A no-waste Christmas

The economy is quite bonkers when retailers depend upon Christmas spending to survive, and the shops are full of stuff which will pause only briefly on its way to landfill.

Waste is everywhere. Even gifts can be unwanted waste. Decorations and beautiful cards and calendars are thrown out, instead of being kept for another Christmas,

Real Christmas is when gifts are needed, and durability and economy are important. Cards are recycled around friends. ''This is a recyclable card'. Send out your extra specially good new Christmas cards unmarked, with your insert of greetings and the message 'This is a recyclable card' so that recipients can send on its loveliness to others.The best cards are kept for years, and displayed as your own National Gallery. Decorations are kept as family traditions. Wrappings are scarves or baskets that can be re-used.

Children can be taken to choose a present that costs under so much – often what they wish is surprisingly cheap. (Often the cardboard box of the toy is played with more than the toy itself as it is.) Father Christmas is a 'pretend' they can join in if they wish – and they always wish to join in such a nice 'pretend'.

Much of your Christmas can be giving to the people who need your help.

Enjoy your Christmas – no rush of shopping or duty presents, but fun for everyone.

What do you want for Christmas?

We want a happy time for everyone, and happy memories afterwards. Friendship, kindness and peace on earth.

Looking around, you can see so many ways to make this a No-Waste Plenty-Fun Christmas, with Father Thriftmas.

What has gone wrong when people do not like Christmas?

What has gone wrong is waste. You should not let yourselves in for anything that you think is silly or wasteful or a hassle.

All over the world, people celebrate Christmas, regardless of religion, because it is a good idea, to enjoy giving, to enjoy receiving, to celebrate together, meet up families together, enjoy our children, and to celebrate a little baby and the birth of hope once again.