the noodle, and then wrap the line back around the noodle’s other side. Use some white or colored tape and wrap it diagonally around and down to create the stripes. When the season’s over, take off the tape and undo the line. Your pool noodle’s once again ready for the summer.

Pool noodles also make great door wreaths. Twist two of them (differently colored) around each other, secure them with some more fishing line and glue their ends together. Now you’ve got a great two-toned decorative wreath. Or just take one noodle, secure its ends together with packing tape and attach ornaments and lights to it. You really can’t lose when you use a noodle.

Go Corrugated

eco-friendly christmas

Those old boxes we’ve all got laying around can make for some great Christmas decorations.

Corrugated tree ornaments are an easy way to get kids excited about decorating. Trace Christmas shapes onto corrugate, cut them out and decorate them any way you like. Make a little hole at the top and hang them on the tree with some compostable jute twine.

If you find corrugate is a little tough to cut through, chipboard is a nice alternative. It’s easier to cut through, making it perfect for little kids, and its edges come out a little cleaner.

For something really creative, trace those Christmas shapes onto single face corrugate. Paste the flat side to a piece of chipboard and you’ve got a really interesting two-sided ornament. Textured and rigid on one side, flat and smooth on the other. Don’t forget your existing decorations, they’ll mix in really well with your custom-made eco-friendly Christmas ornaments.

Want some already-made ornament templates? Get instant access to our FREE Christmas Printable Pack at the end of this blog. It’s a 5-page PDF full of ready-to-print Christmas shapes. Don’t forget to pick up your chipboard sheets too!

But don’t stop at ornaments. Corrugate works with a whole lot more. Tracing out two trees and cutting slots into them creates a 3D Christmas tree perfect for the coffee table or dining room centerpiece. Make your own wreath with scrap pieces of corrugate glued together for a 3D textured effect.

Don’t ignore the top of your tree either. A corrugated tree topper angel or a big star is the perfect way to cap off all those corrugated ornaments.

And if crafting from scratch isn’t your thing, we’ve got you covered, too. This white snowflake tree and white snowflake wreath go great with all your other eco-friendly Christmas decorations.

Go Green

eco-friendly christmas

Why buy garland made of plastic or foil? Reach for biodegradable packing peanuts instead. Simply tie some fishing line onto a needle and thread the peanuts along it, creating patterns and shapes as you go. Popcorn is always a great choice too, and a lot more delicious.

Recycled bubble cushion is great for holiday decorating and yet another way to get kids involved. Green-colored bubble is perfect for Christmas trees. Cut out Christmas shapes, dip the bubble sides in paint and decorate kraft paper. Once you’re done, the bubble shapes themselves make great wall decorations.

Bubble’s usefulness doesn’t stop there. Wrapping it around the base of your tree makes a great skirt to put presents on. And wrapping it around presents gives everyone something extra to play with!

Go Kraft

eco-friendly christmas

Kraft paper is yet another recyclable packaging material that’s perfect for using on the tree. White kraft paper is ideal for shredding up and using as tinsel. Turning it into confetti is even better, because it looks just like snow!

Crumple up long lengths of brown kraft paper and wrap it around the tree like garland. Keep it smooth and you can wrap it around like ribbon.

Presents under the tree look fantastic when they’re wrapped in brown kraft paper. Use more jute twine (or even yarn!) to tie them up for a warm and rustic look. A small evergreen branch is perfect in place of a plastic bow.

Get instant access to our FREE Christmas Printable Pack—and stay up-to-date on all the great content and products we have to offer!

So gather up your family and friends. Break out your favorite Christmas music and snacks. Spread out all those supplies and decorations.

The Packaging Company has all your eco-friendly Christmas packaging needs. Start your decorating engines!