Every year it’s the same story: Christmas tree real or fake? And above all, which of the two is more sustainable? We revealed it to you in this article, explaining that natural trees have less impact in terms of carbon footprint than artificial trees, unless the latter are conserved for many years. But there is also a third solution, decidedly greener than these two, and that is the construction of a alternative tree with recycled materials.
Cardboard spiral tree
Cut out a cardboard circle and draw several circles of different diameters, starting from the largest to the smallest. Drill 4 holes on each circle and thread nylon thread through them to join them starting from the smallest circle, which will be positioned at the top. Decorate the tree with fake pine and fairy lights.
Paper and cardboard Christmas tree
Create the Christmas tree structure with circles and cardboard strips. Once the base is ready, cover it with strips of dark and light green paper as in the example.
Tree with branches
Get branches of different lengths and join them together with thin wire. Start from the bottom with the longest branch and gradually proceed with the smaller ones.
Tree with gifts
Make (fake) gift packages by covering empty cardboard boxes with gift paper, then place them on the ground and add more, giving the shape of the tree.
Book tree
What if the Christmas tree was made of books? Stacking them on top of each other in this way is not so easy, but the result is definitely one of a kind. The finishing touch? The lights and the star.
Wall tree with objects
Easier to make a wall Christmas tree with objects: just select small toys, paper balls, figurines, candy canes and other little things you have at home, and fix them on the wall inside an imaginary triangle. Don’t forget to add a star or a little animal to the tip.
Christmas tree with branches
If you prefer natural trees but don’t want to buy one to avoid waste, you could settle for branches, fixing them on the wall and decorating them with balls and other decorations.
Christmas tree with tires
Do you have tires of various sizes? Place the largest one at the bottom, then add others that are gradually smaller, and decorate them with various decorations.
Christmas tree with cardboard boxes
Set aside some cardboard boxes and stack them to create a three-dimensional tree: decorate it with balls, decorations, candy canes and a star on the top.
Tree with pallets
Do you have wooden pallets? Recover the boards and use them to create your garden Christmas tree after having painted them green and red. Add snowflakes or other decorations and of course don’t forget the fairy lights.
