WITH the festive season getting ever closer a Redditch group which highlights plastic waste has come up with ways to have a little less wasteful Christmas.

Eco N Wise Redditch has been discussing ways of having a more sustainable Christmas and has come up with a few simple suggestions people can do.

Claire Davies, from the group said: "It has been highlighted by many people in the national press, from Martin Lewis to George Monbiot, that Christmas has become a bit of a consumer nightmare and with that comes lots of wasted money and resources.

"Ultimately what we all need to do is create new traditions, that are less wasteful, and that can be passed on through the years."

Suggestions include making hampers, giving gifts of time or tickets for days out, agreeing to only buy for children, and buying second hand items as gifts.

Other ideas include giving eco items such as beeswax wraps, shampoo bars, reuseable water bottles or coffee cups and using paper gift bags or fabric morsbags instead of cheap wrapping paper.

Claire added: "It is easy to just carry on as we always have when it comes to something like Christmas, but we are encouraging people stop and think, and look at alternatives to this time of year where there is a lot of excess and waste.

"By rethinking it, forming new traditions, and being mindful of what we are buying, or wrapping our gifts in, then not only can we waste less, but also save money, and still have a happy Christmas."

For more suggestions or information on the group, go to facebook.com/groups/econwise.