Showing posts with label sustainable Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sustainable Christmas. Show all posts

Sunday 12 December 2021

Tips for a sustainable Christmas



At Christmas we are all guilty of indulging a little more than usual. Whether it be with food, clothing or shopping. This year we thought we'd share our annual tips to a sustainable and conscious Christmas

See below for our guide to help you enjoy a sustainable one!



Plastic-free Wrapping Paper



Sadly, most wrapping papers cannot be recycled because of the printed pattern on them so this year we have found some eco-friendly, sustainable wrapping paper to ensure your Christmas is as sustainable as possible
Reusable fabric gift wrap. The perfect way to wrap your eco-friendly gifts this Christmas to minimise your waste. Shop a variety of sizes in different pattern and colours and keep them to wrap presents again and again.



Sustainable Crackers


Christmas crackers can contain a lot of plastic and aren’t always recyclable. As one of the most essential parts of any festive celebration, we thought we’d show you how to make this Christmas tradition as sustainable as possible.

If you haven’t got time to make your own or just don’t want the fuss of finding gifts and jokes to go inside, we’ve found some crackers you can buy in supermarkets and high street shops that have little waste.
The second option is to use reusable crackers. is a sustainable way to celebrate Christmas whilst also reducing your waste too. These crackers come flat packed for you to fill with personalised gifts for all the family – to reuse them next year, by simply replacing the ‘snap’ and they're ready for festive fun all over again. Better still, the packaging they are shipped in, is 100% recyclable too.










 



Why not send a plantable card to your loved ones this year! its the gift that keeps on giving. When you finish with your card the biodegradable paper can be planted in a pot of soil, the seeds will grow and eventually the paper will decompose.



Shop local and sustainable this Christmas, help out independent, sustainable brands, who make it their mission to help the planet. After the last few years stuck in-doors, during covid; what better way to give the gift of giving, during this festive period than to give back to your local community.







Wooden toys, felt ornaments, e -gift cards, biodegradable wrapping paper, just a few other options to take note of.  

Whichever you decide to try have a fantastic Christmas and New Year, from all of us at Madia & Matilda








Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Thursday 3 December 2020

Christmas Wish List



Gift Shop


Wish list


Christmas is closely approaching and it is the perfect time to start thinking about gifts for your loved ones and yourself. We have created a Madia & Matilda wish list for you to browse, helping you find some inspiration from our favourite products this season. 

Share and follow our social media, mention us on Instagram, for a special chance to win a product from our wish list!



Ines - Pleated Zip Front Skirt

                        

Jade - Jersey Dress
Jersey - Dress

Jemma - Cowl Neck Dress

Bias Cut, Slip dress


Amanda - Blouse

Chiffon Blouse
Amanda-Blouse


Amie - Wrap Top


Jersey wrap top


Dina - Lace Blouse

Dina - Lace Blouse


Ellen - Cigarette Trouser


Trousers, Grey, black
Ellen-Cigarette-Trouser


Jessie - Trouser



https://www.madiamatilda.co.uk/allclothing-madiamatilda/Jessie-Trouser-p69119321



Mazy - Paisley Silhouette Earrings - Jewellery


Mazy - Paisley Silhouette Earrings Jewellery




'Prism' - Clutch Bag


Prism-Clutch-Bag




Sincerely Madia & Matilda 

Friday 6 November 2020

Christmas Waste Report & How To Do Your Part



Christmas is one of the most awaited times of the year, especially because of the food and presents that come with it

Image from The Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/christmas-shows-our-approach-to-climate-change-is-crackers-1.4089553 



Sitting down with your loved ones and celebrating - it all seems picture perfect. However, there is a side to this beloved holiday that is nothing but the opposite of perfect. As The Sunday Post reports: “We throw away a shocking amount, from six million Christmas trees to over 227,000 miles of wrapping paper. Our crimes against festive food are even worse. We chuck out approximately two million turkeys, 74 million mince pies and 17.2 million Brussel sprouts.” 



Christmas-Recycling-Tips

Image from GPT The Waste Solution https://gptwaste.com/6-facts-you-didnt-know-about-christmas-waste/


This kind of wastage takes a huge toll on our planet! Thankfully, there are ways for us to be more sustainable. Here are some ideas:



  1. Organise your food! Don't throw out the leftovers but try to think of ways to use them in your cooking the days following Christmas or if you have bought too much food you can always do a good deed and donate it to your local shelter.





  1. Gift activities or experiences rather than material things - your present will be much more worthwhile and make a memory rather than going unused and 

eventually getting thrown away if the recipient ends up not liking it.



  1. Buy presents from sustainable brands. For example, gift your loved one something from Madia & Matilda!



Darcey - Knitted Bobble Hat

Knitted hat from Madia & Matilda

https://www.madiamatilda.co.uk/allclothing-madiamatilda/Darcey-Knitted-Bobble-Hat-p125103478 




  1. Use recycled wrapping paper!




Recycled wrapping paper from Ethical Superstore

https://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/products/natural-collection-select/recycled-wrapping-paper---tags---folk-robin-print---pack-of-4/ 






  1. Instead of buying a Christmas tree, rent it instead.




  1. Try sending Ecards or a festive video instead of a Christmas card, you could even send it with a M&M gift Voucher https://www.madiamatilda.co.uk/allclothing-madiamatilda/GIFT-VOUCHER-c14721567



Ecard from CrossCards

https://www.crosscards.com/cards/postcards/merry-christmas-bird.html




Sincerely Madia & Matilda 

Saturday 22 December 2018

Movie & Shows to Binge Watch this Christmas

Movies & Shows to binge watch this Christmas



If you’re looking for some movies or TV shows to binge watch this Christmas but you’re fed up of the usual cheesy Christmas movies – look no further! We’ve compiled a list of our favourite TV shows and movies that are perfect for a duvet day!



The True Cost Film

We recently attended an event for this film to support and promote sustainable fashion. Revealing the secrets of fast fashion and shedding a light on our true environmental impact, this film is sure to enlighten you this Christmas.

Watch it here.


Small Foot

A fun animated tale that turns the traditional story of Bigfoot on its head. Migo, the friendly Yeti faces banishment from his snowy village when he finds a Human. “Migo embarks on an epic journey to find the mysterious creature that can put him back in good graces with his simple community”.

Click here for more information.


The Good Place

Eleanor Shellstrop is surprised to find herself in the good place in the afterlife. Upon realising that she isn’t supposed to be there, Eleanor enlists the help of her new found friends and frenemies to shed her old way of life in hopes of finding a new one in the afterlife.

Watch it here.


Hollywood Darlings

“In this improvised comedy, real-life friends, Jodie Sweetin, Christine Lakin and Beverley Mitchell, play exaggerated versions of themselves in their current lives navigating the ups and downs of living in Hollywood. The actresses support one another as they tackle marriage, parenting and reviving their acting careers”.

Watch it here.


Great News

Every workplace is like a family. For Katie, this gets all too real when her mum is employed as an intern. “That's just scratching the surface of this slightly offbeat team” made up of old school news anchor Chuck, millennial Portia, executive producer Greg and laid back video editor Justin. Despite their malfunctioning relationships, it doesn’t stop them doing what they do best – breaking the news.

Watch it here.


Welcome to the Jungle

“Beck is a tight-lipped bounty hunter who doesn't like to use a gun and accepts any job without asking questions. When Beck's employer, Walker, sends him to the Amazon to locate Walker's cocky son, Travis, Beck discovers a population controlled by a tyrannical treasure hunter. To survive, Beck and Travis must work together, without their affections for a mysterious rebel getting in the way”.

Watch it here.


Passengers

“On a routine journey through space to a new home, two passengers, sleeping in suspended animation, are awakened 90 years too early when their ship malfunctions. As Jim and Aurora face living the rest of their lives on board, they begin to fall for each other, unable to deny their intense attraction until they discover the ship is in grave danger. With the lives of 5,000 sleeping passengers at stake, only Jim and Aurora can save them all”.

Watch it here.


The Grinch

The 2018 remake of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, a modern animated tale perfect for the Christmas holidays. “When the Whos decide to make Christmas bigger and brighter, the disgruntled Grinch realizes there is one way to gain peace and quiet. With help from Max, the green grump hatches a scheme to pose as Santa Claus, steal Christmas and silence the Whos' holiday cheer once and for all”.

Click here for information.


Let us know what your favourite movies and shows to binge watch are!












Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Monday 17 December 2018

Plant Based Christmas - #Foodie

Vegan/Vegetarian Christmas Foodie



Whether you are a vegan/vegetarian yourself or are hosting the Christmas dinner this year we’ve got 3 dishes to help make your Christmas dinner perfect for everyone.

Below we’ve chosen two savoury dishes – a main and a side dish – as well as a sweet chocolate mousse to impress your guests this Christmas.



Vegetarian Butternut Squash Salad with Roasted Brussels sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries.

We love this recipe from Julia’s Album – click here to read her original post.

Ingredients:
  • 3 cups/300g Brussel Sprouts
  • 600-700g Butternut Squash
  • 2 cups/250g Pecan Halves
  • 1 cup/120g Dried Cranberries
  • Olive Oil
  • Maple Syrup
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Salt
To Roast the Sprouts:

Preheat the oven to 200°C & grease your roasting tray with some olive oil.

Cut all the sprouts in half, trim the ends and peel the outer leaves off.

In a bowl, combine the sprouts with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt.

Spread evenly on the roasting tray (flat/cut side down) and roast for 20 – 25 minutes.

For the final 10 minutes turn the sprouts over so that they brown evenly.

To Roast the Butternut Squash:

Preheat the oven to200°C & grease your roasting tray with some olive oil.

Cut all the squash into small cubes –peeled and seeded.

In a bowl, combine the squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and flavour with maple syrup and ground cinnamon to taste.

Spread evenly on the roasting tray and roast for 20 – 25 minutes, turn them half way through the cooking time to ensure even cooking.



To toast the Pecans:

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a tray with parchment paper.

Place them flat on the tray in the oven for about 5 minutes or until they darken in colour.

To Assemble:

In a large serving bowl, combine the roasted sprouts and roasted butternut squash.

Add in the toasted pecans and dried cranberries and mix together.

For extra sweetness you can add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup or add any other seasonings you wish.



Giant Vegan Wellington.

We love this vegan recipe from Olive Magazine – To read the original article and recipe click here.

This show stopping main course is sure to impress all of your guests.

Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 250g kale, tough stalks removed
  • 250g cooked beetroot , thinly sliced
  • 3 roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and halved
For the stuffing:
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 150g swede, coarsely grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • a few sprigs of thyme , leaves stripped
  • nutmeg
  • 200g ready-cooked Puy lentils
  • 1 apple, coarsely grated
  • 30g hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped
  • 50g breadcrumbs
  • 1 lemon, zested
For this you can either make your own pastry or use a vegan shop-bought pastry – it’s completely up to you!


To make the stuffing:

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and swede for 5-10 minutes or until soft. 

Add the herbs and spices (garlic, thyme and nutmeg), and cook for another minute.

Add in the cooked lentils, apple and hazelnuts, and cook for 1 minute before stirring through the breadcrumbs and lemon zest.

Leave it to one side to cool.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan and cook the chopped garlic for 2 minutes.

Add the kale and a splash of boiling water, and cook until it has wilted and the water has evaporated.

Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble:

On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll out one third of the pastry to a 25cm x 15cm rectangle.

Leaving a 1cm gap around the edges, spoon on half of the stuffing mixture, half of the kale and half of the beetroot slices.

Repeat the layers until you have used all of the mixture.

Roll out the remaining pastry to a 35cm x 30cm rectangle.

Carefully place it on top of the wellington and use your hands to mould the pastry round so it is tight to the filling.

Use your finger and thumb to crimp the edges of the pastry so it’s completely encased, then trim any excess.

Chill for 30 minutes.

To Cook:

Place in the oven at 180-200°C for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crispy.



Vegan Chocolate Mousse.

We found this mouth-watering dessert recipe on mindbodygreen.com – click here to see the original post.

Ingredients:
  • 1 large ripe avocado
  • 1/4 cup raw cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk or almond milk
  • 2 teaspoon stevia (or other natural sweetener)
  • 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
Purée the avocado until smooth.

Mix together the cocoa powder and milk until combined and add to the avocado.

Stir in the stevia, vanilla extract, and any extra ingredients you want and mix well.

Transfer the mousse to individual glasses and store in the fridge until ready to eat.















Sincerely Madia & Matilda