Eco-Friendly for the Holidays : How to create holiday decorations while preserving nature

Tirana, November 17, 2023. EcoAlbania’s little companions joined an educational session focused on Recycling, inspired by the Christmas season, during which the use of decorative materials containing a significant amount of plastic tends to rise.

The educational hour started with an explanation of how easy it is to get dyes and ecological colors from nature using fruits. Together we created red (red pepper), orange (carrot, orange), green (spinach, green apple), purple (cabbage) and dark cherry (beetroot). The children colored the back of used papers and then cut them out to create holiday decorations. This taught children about the idea of pro-nature recycling during the holidays and introduced them to the idea of using natural alternatives instead of harmful chemicals.

With the advertising leaflets that we often find under the door, they created decorative paper trees. Another fun activity that was done as teamwork, was making a Christmas wreath by cutting out their handprints. This not only promoted teamwork but also showed how simple materials can be transformed into beautiful decorations.

By engaging in these activities, children learn firsthand about the importance of recycling and reducing waste during the festive season. They also develop an appreciation for handmade decorations and understand that they don’t need to rely on plastic-based materials for their holiday decor needs.

Teachers or school leaders who wish to develop environmental education classes in their school can become part of the education project by contacting the project coordinator Marina Xhaho at the e-mail address: [email protected].

The project ” Watershed Environmental Education in Albania” aims to enhance environmental awareness through education of youngsters through activities in at least 35 schools in the country.