Sustainable Holiday Decorating

Nicole Castilla

Holiday decorations are some of the most beautiful things one can add to their home to get into the holiday spirit. Christmas lights adorning the outside of a house are very beautiful, but did you know many of them are actually detrimental for the environment and not sustainable? Let’s identify some sustainable decor choices so you can deck the halls without hurting the environment!

LED Lighting

Whenever possible, choose decor with LED lights over regular incandescent light bulbs. LED lights use around 80% less energy than traditional Christmas string lights. This helps reduce energy consumption by a huge number and also helps save on electricity bills. Many holiday decorations that use lights are now made with LED lighting, which is a great win for both the environment and your bank account. According to the Department of Energy, LED lights can last up to thirty times longer than incandescent light bulbs!

LED lights are also perfect for the environment because they are completely recyclable! Stores such as Home Depot and Lowe’s have drop-off containers where you can simply take your LED lights to be recycled at no cost. LED lights are also sustainable due to the fact that they do not contain any mercury or UV radiation, both of which are harmful to people and the environment.

Plastic-Free Decor

Choosing plastic-free holiday decor can help ease the burden of plastic pollution in the environment. From Christmas tree ornaments to outdoor yard decor, plastic decorations are just about everywhere. However, the choice you make matters and when shopping for holiday decorations, simply refuse to buy plastic ones. When it comes to ornaments, get creative and make your own DIY ones from materials such as pinecones or mason jar lids.

Garlands can be made from dried fruit and popcorn, which add cozy holiday charm to any dwelling place. Cardboard snowflakes are another cute choice when creating your own crafts.

Buy Secondhand Decor

If you are planning to purchase decor for the holidays, thrift stores are a great place to shop! Not only is it sustainable to buy secondhand items, but also your wallet will thank you. Many thrift stores have beautiful holiday decorations that are reasonably priced, and they can add the same amount of Christmas charm to your home just as new ones can, for a fraction of the cost. Garage sales are another perfect place to find some holiday decor instead of shopping for new items.

Creative reuse centers are also other great places to shop for secondhand items. These specialized thrift stores usually sell donated excess items from other stores or corporations, or upcycled items like those you would find at your average thrift store. Most creative reuse centers focus on arts and crafts, but some sell much more than just that, including furniture, office and school supplies.

Use What You Already Have

This is one of the best pieces of advice to follow as it relates to sustainability. You don’t always have to go out and buy new things every holiday season. A lot of the time, people buy stuff to use for about a month, and then end up either throwing them away or donating them to a thrift store. Donating or recycling them is always better than discarding them, but it is just not as sustainable as using what you already have. Decorating with the items you already have is a great way to help the environment and also helps keep waste out of landfills.

Reusing the same front yard lights and decorations will still bring holiday happiness the next year and the years after. By using the stuff you already own, you also save money on unnecessary purchases.

Choose Real Christmas Trees Instead of Artificial Ones

Choosing which kind of tree to get for Christmas can be a tough decision, as artificial trees are popular due to their ability to be reused every year and the fact that many of them already come with lights. If you already own an artificial tree, you can keep reusing it over and over for each coming year. But did you know that real Christmas trees are actually better for the environment?

Real Christmas trees are a more sustainable option because they absorb carbon dioxide from the environment during their growth process, which in turn help combat climate change. If you live close to a Christmas tree farm, buy locally-grown ones as shopping locally is always key when shopping sustainably. Christmas tree farms also provide homes for animals as they grow, so they are great to have in the ecosystem.

When disposing of a real Christmas tree, please be sure to recycle it properly. Many cities and towns across the United States have public works programs that will recycle your tree and turn it into mulch or use them for coastal restoration projects.

Last Thoughts

Every action you take to reduce waste in the environment is a major move. Whether it is refusing single-use decorations, taking steps to reduce plastic, or making the switch to LED light bulbs, these small decisions will have a great impact on the environment, not just during the holiday season, but year-round as well.

Citations

1. Bakkila, B. (2025, December 3). People Are Trading Their Seasonal Christmas Lights for This Sustainable Swap. Sunset Magazine. https://www.sunset.com/home-garden/design/permanent-led-outdoor-lights-holiday-decorating

2. LED lighting. Energy.gov. (2025, April 9). https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/led-lighting

3. Chattanooga, E. P. B. (n.d.). Ways to Recycle LED Light Bulbs. Epb.com. https://epb.com/get-connected/energy-tips/ways-to-recycle-led-light-bulbs/

4. Real vs Fake Christmas Tree. (n.d.). Www.nature.org. https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/protect-water-and-land/land-and-water-stories/real-vs-fake-christmas-tree/