Christians should go easier on the earth in Advent and Christmas say the team at A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand, who have set out a comprehensive list of ideas to help churches and Christian whānau "Refuse a rubbish Christmas". 

"The season of Advent is the time of preparation to celebrate the Lord's coming at Christmas. It is a time of waiting and hope. It is also a precious time when things are more spacious - a window of time to allow us reflect on how we can do things differently." A Rocha said this week.

"We are inviting people to consider how we can journey into Christmas in a different way - in a way that is more in harmony with creation." 

A Rocha, which works across the majority of Aotearoa New Zealand churches, encourages congregations to use 'gentler on the planet' Advent and Christmas ideas which are plentiful on its Sustainable Christmas resources page. 

Creation-friendly ideas for Advent in 2025 include:

Homemade sweet treats Advent calendars

Attractive and easy-to-make reusable Advent calendars can help whānau avoid plastic and lower costs. A $10 mini muffin tin (24-cup) can be recovered each year with a cardboard nativity scene, or a colourful children's painting. The 24 numbered doors are made by puncturing the cardboard along the lower outline of each muffin cup, leaving just enough without holes to act as a hinge. Before pegging the cardboard to the front of the tin, fill each cup with long-lasting homemade sweets such as Russian or chocolate fudge, hokey-pokey or milk-free coconut ice. A great idea for families with dairy, soy or gluten-free needs and ready to use again each year. 

Zero-pine Advent wreaths

Unless you have wilding pines or out-of-control ivy to prune, Advent wreaths can lead to wasteful cutting of healthy foliage that's otherwise doing its bit to soak up carbon. Instead you could follow the churches that adorn their Advent wreaths with paua shells, driftwood and putiputi (reusable flax lilies) and other woven items. These wreaths stay looking good all Advent, feel more like Aotearoa and don't use up extra greenery each week. In this Youtube video Pamela Gill from EcoMatters Environment Trust explains how to harvest harakeke and craft raranga putiputi. 

A Rocha's ideas for a more eco-friendly Christmas also include:

The Xmas Op-shop gift challenge

The Op Shop challenge responds to the environmental cost gifts in their millions made new each Christmas. To counter resource overuse and packaging waste, the op shop challenge invites each whānau member to buy a present from a second-hand shop for each other. Whānau can make it a comedy challenge, aim for the best bargain, or find the highest quality items at the lowest cost.

Cloth gift bags and wrappers

Choosing a potted Christmas tree is not the only way Christians can save trees at Christmastime. Opting for fabric wrapping saves on the environment, plus on time and money. Cloth bags with a drawstring ribbon are great if you can sew them (check Youtube), but any large bright piece of fabric hemmed (or for some, cut with pinking shears) can be tied with ribbons around gifts. These make reusable gift wrappers that are useful for swapping inside the family for years. At the same time, your local op shop or fabric store will likely feature Aotearoa and Pacific patterns to help locate your Christmas wrappings in the south Pacific. 

More eco-friendly Advent and Christmas ideas are available on the A Rocha Sustainable Christmas resources page.