Whilst we are winding down for a well-deserved Christmas, it is a good time to consider the impact of the festivities on the environment. The 3 days of Christmas (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day) account for 5.5% of the UK’s total annual carbon footprint (1). In this blog we will be looking at how we can enjoy Christmas but not at consequent to the environment.

This blog has been adapted from a post shared by Barbour EHS.

Waste:

The waste generated through the festive period is 30% more than the waste created during the rest of the year (1). Packaging alone has a monumental impact on the environment. Around 114,000 tonnes of plastic packaging is being thrown away in the UK each year, that is the equivalent of the weight of 650,000 reindeer (2) Look out for options of reduced packaging on your purchases.

When it comes to wrapping gifts, it is predicted that about 227,000 miles of wrapping paper is used and thrown away each year (2) with a lot of wrapping paper not being recyclable. Try and look out for the recyclable logo when shopping for wrapping paper, avoiding shiny, glittery papers which cannot be recycled.

Giftbags, bows and ribbons can be reused, year after year, saving the environment and money. Over 150 million Christmas cards are sent each year (3), try turning these into next year’s gift tags!

Each year, around 250,000 tonnes of Christmas trees are disposed of (4). Try replanting your Christmas tree or using it for mulch or compost in your garden. If this is not possible, take your tree to a recycling point. You can find your local point here.

Food:

For many, food is an important part of Christmas however is often overbought.

In the UK, approximately 40% of groceries are sold on sale during the Christmas season, which encourages people to overconsume what they don’t need. For many, Christmas is about food, but unfortunately it is estimated that around 42 million meals get wasted over the Christmas period (5). Around 175 million mince pies are purchased each year (using 175 tonnes of aluminium packaging) and approximately 74 million are discarded (6).

Whilst it can be hard to predict your food shops over the Christmas period, try and stick to your plan and ensure you use any food leftovers to avoid them going to waste. Whether that’s freezing for a later date, dropping off at a food bank or turning leftovers into new meals – you can find some inspiration here.

Energy:

In order to cook all of the nation’s 8.5 million turkeys, over 63GWh of energy has to be used. This could power 23,500 homes for a whole year (7). Households are expected to use 7 times more electricity than the daily average (8). A few tips to keep your energy usage down over Christmas:

• Keep the lids on your pans when cooking on the hob
• Let leftovers cool down before freezing
• Turn devices off at the plug
• Turn your heating down when guests are over – the body heat will warm the room!

Sources:

1. Christmas Waste Facts – It’s Not Very Jolly
2. Christmas packaging facts and waste statistics (2025 update)
3. Have a Very Green Christmas – Circular Ecology
4. From puddings to packaging: Inside the UK’s Christmas waste problem – edie
5. Christmas Waste Facts – Tis The Season To Recycle
6. Sustainable festivities: how you can reduce your waste this Christmas – Environment
7. Powering up Christmas: 12 Festive Facts from National Grid | National Grid
8. No Lighty, No Likey: With Brits Set to Use 7× More Electricity on Christmas Day EDF is gifting customers eight hours of free electricity to help households enjoy the festivities | EDF