View image in fullscreen Guardian journalism is independent. We earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more .
The festive season isn’t known for its sustainability. This year, eschew throwaway decorations in favour of long-lasting, waste-free finds that you’ll use year after year
Hannah Rochell Thu 5 Nov 2026 11.00 CET Share Prefer the Guardian on Google I met a woman one January who told me that every year she throws away her tree with all the decorations attached, and then just buys everything new the following year. Not only is this horrendous, environmentally speaking, but she’s missing out on the best bit, as far as I am concerned. For me, Christmas is all about nostalgia and sentimentality, and nothing speaks to that like taking the tatty little robin made of real feathers that belonged to my grandparents out of its storage box and nestling it into the branches of my tree.
My favourite day of the festive period isn’t actually Christmas Day, or even Christmas Eve. It’s the day that we get the decorations down from the loft. I’ll start sorting and unpacking from 1 December, sprucing up anything that needs some TLC – some of my stuff is older than me, after all. Although I do often treat myself to a couple of new, carefully chosen pieces, I love getting out all the bits and bobs I’ve been collecting over the years. It’s like being reunited with old friends.
With that in mind, here are 12 reusable festive things I have either been enjoying for years or am seriously considering buying.
The first item to make its way into the living room is my screen-printed robin cushion cover by the designer Joy Jolliffe. It’s not overtly Christmassy, which means it’s perfectly acceptable to put it out early. Mine isn’t available any more (you can find Jolliffe’s lovely non-festive designs here ), but try Etsy for something similar, like this mid-century-style one.
View image in fullscreen Scandinavian village cushion cover
A knitted cosy Festive feast: a knitted turkey cosy turns a Terry’s Chocolate Orange into a Christmas treat A village hall craft fair is a great place to pick up quirky handmade decorations and gifts. A few years ago, I stumbled across a lady who had made a selection of tiny tea cosies that fit perfectly over a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. There was a pudding, a Father Christmas, a penguin and – the one I opted for – a turkey. Ever since, I’ve bought a Terry’s Chocolate Orange early in the season so the turkey can be plump again. There are patterns available all over the internet, like this one.
View image in fullscreen Photograph: Hannah Rochell/The Guardian Terry’s Chocolate Orange knitting pattern
Swedish angel chimes You always knew it was Christmas in my childhood home because of the quiet “ting ting ting” of Mum’s beloved Swedish angel chimes. The heat from the candles makes the angels spin, allowing them to hit the chimes as they fly past. This classic design has been around since the 1940s, but you can still buy new chimes if you aren’t, like me, planning to pilfer one from your parents.
A pixie with treat pockets I’ve been collecting Christmas pixies and gnomes since I bought my first 15 years ago at a Christmas market in Vienna. You’ll find them, in various sizes, dotted around the house in surprising places. Perhaps atop a mirror in the hallway, say, or on the cistern in the downstairs loo. And this, reader, might be my next one: it has pockets! The idea is to hide a treat in each…