Organic tree and wrapping paper

Christmas is known not only as a festival of peace and joy, but also of consumerism and mountains of waste. The following tips show that the holiday can be celebrated in a more environmentally friendly way without having to give up anything.

The Christmas tree has been a tradition in Germany for centuries. Around 25 million Christmas trees grace German living rooms every year. Most of these are specially cultivated for the occasion and have often traveled a long way before arriving at their owners' homes. A good alternative is locally grown trees. Ask your local forester; you might even be able to choose and cut your own Christmas tree. Buying an organic Christmas tree also helps protect the environment. According to consumer protection agencies, good organic certifications include Bioland, Naturland, Demeter, the EU organic label, and the FSC certificate.

Potted trees are becoming increasingly popular; instead of ending up in the trash after the holidays, they are replanted by the "landlord," a local tree nursery or regional forestry office. However, not every tree survives the temperature change from outdoors to indoors and back again.

The annual post-Christmas gift-giving spree is mountains of wrapping paper. Those who don't want to reuse the decorative wrapping can use eco-friendly wrapping paper made from recycled materials or decorate simple brown kraft paper with colorful designs. According to the German Federal Environment Agency, this kraft paper doesn't use virgin wood fibers and is produced in a water- and energy-efficient manner.

Speaking of energy: Use energy-saving light bulbs and LED bulbs (which are also available for string lights) to reduce your electricity consumption for Christmas lights. Timers for the Christmas tree are inexpensive. Smart Christmas lights, such as string lights, nets, and curtains, can be controlled via an app.