It’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can sometimes feel like the most stressful time of the year when you start thinking of all the things you need to buy, such as gifts, cards, decorations and alllllll the food! 

If you’re dreaming of a low-cost Christmas, we’re here to help you have a Christmas miracle with 8 tips for a beautiful day that’s kind on your bank balance and the planet. 

Be prepared

This is a hard one – the festive season seems to creep up on us even though it rolls around at the same time every year! Being prepared and having the time to properly consider the gifts you buy means you are less likely to be panic-buying or over-buying stuff at the last minute. It also means you have the opportunity to shop around for deals (online or in person) and support the stores you want to. 

Op shops are a great place to find affordable Christmas gifts, decorations, wrapping paper, cards, Christmas-themed T-shirts and costumes for yourself, your children and even your dog! Keep your eyes out from about October or November each year at your local op shop. 

Take the pressure down

Australians are expected to spend more than $30 billion on Christmas presents this year. That’s a fair chunk of dough for stuff that people may not even need with nearly a third of Australians expecting to receive gifts they will never use. 

Some families are big on gift-giving and that is perfectly fine – giving gifts comes from a place of love. But for some, gift-giving also brings the pressure to buy the perfect gift, to make sure we’re spending the same (or more!) than the person gifting to us, or to have a gift ‘count’ in step with others. Talk to your family and friends and you may find they are feeling this pressure too! 

Here are some ideas to lower the pressure of gift-giving and focus on the beauty of giving and receiving… 

• Instead of buying a gift for everyone, introduce your own family Secret Santa game. Everybody gets a thoughtful gift for a lot less money and hassle! Institute a price limit to set expectations. 

• Challenge your loved ones to buy gifts that are exclusively either: second-hand, handmade, experiences, or consumable. Hit up your local artisan Christmas markets and support a local maker, buy vouchers at your favourite restaurants, or head to your local independent grocery store, newsagent, gift shop or health food store for locally made and ethically-produced food products perfect for gift-giving. 

• Buy the gift of a donation to a charity that aligns with the receiver’s values. They will be filled with the joy of having contributed positively to a cause they care about. Many charities and social enterprises offer special gift and donation options for Christmas giving, such as The Good Box, Oxfam, UNICEF Australia, OzHarvest, RSPCA.
• Make your own gifts! Even if you’ve never crocheted a stitch in your life or your baking skills are non-existent, here are some fool-proof ideas guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face.

Give wrapping paper the flick

Discover the Japanese art of furoshiki and wrap your gifts in reusable scarfs. Scarves can be picked up for as little as $2 from your local op shop. Make it part of the gift or ask the recipient to pass the scarf back to you if they don’t have a use for it. You still get all the joy of unwrapping a gift with none of the waste! You can even make the wrapping part of the gift with a nice tote bag or tea towel. 

Deck the halls with eco-decorations

We all want our home to feel and look like Christmas, but Christmas decorations are often made cheaply and from plastics including glitter and tinsel. Consider thrifting second-hand decorations from op shops, or have a crafternoon and make your own, from recycled paper stars using old books and DIY Christmas wreaths made with foilage from your backyard to Christmas bon bons created from toilet paper rolls! 

If you’ve run out of time and need to buy new decorations, consider the quality of the product, how it will need to be disposed of and its carbon footprint. Like gift giving – a local maker is a good place to start. 

Power your festive lights for free 

Harness the power of the sun with solar fairy lights and bring the festive vibes to your backyard and street without having to get a second mortgage for your energy bill! For indoor lighting opt for energy-efficient decorations that feature LED globes or fibre optics. 

Choose to reuse

A lot of paper plates and cups are labelled biodegradable or compostable and while many will eventually break down in a home or industrial composting facility, they are a single-use product requiring resources to manufacture and transport, which contributes to carbon emissions. 

The most sustainable product is a reusable product. This may seem daunting at Christmas when you’re catering for more than you normally would. But it doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Visit your local Brisbane City Council Treasure Trove or op shop to pick up extra plates, glassware and cutlery for a fraction of the cost. Don’t shy away from mismatched items that can be kept for future parties or simply donated again. 

Fight festive food waste

Make a plan for leftovers before you sit down to Christmas lunch! We all love festive leftovers, and running out of food is every host’s worst nightmare, but these tips can help you minimise food waste over the holiday season… 

• Think about who you’re cooking for, how much they will realistically eat, and stick to your grocery list. 

• Have a stockpile of containers ready to go so you can store any leftovers quickly and safely and ensure they will last longer.  

• Label your leftovers and place food that needs to be eaten first front and centre in your fridge. Order some of OzHarvest’s free Use It Up tape to make it super clear what needs to go first! 

• Share the love and offer leftovers for your visitors to take home to enjoy. This will free up space in your fridge and mean you’re not eating Christmas ham or Aunty Judy’s pavlova into 2025! 

• Make the most of your leftovers by creating new dishes with these easy recipes.
  
• Invest in compost equipment to capture all your food scraps! Not only does this stop the food waste from going to landfill, but it also reduces your greenhouse gas emissions and creates rich nutrients that can be returned to the garden. Take advantage of Brisbane City Council’s rebate of up to $100 on eligible equipment. 

Recycle right

No matter how good we are at reducing our waste, there’s always items that will need to be recycled. Brisbane City Council’s free bin and recycling app will make sure you’re sending as little to landfill as possible. If you’re worried there’s not enough space in your recycling bin, you can even upgrade to a larger recycling bin for free!  

And don’t forget to collect all your drink containers for a 10-cent refund with Containers for Change….most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard drink containers between 150ml and 3L are eligible – including wine and spirit bottles. 

Don’t stop after Christmas Day 

While it’s fantastic to have a sustainable Christmas, remember that reducing waste at home doesn’t end at the holidays. Find out how your household can make positive changes to help create a clean and green Brisbane all year round.