Across the UK, the spirit of Christmas is taking on a more sustainable hue, as individuals choose creativity and community over consumerism, effectively reducing waste.
Imagine this: Half the string of your fairy lights fizzle out, a Christmas bauble shatters, and the family dog chews on a festive decoration. Instead of rushing to replace these items, there’s an intriguing alternative. Citizens are congregating in inviting community centres and halls to repair their Christmas decorations for free. With over 600 repair cafes scattered across the UK, there’s likely one near you. If not, why not instigate one in your area?
In East Sussex, we find Bryan McAlley, who has helmed the Chailey Repair Cafe for almost a decade with the assistance of fellow volunteers, the eldest of whom is 93. They are preparing for a festive repair session in December. “We do a lot of carving knife sharpening at this time of year,” McAlley shares. They repair everything from damaged decorations to worn-out kitchen equipment. Visitors are encouraged to observe the repair process, facilitating learning.
McAlley is passionate about this movement, which significantly reduces waste during a season typically known for excess. Additionally, it provides a social lifeline. “There’s a social buzz to the place. The atmosphere is always upbeat, it’s a lot of fun,” he notes.
If your festive equipment is beyond repair, the city of Dundee offers a unique solution. Their designer Christmas trees, now in their fourth year, maintain the city’s Unesco City of Design status without chopping down a single fir tree. Local artisans construct these trees from recycled or reused materials like bed slats, tin cans, and old road signs.
Woodworker Louise Forbes and jeweller Islay Spalding have created their tree from discarded musical instruments. The tree, adorned with a cello scroll, showcases parts from various instruments, including violins, guitars, drums, bagpipes, a glockenspiel, and even an abandoned piano found on the street. “It was a really fun project,” Forbes reflects. “Taking these instruments apart and putting them together to create a sculptural piece.”
Spalding agrees, expressing sadness for the broken instruments that have lost their musical life. She feels the project gives them a chance to “live and breathe again.” Their creation even generates its own mellifluous music. “We kind of made an instrument out of instruments,” Forbes asserts.
This sustainable approach extends to their personal decorations as well, with Spalding using trinkets collected over the years, including “toy trucks that belonged to my dad when he was wee.” Both artists advocate for a circular approach to the festive season. “It’s amazing what you can make with your own waste or recycling,” Forbes affirms. Spalding also points to the creative boost that comes from reusing materials and encourages individuals to detach from their phones and engage with their surroundings more deeply.
Nature also offers an array of materials for DIY Christmas creators. Lowri Johnston, a sustainable flower farmer in Carmarthenshire, south west Wales, designs Christmas wreaths from foraged foliage such as ivy and dried strawflowers. “Most people could probably go out and find enough material to fill a wreath themselves,” she suggests. Johnston also hosts workshops where attendees create wreaths using various elements. “The smell is lush, and people love the mindful aspect,” she mentions. “Making a wreath is a way to celebrate what the season is giving us.”
Main image: cottonbro studio
