Seasonal Friday...

Be creative to cut back on rubbish this Christmas.

Next market Sunday Nov 14th 8am - 1pm

Our Boutique Markets are full of fantastic and eco-friendly gifts, made often by hand, made locally and best of all made without the crazy over packaging!

Buying locally made gifts is a way to support local artists and craftspeople, without the environmental cost of freight. You can meet the artists and creators and find out what goes into their work, where they source the raw materials, how long it takes them to make it etc.

Using less in the first place is always better than recycling in the end. Think about buying gifts which don’t contribute to non-biodegradable waste such as living plants or natural fibre gifts.

• Think creatively about wrapping gifts. Re-use wrapping paper (or at least save paper from this year for use next Christmas). Can you wrap presents in fabric or make the wrapping part of the gift? Wrap a kitchen themed gift in a tea towel or use a new beach towel to wrap a swimming toy. Let creativity reign!
• Make gift tags out of old Christmas cards. Cut out the cardboard in your favourite shape, punch a hole in the top and thread through some string. Write on the back and you’ve got a gift tag.
• Use crockery and cloth napery instead of paper or plastic plates. Christmas is a special occasion and there's no better time to bring out the tablecloth and fancy plates.
  
• Make your own wrapping paper, especially for small gifts, out of scrap paper you’ve printed or decorated yourself. Think differently about wrapping – use magazine pages, newspaper, brown wrap, tissue paper from other purchases. Collect a small stockpile of papers, whenever they come your way.
• Give a plant! A Wollemi Pine, citrus tree, olive tree or herbs are perfect.
  
• Use a santa sack instead of wrapping individual gifts. There are plenty of pretty Christmas stockings or sacks which can be re-used year after year.

Let's get creative this year!