In collaboration with Rock & Bird, North Berwick, here are two Christmas crafts to help keep your holidays holly, jolly and eco-friendly!

The trees are being dressed, the wine is being mulled, the mince pies are being warmed and it can only mean one thing……Christmas is coming!

I love bringing the colours, smells and sounds of Christmas into my home through decorations. I’m definitely not alone in this feeling as decorating the house lifts the mood of 75% of Brits surveyed. (Furn, 2025)

But there is a downside. Each year, thousands of tonnes of Christmas decorations are thrown away in the UK, with one estimate suggesting around 12,500 tonnes end up in landfill – roughly the weight of the Eiffel Tower - - ooh la laa! 😢 (Mattress Online, 2019). That’ s a lot of wasted money, materials and Christmas sparkle.

In this guide, created with North Berwick independent art shop Rock & Bird, you will find:

Why local and handmade decorations are better for your wallet and the planet
A step‑by‑step guide to papercut baubles
A step‑by‑step guide to paper chains (plus an easy kit option)
How these crafts make lovely, low‑waste gifts

Why decorate more sustainably?

A few simple changes can keep Christmas joyful without piling up waste. Reusing and repairing decorations you already own is the best first step, and when you do want something new, choosing local or handmade makes a real difference.

Shopping locally keeps money circulating in East Lothian, supports independent shops like Rock & Bird and cuts transport emissions from long delivery chains.
Handmade decorations usually use fewer resources than mass‑produced plastic items, can often be repaired or adapted, and are more likely to use recyclable, paper‑based materials.

Most importantly, making things together is fun. These crafts are designed to be relaxing, low‑pressure and suitable for doing with children, friends or on a cosy solo evening. Get a glass of fizz or mulled apple juice and enjoy slowing down (Sarah has already scheduled this in the diary for when everyone is out!)

This is why we have teamed up with the lovely North Berwick art shop, Rock & Bird (Eh39 4HQ) to show you two ways you can add homemade sparkle to your decorations this Christmas! You’ll find more inspiration on their website

Craft 1: Papercut baubles (one for the grown-ups)

First on our list are these effective papercut baubles that cast lovely light into your room!

You will need:

🦌Card

🛷Printer or drawing supplies to make the bauble template

⭐Adults only - Scalpel (these can be quite sharp so please be careful!). You can use sharp scissors for this.

🦌Cutting board

🛷Scissors

⭐String

🦌Tissue Paper

Step‑by‑step

Choose your bauble design and print or draw onto a piece of card. You can use a template like below, create your own design or ask Rock & Bird for ideas.
Place the card on to your cutting board (an important step for your innocent table or worktop!)
Use the scalpel (or scissors) to carefully cut out the “inner” decoration on the bauble (the parts shown as solid on your template). Take your time and keep fingers well clear of the blade.
Cut around the outline of the bauble so you have the final shape ready, having removed the excess card from around the shape.
Place the bauble onto tissue paper, trace around it and cut out a matching circle. If you prefer, cut lots of smaller tissue shapes in different colours to create a ‘stained-glass’ mosaic effect.
Fix the tissue paper to the back of the bauble using a glue stick, spray glue or tape so that it covers all the cut‑out sections.
Punch a small hole at the top if you like, and tie on a piece of string or ribbon to hang it. You can also stick the bauble straight onto a window without the string.
Hang your bauble with a light source behind and enjoy the glow.

Craft 2: Classic paper chains

A classic Christmas craft to add a nostalgic warmth to your home! This craft is a fun one to do with kids!

You will need:

🦌Card

🛷Scissors

⭐Ruler

🦌 Stapler, double sided tape or glue for securing the links

Choose your paper. Mix colours, patterns or textures, or pick one style for a more minimal look. Rock & Bird have loads of choices - including card made from seaweed!
If you want to add your own drawings or messages, decorate the sheets now – this is a lovely way to capture children’s artwork as a keepsake.
Use a ruler to mark out even strips. A classic chain from A4 paper uses strips about 3 cm wide, giving seven strips per sheet, but you can choose any size as long as you keep it consistent.
Take a strip and make a loop, secure the two ends in place with whatever adhesive you have. Rock + Bird told me that stapling is the most durable option, but mixing metal/glue and paper makes them less recyclable in the long run. It’s a balance eh? Sarah suggests a plastic free glue or paper tape.
Thread the next strip through the first loop, form another loop and secure it.
Keep repeating the process until your chain is as long as you like – across a doorway, along a mantlepiece or around the tree.

Easy‑mode option: pre‑cut kit

Alternativelyyyyy… if you are crafting with younger children or want to save time, Rock & Bird stock East End Press paper chain kits. These are:

Pre‑cut and hand printed on recycled paper
Long enough to make up to 10 metres of chains
Activated with just a little moisture on the ends, so you can avoid glue with very young crafters

East End Press Paper Chain Kit in red packaging available at Rock and Bird Art Shop, North Berwick

A time for joy and a time for giving!

Both these items would be perfect as a gift! Especially when it’s estimated that approximately £42 million worth of British Christmas gifts are thrown out each year, with most ending up in landfill (Government, 2024). A handmade bauble or paper chain, especially one personalised for the recipient, is far more likely to be treasured and kept. Surely, only a Grinch would throw out a handmade present!?