Whether you jump out of bed at 6am to open your Christmas presents or prefer a glass of bucks fizz before getting stuck in, there’s no denying that giving and receiving gifts is one of the highlights of Christmas Day.

But, if you’re anything like us, the scene can quickly get messy. What started as beautifully wrapped gifts under the tree quickly descended into piles of wrapping paper, ribbons and tags all over the floor… with someone in the family nominated to clear up after.

While a long time ago we may have just shoved everything into a bin bag to throw away, over the last few years, most of us have become a lot more aware of sustainability and want to recycle everything we can. But, this can be hard at Christmas, as you find yourself wondering whether glitter-covered paper or velvet ribbons can be recycled or whether they’re destined for landfill.

The good news is there are plenty of ways to make more sustainable choices when sorting through paper, cards and more. Here are some top tips to help you have your most eco-friendly Christmas yet.

Wrapping paper

Not sure whether your wrapping paper can be recycled? The Waste and Resources Protection Programme (WRAP) recommends doing the ‘scrunch test’. Take your paper and scrunch it into a ball: if it bounces back, it contains plastic and can’t be recycled, but if it stays as a ball – recycle it. It’s also worth noting that anything covered in glitter can’t be recycled.

Christmas cards

The great news here is that most Christmas cards can be recycled at home by just popping them in your normal recycling bin. The only exception to this is cards covered in glitter or foil – and WRAP also suggests moving any adornments, like bows, before recycling.

Ribbons and bows

As these can’t be recycled, why not think about how you can repurpose them, instead? If you’re planning a Christmas crafting session, ribbons will certainly come in handy – and velvet bows can be repurposed as hair accessories or sweet finishing touches on your favourite homeware pieces.

Christmas crackers

It can be complicated to know whether your Christmas crackers can be recycled, so take a look at what they’re made from and decide from there. You can also take them apart to recycle what you can. For example, even if you have glitter-covered crackers that can’t be recycled, you should be able to recycle the hats or jokes that come inside them.

Fairy lights

While the best thing to do with these is to repurpose them, WRAP says that fairy lights can be recycled with other small electrical items at your local recycling centre. It also advises that some local authorities will collect these, as will some local supermarkets, so it’s worth checking there too.

Images: Getty