Almost everyone has a battered box of treasured Christmas decorations - make the most of what you have and don’t throw them out unless you have to! If you want to add something new, make sure you think first.

• Avoid tinsel and glitter. Those little bits that end up sprinkled all over the house are plastic. Why not have a go at making your own decorations? How about some bunting, origami or pinecone decorations? Get the children involved too, and keep their masterpieces to embarrass them when you insist on still getting them out every year!

Choosing the gift is just the beginning – think before you wrap it up:

Wasting food squanders all the resources that went into producing it – everything has a carbon footprint. Christmas can be a particularly wasteful time.

• Don't buy too much. Plan meals so you know how much food you'll need.
• Compost vegetable waste. Shropshire Council also collects food waste in the garden waste bin. Read more here.
• Eat your leftovers. Some of the tastiest meals are made from yesterday's food. Mum used to make a truly splendid leftover pie!
• Cut down on meat. Meat has a big carbon footprint so try out some vegetarian or vegan alternatives. You could try buying less meat but sourcing it from an organic farm shop near to where you live.

• Look out for gifts that come with as little packaging as possible, or at least some you can recycle.
• Why not put together a zero-waste kit? Think about including things like a portable cup, a biodegradable lunchbox, a shopping bag or some wax food wraps.
• Make something yourself – a treat from the kitchen or a handicraft.  Such a personal gift is priceless.
• Buy sustainable products. Look for things made from British wool, wood from sustainable sources, organic cotton...

You could also ...