Scandi-style Christmas decor emphasises minimalism, natural elements, and eco-friendly practices. It’s a perfect choice for the conscious consumer.

Photo by Veronika Jorjobert on Unsplash‍ ‍

The Scandi Christmas look is both calming and cosy. Layer neutral tones, use natural fabrics, wood, pinecones, dried fruits and greenery. Add paper and fabric ornaments and use candles liberally to keep the dark at bay. Dark red accents provide interest and subtle contrast.

Whilst there are some beautiful sustainable decorations available to buy, foraging materials adds another dimension to the preparation and provides a deeper connection to nature. DIYing decor is a wonderful way to get into the spirit of the season and experience some festive creative joy.

Our guide is full of ideas for decoration. We’ve tracked down some stunning eco ornaments and garlands from online shops and some fabulous online tutorials as well as simple styling ideas for natural arrangements. We even have some tips for foraging. Enjoy!

Sustainable Tree Options

Let’s start with the traditional holiday centrepiece. The Christmas tree provides a lovely focal point for festive décor and is often the largest of the decorations. Decorating it offers tons of scope for creativity and fun. There is also a wide range of choices available, from real potted trees to tinsel fake ones.

At the top of the chart for sustainability is a potted tree that can be replanted after the holidays, says the FSC. A potted Christmas tree has an ever-increasing climate benefit as it will continue to absorb carbon, as long as it remains potted or is replanted. You can even rent a potted tree that you return in January.

Failing that, go for a locally grown sustainably-sourced cut tree. Plan to recycle your cut tree by registering it with a charity and placing it outside on the day of collection. Charities and some councils will for a donation collect and chip your used tree, repurposing it for garden mulch, alpaca bedding or to help repair riverbanks.

If you do have an artificial tree, it’s much better to use it than to dump it or buy a real tree in addition. The more you use your artificial tree, the lower its environmental impact.

Tree Decorations

There’s a huge range of possibilities for decorating your tree. The main thing is to avoid throwing out decorations and buying new ones each year. Reuse your current decorations and if you want new ones, buy secondhand or sustainable ones. Even better, make your own.

Check out The Danes, a gorgeous sustainable Scandi shop and lifestyle site for beautiful sustainable scandi Christmas décor, including recycled paper tinsel garlands, paper mache baubles, scandi woven star kits and Fair Trade glass decorations. https://thedanes.co.uk/

Oxfam has a lovely range of recycled, Fair Trade, sustainable decorations too.

For the crafty, DIY tree ornaments can be a fun festive project

Make quick and easy baubles using this tutorial https://tinyurl.com/4mjjsybf.

It takes strips of wallpaper, wire and a wooden bead. You can get free samples of wallpaper from DIY shops, making it a very cheap option.

You can make shiny ornaments using tin foil baking trays or tomato puree tubes (the insides are gold in colour!). Simply cut out shapes like angels and stars and add twine hanging loops.

Dried orange slices can be paired with cinnamon sticks to create fragrant hanging decorations or strung together for garlands. Dry your own slowly in a cool oven (max 100°C for several hours on a baking sheet).

Scandi woven star decorations are very attractive. There are loads of online tutorials for making them.

Hero Room Decoration

Some spots in the home cry out for a hero decoration – a big star on the wall, perhaps.

We made an epic three-tier Scandi paper star. It uses 14 sheets of printer paper, so the cost is around 15p (plus a bit for glue and paint).

This is an easy make but it does take some time and requires lots of paper folding – perfect for a family craft session!

We recommend taking time to get the folds accurate, using Mod Podge to glue the paper together rather than PVA which makes the paper distort and takes a long time to dry.

We used a sponge to decorate the edges of our star with gold paint too.

It makes a large star which you can reuse year after year. You can also make multiples of the small tier of the star to hang on walls or your tree.

Scandi star youtube tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao7Er_4TX4A

A hanging branch can be a beautiful and unusual addition to a hallway or window.

Choose a straightish branch and trim to shape. Create strings of small decorations using hessian twine and hang them from the branch. Gold and white paper decorations are very effective but you can add berries and pine cones too or paper mache baubles and scandi stars. Colourcraft is a UK-based company that offers eco-friendly acrylic paints including gold. https://tinyurl.com/2y4xsa9h

Table and Mantel Decorations

A simple centrepiece made with natural materials adds elegance to your table. Choose a soy or beeswax pillar candle, place on a piece of slate or other fireproof tile and surround it with a swirl of ivy, holly, or small pine twigs. Add pinecones, cinnamon sticks and berries if you like.

Pine branches make stunning and simple décor for shelves and mantels. You could a small potted pine tree for height. Potted ivy gives lovely texture and interesting shapes and can be planted after the holidays.

Scatter beeswax or soy votive candles amongst your arrangements (don’t leave lit candles unattended).

Photo by Nataliya Melnychuk on Unsplash‍ ‍

You can buy pinecones to use in decorations but it’s much cheaper (and more fun) to forage them. You’ll need to clean and dry them to prepare them for their new life. Brush any loose debris away, rinse them in cool water and then put them on a baking sheet in the oven for about 30 minutes at 100°C.

Lighting

Candlelight is ideal for creating a warm and inviting ambience, to fend off the dingy weather of winter. Soy and beeswax are good eco-friendly options. Peace with the Wild has a wide range of scented options to add to the sensory experience.

Foraging Tips

A foraging trip can be a lovely activity for families and friends to do together. Make sure everyone knows the rules:

• You can legally forage on common land, around public rights of way and on Forestry Commission Land.

• Stay away from private land unless you have the owner’s permission

• Don’t take too much from a single area; leave plenty for wildlife and regeneration

• Don’t uproot plants or remove large branches.

• Some National Parks do not permit foraging. Check before you start.

• Wrap up for the weather, wear gloves and take secateurs and bags to carry your finds.

• You may only forage for personal, not commercial use.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our guide and feel inspired and equipped to give your home a sustainable Scandi Christmas make-over!

How to do Sustainable Scandi Christmas Decor

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