With all the joy that Christmas brings, it also brings a lot of waste. Endless plastic toys, mountains of wrapping paper and over-catered lunches don’t exactly leave the planet jumping for joy.

But the festive period doesn’t have to mean all your green efforts go out the window. With a few simple swaps and hacks, we can all do our bit to minimise what ends up in landfill this festive season.

1.Smart wrapping

There’s nothing like the garbage bags full of wrapping paper on Christmas morning to act as a visual representation of the mountains of waste that the festivities bring. We’re not ones to put a dampener on the most wonderful time of the year, but it does sting to dwell on just how much Christmas contributes to waste and pollution. The last thing anyone needs during the busy season is another thing added to the mental load: sourcing sustainable packaging. But some clever swaps can a) save you money, and b) means you can clean up the post-gifting mess with a glow of sustainability-smugness.

Set yourself the challenge not to buy any new wrapping paper this year. Use what’s already in the cupboard (no-one minds if the paper has pink fairies as opposed to reindeers) or be creative with whatever you can find around the house. Save old tissue paper, hessian, newspapers and whatever else you can think of. If you have the time and are feeling creative, why not add a little flare by painting or drawing on your makeshift wrapping paper. This can also make a great activity for kids- not only does it keep them involved and entertained for awhile, but your loved ones will appreciate the personal touch.

2. Sustainable meals

Whether you’re catering for a big friends’ get-together or simply trying to feed the family on a busy weeknight, a lot of the supermarket choices we make are packaged with excessive amounts of unnecessary plastic. We’re not suggesting that the busiest time of year is the right moment to swap to organic-only, everything-made-from-scratch extremes, but a few simple swaps can have a big impact.

It’s the time of year where we’re reaching for easy options that save time and brain power, but those convenient frozen meals or last-minute takeaway orders are often packaged in materials that the planet doesn’t love. Instead, grab our ready-made meals when you’re shopping in-store or order ahead online and prepare yourself with meals that are convenient, delicious and 100% recyclable. Oh, and did we mention that our pasta meal packaging is made from post-consumer recycled materials? Happy planet, happy home.

3. Upcycling

No one has bucket loads of time to dedicate to making sustainable homemade gifts, but if we can make even a few of our gift choices a little more planet-conscious, we’re doing our bit to reduce what ends up in landfill. Having a pre-Christmas spring clean can help you rediscover things you no longer want but that may be great for regifting.

Upcycling is a great way of breathing new life into discarded items: turn an old dress into a new skirt, give some old toys a lick of paint or turn some broken necklaces into some new jewelry.

If upcycling isn’t your thing, try making some simple homemade treats: think gourmet relishes, rocky road or artisan jams. Use old jars to package them up, add a bow and a little message, and you’ve got beautiful homemade gifts that save you money, save the planet and really show you care.

You don’t have to make drastic or time-consuming changes to have a positive impact on the planet this Christmas. By simply making a few simple swaps and some more planet-conscious choices, you can contribute to a happier earth and a happier wallet.