1. Shop small We all love the convenience of a supermarket but shopping in small, local businesses for your Christmas food is a great way to cut down on food miles and support local suppliers with traceability. See if your nearest farm shop takes Christmas orders and speak to them about the best day to visit to pick up vegetables.
You’ll be able to find out exactly where the meat and veg you buy comes from. If you don’t have a suitable shop nearby, order online through a veg box scheme with special Christmas deliveries, or a that’s committed to . 2.
Make your own crackers Did you know you can make Christmas crackers using the cardboard tube from a toilet roll? This resourceful, money-saving trick has been a Christmas tradition in my household since I was a child. My sister and I help my mum make the crackers for our (very large) extended family on Christmas Eve. You’ll need some snaps (from a party store or easily found online), the toilet rolls, individually wrapped chocolates or sweets, jokes written on a slip of paper, your gift of choice, some recyclable wrapping paper (something relatively light) and some ribbon.
Put the snap through the toilet roll tube so it sits centrally, then fill the tube with your joke and gifts. Wrap the tube in paper that’s slightly longer than the snap, then tie some ribbon at either end of the toilet roll tube to seal and make handles for the cracker. As you’re making them yourself, you can personalise the contents of each cracker .