1. Start Shwopping

As well as shopping, now you can go Shwopping. All you have to do is swap with your friends to have a fresh set of games to play at Christmas, a different look for your tree, or a makeover for your party frocks. Why not hold a shwopping party - your friends can bring along anything that they want to shwop and you can all have some fun, save some money and know that things have gone to a good home.

2.Start baking

Do it the traditional way by making staples like Christmas cake and pudding yourself.    Many of the key ingredients (flour, bread, butter, fruit) can often be found locally and organically, while others like sugar and raisins can be sourced through ethical trade. It's also great fun to do with the kids.

3. Start wiping out waste

Christmas is notorious for producing piles of rubbish - ever had trouble fitting all your Christmas waste into the bin?  Choose presents that are not over-packaged, for example if buying toiletries consider hand-picking individual items rather than going for a gift-box - this can often work out cheaper too.  Save wrapping paper to use again next year and/or choose paper (not foil) that can be recycled.

4. Start loving your leftovers

Have a few recipes on-hand to make the most of any leftovers.  Bubble and Squeak is a great dish to use up any potatoes, vegetables including Brussels sprouts or bits of bacon.  Or how about Christmas pudding ice-cream?  These and other great ideas can be found at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com , which also gives advice on how to compost any left-overs.

5. Start gifting your time

There's nothing quite like receiving a thoughtful, hand-crafted gift, so why not start spending your time in making your own presents? If you're concerned that a gift might just gather dust then you could give vouchers or 'experiences' to family and friends. How about lessons to teach a skill that you have (trombone lessons!), or a promise to babysit?

6. Start wearing vintage

Visit vintage & charity shops to find a unique outfit for the big Christmas party or even for Christmas day itself. Whilst you are shopping for your outfit look out for some great gift options too. Our article on charity shop chic highlights a few special shops; or you can visit the Charity Retail Association website (http://www.charityretail.org.uk) for a full database of their member shops' locations.

7. Start singing

Search out local carol concerts - often organised by schools or community groups. Join in the singing, eat the mince pies and support your local community. Great entertainment consuming minimal resources.

8. Start decorating

Christmas decorations can be made from a variety of materials from both inside and out of the house. Try garlands made from garden evergreens, pinecones and dried slices of orange; or angels made from old Christmas wrapping paper; or use a mirror as a base for a table decoration, piled high with candles, dried fruit and broken bits of tinsel. You can even make Christmas decorations out of light bulbs. http://www.allfreecrafts.com/decorations/lightbulb.shtml

9. Start recycling your Christmas cards

It is estimated that up to a billion Christmas cards are sent each year in the UK alone, producing about 20,000 tonnes of waste.  Start reducing this by taking your cards to a Woodland Trust recycling point.  More information can be found here at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/take-part/recycle/cards/pages/christmas.aspx .  Choose FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council) or recycled cards.  Christmas cards can also be turned into great gift tags.

10. Start using the train

Consider a winter break in the UK rather than flying abroad.  The last two years have seen excellent snow conditions in Scotland.  If you need a bit more sun then take the overnight train (www.eurostar.com/ski ) and get an extra day on the European slopes.

11. Start playing games

Going back to tradition, enjoy an afternoon of games with family and friends.  Charades is a traditional favourite but there are many others to choose from. The V&A has some ideas to keep children amused and burn off some calories from the Christmas lunch. ( www.vam.ac.uk/moc/childrens_lives/parlour_games/index.html ).

12. Start saving on your bills

If you are leaving the house for a few days then it probably doesn't need to be fully heated for all that time.  Either switch the heating off, set it to a lower temperature or programme it to only come on for an hour each day.  Remember also to unplug the fairy lights and anything else left on standby.

13. Start decorating a real Christmas tree

Real Christmas trees have the advantage of being locally produced, naturally biodegradable and smelling nice.  While growing trees every year does take some resources, these are generally renewable and the process does not have the same pollution risks as the production of PVC often used in artificial trees.  Trees can be collected for chipping rather than being left for landfill.  Even better, if you have space, keep a tree in a planter in the garden and re-use it every year.

14. Start making your own crackers

Christmas crackers can be a unique treat by making them yourself and including small gifts that friends or family would really appreciate.  Get hold of some cracker snaps and then use old toilet rolls and wrapping paper to create your own, with anything you choose to go inside.

15. Start lagging your pipes

Frozen pipes are not only irritating but are very costly, could flood your home and have the potential to waste hundreds of gallons of water.  Thankfully, frozen pipes are easily avoidable. Check out your local water provider for advice on how to fix burst pipes should the worst happen. In the meantime, try taking pre-emptive action now: use foam rubber or fiberglass insulation to cover all exposed lengths and joints of the pipe.  You could also improve your home's insulation more generally to prevent chilly drafts of winter air.

16. Start exercising outdoors

Gym memberships soar at the turn of the New Year as everybody rushes in to burn off the traditional holiday excess.  This year, instead of using the gym where treadmills, Jacuzzis, the lighting, TV's and radios all use phenomenal amounts of energy, why not embrace nature and run outside instead?  It's lighter on your wallet and it'll get you some fresh air too.

17. Start visiting a local farm

Instead of the traditional post Christmas walk, why not take the kids to a local farm and show them where eggs really come from or how compost is made.  Local city farms are popping up across our larger cities without many people being aware of what lies behind the city farm fence. See http://www.farmgarden.org.uk for details.

18. Start giving food

If you want to give a gift you know isn't going to just sit at the back of a cupboard, try making some home-made cakes or sweets, or buy some organic or fair-trade treats, for example Scottish shortbread, local cider and Fairtrade chocolate-dipped dried fruits.

19. Start using your local market

Suss out your local markets and get there early, thereby buying locally and snapping up a bargain.  Farmers Markets provide great sustainably sourced food options as well as gift ideas - (http://www.farma.org.uk ).

20. Start making your own drinks

Homemade wine is great at this time of year and a novel way to impress your friends.  If you source locally grown produce, then not only will you be helping your community but you will be acting more sustainably by reducing air miles.  There are many great guides to get you started including http://www.home-winemaking.com .

And finally one for the New Year,

Start pledging - make a New Year's resolution to start living more sustainably. Visit our website in the New Year to find out more.