Sustainable alternatives for a zero-waste Christmas – How to turn your Christmas tree into a work of art

A total of around 30 million Christmas trees are sold in Germany each year , about 90–95 percent of which are domestically grown. Entire forest areas are cleared for Christmas trees, and the plantations are first established and then sprayed on a large scale, for example, with the controversial broad-spectrum herbicide "RoundUp" (containing glyphosate), so that the monocultures remain free of other plants without the need for labor.

A fir plantation on forest land is also considered forest land. Because of this legal loophole, the cultivation of Christmas trees is considered reforestation, even though it really has little to do with it. Therefore, farmers don't need permits to establish a Christmas tree monoculture in their forests. The laws are supposed to be changed, but not everywhere yet.

If forestry laws everywhere make it clear that a Christmas tree plantation is not a forest, things could get tough for our trees. Before forests in other countries suffer, perhaps we should rethink things:

Given this looming Christmas tree shortage, it's probably urgent that a sustainable Christmas tree alternative be found, at least for all those who want to see the world's forests preserved. The growing zero-waste movement addressing this need.

Here are some ideas on how you could prove yourself a thought leader in this field by building your own Christmas tree, perhaps even as a reusable model:

The self-made Christmas tree made of cardboard

This Christmas tree is perfect for families with children at an age where painting and crafting are still fun. For this Christmas tree, you'll need a giant cardboard sign, ideally as big as a door.

Possible sources include architectural supply stores, where you can get smooth, continuous cardboard in almost any size, and stores that sell things for people who "shouldn't be stupid." A cardboard box from a flat-screen TV can reach considerable dimensions.

Now cut a Christmas tree out of it, really neatly how a child in painting age imagines it. It must now be painted, with ecologically produced, non -toxic and wiped casein color z. B. (placa color is a casein color).

Depending on how much passion your child develops while painting, the cardboard is simply painted green, or becomes a small work of art, with a hinted background, branches and needles.

If there's a DIY enthusiast in the family, they might be able to build a stand for the Christmas tree. If not, it can be attached to a sturdy chair or something similar (in front of it, of course). Perhaps it's even possible to hang it on a door.

That was the preparation – and now this Christmas tree will be decorated together, exactly as family tradition dictates. You can glue the decorations on, pin them to the cardboard, or use small screws with a locknut. This way, the decorations are guaranteed to be safe for children to attach.

Tinsel can, of course, also simply be hung over the edge, and you could install a string of lights securely behind the cardboard; only the candles would be pushed forward through holes in the cardboard.

The Christmas tree as a frame for real fir greenery

Our forests aren't just home to Christmas firs, which grow as quickly as possible and are then cut down. There are also native silver firs, for example, or the Nordmann fir, which was introduced to us from the Caucasus region.

They have even proven to be less susceptible to late frosts than the native noble fir. Because of their deep root system, they are also often planted in mixed forests that are intended to be more resilient – ​​as global warming brings with it increasing storm risk, so to speak, the "fir foliage of the future .

Because that's what it's all about: fir greenery. Silver firs and Nordmann firs in forestry shouldn't be felled immediately. But in many German states, foresters sell fir greenery before Christmas, which is cut from the trees in such a way that they can continue growing.

Both the needles of the white fir and those of the Nordmann fir are ideal to make an alternative Christmas tree with the fir green: Both do not prick, both are nice and dark green, both stay in nature for years at the branch, on their self-made Christmas tree with a little moisture supply.

This is what a homemade, reusable Christmas tree look like: a wooden board cut into the shape of a Christmas tree, with plenty of screwed-in hooks and eyelets for attaching the fir branches. If there's a truly ambitious DIY enthusiast in the family, the Christmas tree might even be three-dimensional, with a kind of "wooden branches" extending from a strong central pole.

This reusable wooden frame is now filled with fresh fir branches every year and then lovingly decorated just like the usual Christmas tree.

If you want to know how much fir needles you need: In the “Sendung mit der Maus” (The Mouse Show) they once counted – for a fir of average Christmas tree height (1.63 m in Germany) you need 187,333 needles.

And this Christmas tree 2.0 from designimdorf GmbH was even nominated for the German Sustainability Award 2022.

The ceramic Christmas tree

If you like to work with sound anyway, you could also potter your Christmas tree. Probably not in a size of 1.63 m, but a small fir tree shape should be easy to manufacture on a turntable.

This could even become a very artistic Christmas tree that beautifies the living room from November to February.

The living Christmas tree

What could be sadder than carelessly discarded Christmas trees? Dietmar Pick from Zorneding, in any case, could no longer bear the sight. Seven years ago, the resourceful tree nursery owner implemented a revolutionary idea: a potted Christmas tree should not end up in the trash after the holidays, but instead be returned to the nursery.

What began as a personal experiment has long since developed into a successful model – sustainable Christmas happiness instead of seasonal waste!

The house tree as a Christmas tree alternative

No one is forcing you to use a conifer as your traditional Christmas tree. Tradition doesn't even require it, because there's a much older tradition you could build on: the Christian "Paradise Games ," which were held on December 24th.

There was a "paradise tree" among them, which could certainly have been a (leafless) deciduous tree . This paradise tree was decorated with apples and other delicacies. It is said that the evergreen Christmas tree evolved from this paradise tree...

Accordingly, there is actually nothing against the wintry beech in front of the house. Maybe not with delicacies if every walker can access, but with self -made decorations and with a chain of lights.

Even more creative ideas for DIY Christmas trees

What does the classic fir tree reveal about your creative personality? Probably little. For those who want to follow their own aesthetic compass during the holiday season, Studio Artemell a YouTube video full of treasures of alternative Christmas decorations.

Here you won't find ordinary glass baubles and tinsel, but rather inspiring ideas for homemade festive decorations that reflect your individual style. The best part? These creative alternatives not only express your personality, but also save you money and are environmentally friendly.

Of course, these are by no means all the ideas for making an alternative Christmas tree. You could also paint your Christmas tree in oil, bake it, knit it, build it from wire and papier-mâché, or cast it as a very large wax candle with several wicks on the sides...