Upcycling Ideas for the holidays graphic for article by Regional Recycling

Upcycling Ideas for the holidays.

Holiday Tips from your local Bottle Depot.

By:

Nadine |

November 23, 2025

With the winter holidays approaching quickly, it’s time to think about how to reduce our waste this season. An affordable and easy way to reduce waste is to use upcycled items when decorating and wrapping gifts.

Here are 10 Tips to get you in the festive mood while staying eco-conscious:

10 Tips festive mood while staying eco conscious
10 Tips festive mood while staying eco conscious

1) Repurposed Decorations:

Give new life to old decorations or items. Turn last year’s wreath into a festive table centerpiece, trans form worn-out ornaments into unique gift tags, or use old bobbles to fill vases. There’s no wrong way to upcycle decorations.

2) Sweater Pillows:

Upcycle old sweaters into cozy, holiday-themed pillows. Simply cover existing pillows or create new ones using the sweater fabric. It adds a touch of warmth and reduces textile waste. You can use your sewing skill if you have them, or don’t hesitate to dress the pillow in the sweater and ties the sleeves in a festive bow. 

3) DIY Advent Calendar:

Craft your own advent calendar using recycled materials. Use small jars, cloth pouches, or egg cartons to create compartments for daily surprises. Whichever recyclable beverage containers that you don’t use can be recycled in one of our bottle depots or picked up with Depozip.

4) Vintage Gift Wrap:

Instead of buying new wrapping paper, consider using vintage maps, old calendars, or newspaper comics for a unique and eco-friendly touch. Top it off with reusable fabric ribbons or twine.

5) Natural Decor Elements:

Collect pinecones, branches, and dried leaves to create beautiful, natural decorations. Remember to avoid glitter and shiny decor items as they are not recyclable or compostable.

Wine Cork Ornaments
Wine Cork Ornaments

6) Wine Cork Ornaments:

Save those wine corks and turn them into charming ornaments. Paint or decorate them to match your holiday theme, and attach a loop of twine for hanging. And don’t forget to recycle those wine bottles along the way! Find one of our bottle depot locations near you.

7) Homemade Potpourri:

Collect citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, and dried fruit. Combine these items with spices like cloves and star anise to create your fragrant potpourri. It not only smells wonderful but also reduces food waste.

8) Repurposed Gift Bags:

Save gift bags from previous years and give them new life. You can cover old logos or messages with festive cut outs, ribbons, or even create a personalized touch with hand-drawn designs. This is a great craft to get your little ones involved in.

9) Candle Jar Centerpieces:

Repurpose glass jars from candles to create beautiful centrepieces. Add some winter elements like pine cones, holly, or small ornaments, and place a tea light inside for a cozy glow. Remember to use battery-powered candles when they are near any other materials.

10) Upcycled Gift Tags:

Use old greeting cards or cardboard packaging to create unique gift tags. Cut out festive shapes, punch a hole, and attach them with twine or ribbon. It’s a creative way to reduce paper waste.

What other tips can you think of? Please share them with us on social media so everyone can benefit.

Follow us on Facebook & Instagram.

Looking for more Green Holiday Tips? Check out this blog about How to stay eco-friendly while decorating and celebrating during the holidays.

Regional Recycling is proud to work with the Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable (MARR) the not-for-profit organization that manages British Columbia’s recycling program for end-of-life major household appliances. Working on behalf of appliance manufacturers and other regulated producers, MARR helps ensure that unwanted appliances are collected, recycled, and processed responsibly across the province.

Operating under BC’s Recycling Regulation, MARR oversees an approved stewardship program that keeps valuable materials in circulation, ensures environmentally responsible handling of hazardous components, and helps reduce waste sent to landfill. The program is governed by MARR’s Board of Directors and is designed to make appliance recycling convenient, accessible, and environmentally responsible for British Columbians.

In addition to Regional Recycling, there are over 200 certified Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable (MARR) collection sites throughout BC that make it easy to recycle responsibly. There is no charge to drop off eligible appliances, and you can be confident that every appliance is processed safely, with recyclable materials recovered and hazardous components handled by licensed professionals.

image for recycle large appliances post shows person in front of garage with old large appiances - text - is one of these taking up space in your garage

You can recycle all of the following residential products with Regional Recycling:

  • Full-size Refrigerators – Refrigerator and refrigerator freezer combinations. Includes built-in and free-standing models.
  • Compact Refrigerators – Refrigerator or refrigerator-freezer combinations that are 6.4 cubic feet or less in volume. Includes beer kegs, wine dispensers and wine coolers.
  • Freezers – Chest, upright, and compact freezers, plus under the counter freezer drawers and ice makers.
  • Window Air Conditioners – Operate through the wall or are window-mounted.
  • Portable Air Conditioners – Can be moved from place to place.
  • Dehumidifiers – Free-standing and can be moved from place to place.
  • Clothes Washers – Top and front-loading. Includes stacked laundry units and those that also dry clothes.
  • Clothes Dryers / Built-In Steam Cleaners – Top and front-loading. Includes stacked laundry units.
  • Dishwashers – Built-in, portable or convertible.
  • Ranges – Can include a surface cooktop and oven.
  • Built-In Ovens – Can have separate warming drawers, combination with microwave oven or double-walls.
  • Surface Cooking Units – Installed into the countertop where the controls are either integrated into the unit or installed separately.
  • Range Hoods & Downdrafts – Can be separate or connected from the cooking unit.
  • Built-In and Over the Range Microwaves – Built-in with or without hood vent combinations permanently installed microwave ovens.
  • Food Waste Disposers – Integrated into the plumbing of a household.
  • Trash Compactors – Permanently installed or portable.
  • Built-in Electric Hot Beverage Dispensers – Mounted under the counter or built-in.
  • Water Coolers – Mounted under the counter or built-in.

To learn more about how to recycle your large appliances with us, please see our large appliance recycling page on our website. We look forward to seeing you at one of our depots!

Please Note: Our Burnaby location does not recycle large appliances due to space restrictions.

 

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