The confectionery section in supermarkets has been announcing it for a long time – we're rapidly approaching Christmas, and the familiar classics are already playing on the radio everywhere. In just a few days, the first door of the Advent calendar will be opened. Unfortunately, many Advent calendars generate unnecessary plastic waste and often contain unusable odds and ends or unhealthy chocolate. However, there are now increasingly better alternatives and a variety of sustainable Advent calendars .
You can find our best recommendations and ideas for your homemade sustainable Advent calendar here!
DIY sustainable Advent calendar
Homemade is always the best! We'll show you how to make a sustainable Advent calendar filled with great products!
The Advent calendar itself
Most Advent calendars available for purchase in stores are often made of a lot of junk. In addition to the calendar itself, which is usually made of plastic and cardboard, the 24 surprises are often wrapped separately. Of course, you should ideally avoid this with your homemade Advent calendar . Here are a few ideas for implementing it:
- Toilet paper rolls and newspaper : Recycling at its finest! You can make wonderful little doors out of toilet paper rolls. Simply wrap them in newspaper, fill them with the contents, and then either crumple the ends so the surprise doesn't fall out or tie them with jute ribbon. Depending on your household, you might want to start collecting toilet paper rolls early.
- Fabric bags: Once purchased, small fabric bags can be reused again and again, ensuring that more waste isn't generated every December. PS: Our Oceanmata fabric bags, which our phone cases come in, are also perfect for this!
- Paper lunch bags : Okay, we admit. This creates waste in the long run, but it's still a more sustainable and affordable alternative. Simply pack the 24 surprises in paper lunch bags. You can find them at drugstores, for example. And after the "door" has been opened, the bag can simply be used for the next lunch.
- Use what's around : Do you have a little bit of everything at home? Then just look around, get creative, and make a colorful Advent calendar! Whether it's toilet paper rolls, empty jars, packaging, cloth bags, cans... anything goes – the more colorful, the better!
24 ideas for 24 doors
The most important thing about Advent calendars is, of course, the contents. That's why we've collected 24 inspirations for fairly produced, sustainable, and meaningful little gifts. And the best part: the contents are suitable for everyone and gender-neutral!
- A turtle sponsorship through Oceanmata. The certificate can then be printed out and included in the Advent calendar. You can also christen the symbolic turtle, and updates will be sent via email over a period of two months.
- Tea bags , for example from Sonnentor or Pukka . You can also distribute the bags across multiple doors if you're running out of ideas.
- Spices from Just Spices . How about raclette spice, cookie spice, or speculaas spice?
- Solid shampoo from Klar Seifen for more sustainability in the bathroom .
- Beeswax cloths from the small Augsburg start-up beeamo .
- Glass drinking straws from HALM . Also available with funny sayings, for example, for New Year's Eve, Bavaria, or even with personalized engraving.
- Candles made from rapeseed that do not contain environmentally harmful palm oil.
- Chocolate from Tony Chocolonely . The Dutch company fights for the abolition of slavery in the cocoa industry.
- Small snacks, like nuts or dried fruit. They're also great to buy at your local farmer's market, and they keep well!
- Homemade Christmas decorations . You can find inspiration in this blog post from us.
- Solid soap for facial cleansing from Rosenrot .
- Something that, of course, shouldn't be missed during Advent: mandarins ! They can be bought fresh and unpackaged and are harvested during the winter months, at least in Southern Europe.
- A coral sponsorship from Oceanmata. Here, too, you can print out the certificate, and the recipient will receive regular updates on the project via email.
- Another great idea: simply make your own mulled wine spices and include a voucher for a mulled wine for two.
- A bamboo toothbrush from The Humble Co. Available in almost every drugstore these days.
- Vegan chocolates . You can find great recipes here .
- A cotton fruit and vegetable bag for your next shopping trip.
- Organically certified coffee from Martermühle . The roastery is located on a farm in Bavaria.
- Did you know that chewing gum contains plastic? A better alternative and a great surprise is the plastic-free and vegan chewing gum from True Gum . It's also increasingly available in drugstores and supermarkets.
- Another step towards zero waste: Replace tube-filled toothpaste with toothpaste tablets .
- Incredibly delicious drinking chocolate from Zotter . Available in every organic store.
- Homemade deodorant cream made from shea butter, baking soda, and jojoba oil. Find out how to make it here .
- Relaxing essential oils . Available in stores or, for example, from Primavera . A real hit, especially during the hectic Christmas season!
- The all-rounder : shower gel, scrub and body lotion in one from the natural cosmetics brand puremetics.
More ideas for your homemade Advent calendar
But it doesn't always have to be something material, and if time or distance no longer allows you to gather 24 little things and pack them into an Advent calendar, we have a few more ideas for you on how you can still sweeten the Advent season for your loved ones!
- 24 note messages – You don't need anything other than paper and a pen. Your creativity will be much more challenged here! Surprise your loved ones with sweet messages about the time leading up to Christmas. These could be shared memories, loving words, sayings, poems, recipes, etc.
- 24 photos - To keep the memories alive: How about printing 24 photos of your shared moments, putting them in envelopes, labeling them, and attaching them to a string or string of lights with wooden clips?
- 24 homemade gingerbread cookies - We admit, this will require an evening or two in the kitchen, but how about homemade gingerbread? All you need are four different types (frosted, plain, milk frosted, dark chocolate frosted, etc.), which you then alternately place in the doors.
- The digital Advent calendar – my personal favorite, and one I'll probably implement soon. You can create your own personalized Advent calendar via Türchen.com and fill it with pictures, kind words, links to your favorite videos, GIFs, and much more.
Sustainable Advent Calendars 2021
Of course, we completely understand if you don't have the time for a homemade Advent calendar but still want to make your loved ones happy, or if you're simply still looking for one for yourself! And admittedly, the Advent calendars available for purchase are becoming increasingly more sensible and sustainable. You can find our absolute recommendations for your sustainable Advent calendar 2021 here:
For the mindful
Deeply relax through the Advent season with the " 24 Days of Yoga Happiness " Advent calendar. It's available at Thalia for €8.50 and, thanks to its slim format, fits in any pocket. 24 cards with simple yoga exercises and mindfulness training will guide you through this sometimes stressful time.
For true trendsetters
Looking for something a little bigger? Then we recommend the vegan and sustainable Advent calendar from TrendRaider . It contains high-quality surprises from the worlds of fashion, food, wellness, and design . The calendar costs €149.95, and the products included are worth around €400!
For the chocolate mice
For those with a sweet tooth, this year's Advent calendar from The Nu Company is just what you need. Filled with chocolate treats —organic and vegan—new products, and exciting tips, tricks, recipes, and inspiration, it's available for €54.99 in the online shop.
For tea lovers
Small but mighty! That's the best way to describe Sonnentor 's Advent calendar! This minimalist calendar is filled with 24 delicious, festive organic teas . Instead of opening a door, you simply pull out a new tea bag each day, thus saving a lot of packaging waste. This Advent calendar is completely plastic-free and priced at just €4.99.
For the unconventional
Under the motto "The New Normal," " Stop the Water While Using Me!" is kicking off the Christmas season with a very special Advent calendar. It features only six doors and is intended to encourage a change of mindset . The calendar costs 79 euros and includes natural cosmetics and skincare products.
For those who value tradition
Is chocolate still your favorite, and you want something fair and affordable? Then we have the perfect solution for you! The Chocolate Advent Calendar from GEPA. 24 doors filled with organic milk chocolate and 100% Fair Trade. All for just €3.49.
For the sustainable beauty queens
The sustainable start-up Jungglück specializes in sustainable and cruelty-free natural cosmetics and skincare products, so we're all the more excited about their 2021 Advent calendar ! You can look forward to 24 amazing products, some of them life-size, and treat yourself and your body to a truly wonderful December. The price for the Advent calendar is €149.
For the intellectuals
Do you want to continue learning and be inspired during the Advent season? Then "The Smartest Advent Calendar in the World" by Down to Earth is just the thing for you! The calendar contains little booklets about 24 inspiring figures from world history. Among them are Nelson Mandela, Coco Chanel, and Marie Curie. The calendar is available from Avocadostore for €58, and the great thing about it is that you can simply give it away as a gift next year.
For the heart people
The Christmas season often reminds us to think about the people around us and to remember to be kind. With this calendar, you support a good deed every day, as the purchase price of €24 will be donated to 24 aid organizations worldwide. An Advent calendar that's socially sustainable and, thanks to the absence of plastic, also environmentally friendly!
For those in love
Time together as a couple often gets lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But to celebrate this special time with your partner, we highly recommend the Paarzeit Advent calendar. Give yourself the gift of time together with 24 great ideas and inspirations, and plant a tree at the same time with your purchase! The Advent calendar is available in three different versions, starting at €24, and the packaging is completely plastic-free.
For the hobby gardeners
Get excited for spring now, when you can finally plant the treasures from this Seed Ball Advent Calendar in your own garden! This lovingly designed calendar contains 24 different Seed Balls with seeds for flowers, herbs, as well as vegetable and salad mixes. The Advent calendar is available for €29.50 via Etsy.
For all
With so many great sustainable Advent calendars, choosing is naturally difficult. However, we shouldn't forget that the Christmas season is so much more than just giving and receiving gifts. Because Christmas in your heart is the most precious gift of all and what truly matters! With that in mind, we wish you a peaceful time !
By the way: Want more tips on how to combine Advent and sustainability ? Feel free to check out our blog ! Last year, we wrote several articles on the topic, and you'll find tips on sustainable Christmas decorations , sustainable gifts , and even recipes for a vegan Christmas menu !
