Top tips for having a sustainable Christmas party

25 November 2024

Why should I host an eco-friendly Christmas party?

Planning your Christmas party with sustainability in mind means you can enjoy festive celebrations while reducing waste and environmental impact. In the busy leadup to Christmas, sustainability often falls by the wayside; however, organising your celebrations with a sustainable focus can save you money while helping you reduce your carbon footprint and set a great example for your guests.

You can find lots more ideas in our free guide (click here to download), but here are some simple sustainability tips to help you create a fun and sustainable Christmas gathering with your family, friends, or colleagues while protecting the planet:

How to gift sustainably this Christmas:

Choosing sustainable gifts is one of the best ways to have an eco-friendly Christmas. You can find ESGmark® Certified brands to shop from here that meet strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. You could also give experience-based gifts to reduce material waste or organise a Green Secret Santa so that everyone gets one gift that they’ll really love.

How to create an eco-friendly Christmas meal:

Treat your guests to a sustainable Christmas dinner by using local and seasonal ingredients and opting for plant-based options. This doesn’t necessarily mean a totally vegan menu; you could still please everyone by using meat and fish as an optional garnish. You can also avoid over-catering by finding out your guests’ dietary preferences ahead of time - this will help you to reduce meal variations, costs, and food waste!

Sustainable Christmas decoration ideas:

Choosing reused, recycled, and biodegradable materials will help you reduce waste and decorate your party in an eco-friendly way. For example, you could rent a Christmas tree or buy one second-hand, or create decorations using natural materials such as pine cones. LED fairy lights are also a great way to create an energy-efficient festive atmosphere.

How to reduce Christmas party waste:

By using recycled and recyclable wrapping paper or reusable gift bags, you can massively reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. You could also choose Christmas cards made from seed paper, which will grow into flowers when planted!

Choosing a sustainable Christmas party venue:

If you are hiring out an event space, prioritise those that use renewable energy, have a waste management system, and ideally hold verified sustainability credentials. Some even specialise in sustainable events, so be sure to ask them before you book.

How to encourage guests to travel to the party sustainably:

You can minimise travel emissions by choosing a venue located close to most of your guests with accessible transport links. You could also encourage car sharing or organise group travel by booking coaches for large parties.

Learn more: ESGmark® Sustainable Events Guide

For more information on how to organise a sustainable event during the festive season and beyond, read our comprehensive Sustainable Events Guide. This guide was created by ESGmark® and The Sustainable Events Company, an ESGmark® Certified company. Here, we take you step-by-step through practical actions to deliver impactful results, explaining why they are important and how to measure them.

You can access the ESGmark® Sustainable Events guide through our Library here.

If you would like to learn more about how ESGmark® can support you to improve your environmental impact and put the Sustainable Events Guide into practice, please get in touch with us today at info@esgmark.co.uk..