Hosting Your Own Toy Swap Scheme This Christmas: A Fun, Frugal and Eco-Friendly Festive Idea

Christmas is a magical season, but it can also be expensive, clutter-inducing, and surprisingly wasteful, especially when it comes to toys. 

Many families find themselves buying new gifts while last year’s hardly-played-with items gather dust. 

A toy swap scheme is a brilliant solution: budget-friendly, eco-conscious, and great fun for children and adults alike.

Here’s how to set up your own festive toy swap this year.

Why Host a Christmas Toy Swap?

1. It saves money

Buying new toys at Christmas adds up quickly. A swap lets families refresh their children’s toy boxes without spending a penny.

2. It reduces waste

Pre-loved toys get a second life instead of heading for landfill. It’s a simple but meaningful step towards a greener Christmas.

3. It teaches children generosity

Little ones learn the joy of passing things on, caring for the planet, and valuing experiences over “newness.”

4. It builds community spirit

Whether it’s held in a village hall, a school, a church hall, or your own living room, a toy swap brings people together during a season that’s meant to be all about connection.

Planning Your Toy Swap: Step-by-Step

1. Choose a format

You can keep it tiny or make it a local event:

Small family or friends’ swap – Perfect for newcomers or those short on space.

Street or neighbourhood swap – Use a communal space or rotate houses.

Community hall swap – Great for schools, clubs, or charities wanting to include more families.

2. Pick a date

Aim for early to mid-December so families have time to wrap swapped toys as gifts.

3. Set clear guidelines

This keeps the event fair and enjoyable. For example:

Toys must be clean, complete, and in safe working condition.

No broken items, no recalled toys, and no batteries leaking.

Limit the number of items each family brings to keep things manageable.

Decide on a token system (e.g. one token per item donated = one toy chosen in return).

4. Advertise your swap

Spread the word via:

Local Facebook groups

WhatsApp chats

School newsletters

Community noticeboards

Simple printable posters

Encourage families to involve their children in selecting toys to pass on. It helps build pride and reduces reluctance at swap time!

Setting Up on the Day

1. Create “toy stations”

Organise tables by category:

Puzzles and board games

Dolls and soft toys

Action figures

Craft kits

Books

Outdoor toys

Baby items

Clear labelling makes browsing easy.

2. Offer a “quality check” table

This ensures only safe, complete, and clean toys enter the swap area.

3. Provide gift-wrapping supplies

A wrapping table instantly adds festive flair. Recycled paper, leftover ribbons, and simple kraft tags make the event feel like a community Santa’s workshop.

4. Add refreshments

Tea, mince pies, hot chocolate, or biscuits keep everything friendly and relaxed. If you’re hosting at home, mulled wine never hurts!

What To Do With Leftover Toys

Most toy swaps have extras at the end. These can be donated to:

Local charities and shelters

Baby banks

School fundraising stalls

Church Christmas appeals

Hospital children’s wards (always check requirements first)

No toy need go to waste.

Make It a Tradition

A Christmas toy swap can quickly become a much-loved annual event. Once families experience the joy of sustainable gifting—and the savings—they’re usually eager to do it again next year.

It’s an easy, heart-warming way to reduce consumption, tidy up your home, and spread festive cheer without the usual financial stress.

This year, why not give it a go?

Recycle Your Old Tech Before Buying New This Christmas

The Christmas season is a time of giving, and for many of us, that means unwrapping shiny new gadgets and tech gifts. 

From tablets and smartwatches to gaming consoles and wireless earbuds, technology is often at the top of festive wish lists. 

But before you splash out on the latest devices, there’s something important to consider: what will you do with the old tech it replaces?

The Hidden Cost of Tech Waste

In the UK alone, we generate over 1.6 million tonnes of e-waste each year—making us one of the top offenders in Europe. Much of this comes from discarded electronics that still work or could easily be repaired, reused or recycled. With the surge in tech gifting at Christmas, the problem only worsens.

Unwanted devices often end up gathering dust in drawers or worse, being thrown in the bin, where they can leak harmful chemicals into the environment. These electronics also contain valuable materials like gold, copper and rare earth metals, which could be recovered through proper recycling.

Make Room Before You Upgrade

Before heading out to buy the newest smartwatch or upgrading someone’s smartphone, take a moment to look around your home:

Old mobile phones sitting in drawers?

Obsolete headphones, tablets or chargers taking up space?

Broken electronics that could be repaired or stripped for parts?

Clearing out your old tech isn’t just good for the environment—it also helps reduce clutter and ensures your new gifts actually get used.

How to Recycle Tech Responsibly

Recycling old tech is easier than you might think. Here’s how you can do it:

Retailer take-back schemes: Many UK retailers (like Currys, John Lewis, and Argos) offer free recycling when you buy new tech—even if you didn’t buy the original item from them.

Council recycling centres: Most local authorities accept small and large electronics at designated drop-off points.

Donate or sell: If the item still works, consider donating it to a local charity, school, or community group. You can also sell it on platforms like MusicMagpie, eBay, or CEX.

Manufacturer recycling programmes: Brands like Apple, Samsung, and HP offer trade-in schemes or recycling options for old products.

Teach Sustainable Gifting Habits

Christmas is the perfect time to talk about sustainability with family and friends. Encourage loved ones to:

Recycle old tech before opening new gifts

Opt for refurbished gadgets instead of brand new ones

Choose energy-efficient or modular devices that can be repaired or upgraded in future

Including a little note with your gift about how to responsibly dispose of older devices could go a long way, especially for kids and teens who are growing up in an increasingly digital world.

Final Thoughts

Giving tech gifts doesn’t have to mean giving the planet a problem. By recycling our old gadgets before embracing the new, we can make this Christmas not just magical—but mindful.

Ensuring You Recycle This Christmas: A Guide to Festive Sustainability

The festive season is upon us, and with it comes an avalanche of wrapping paper, packaging, and decorations. 

While it’s a time of joy and celebration, Christmas can also be a period of excess and waste. 

Recycling effectively during this season is not just a good habit but a responsibility we all share to protect our planet.

 Here’s how you can make sure you recycle properly and keep the holiday season as green as possible.

1. Know Your Local Recycling Rules

Recycling rules can vary depending on where you live, so it’s essential to check with your local council about what can and cannot be recycled. Many councils provide guides or online tools to help you sort your waste correctly.

2. Wrapping Paper: The Good, The Bad, and The Glittery

Not all wrapping paper is recyclable. Plain paper or paper with simple patterns is usually fine, but anything with glitter, foil, or plastic lamination cannot be recycled. A simple test is to scrunch the paper into a ball: if it stays scrunched, it’s likely recyclable. If it springs back, it’s not.

3. Cards and Decorations

Christmas cards can often be recycled unless they’re covered in glitter or other non-paper embellishments. For decorations, try to reuse them year after year. If you need to dispose of old decorations, check if they’re made of recyclable materials like paper or cardboard.

4. Food Waste

Christmas feasts often lead to leftovers and food waste. Compost what you can and recycle food packaging responsibly. Many councils offer food waste collection services, so take advantage of these where available.

5. Batteries and Electronics

Gadgets and toys are popular gifts, but they often come with batteries that need to be disposed of carefully. Many supermarkets and recycling centres have designated battery collection points. For old electronics, check for local e-waste recycling schemes.

6. Cardboard Boxes

Online shopping means a lot of cardboard boxes during the holidays. Flatten these boxes to save space and ensure they’re clean and dry before placing them in your recycling bin.

7. Christmas Trees

If you use a real Christmas tree, check if your council offers a tree collection service for composting. For artificial trees, reuse them as many times as possible. When they’re no longer usable, look for recycling options specific to mixed materials.

8. Reduce Before You Recycle

The best way to manage waste is to reduce it in the first place. Consider using reusable gift wrap, cloth bags, or even newspaper for wrapping presents. Opt for gifts with minimal packaging or those made from sustainable materials.

9. Educate Your Guests

If you’re hosting Christmas gatherings, make it easy for guests to recycle. Provide clearly labelled bins for recyclables, general waste, and food scraps. A quick explanation of your system can go a long way in ensuring everyone participates.

10. Make It a Family Activity

Involve your family in recycling efforts. Teaching children about recycling and sustainability during Christmas can instil lifelong habits. Turn sorting recyclables into a fun activity with rewards or challenges.

A Greener Christmas for All

By taking these steps, you can reduce your environmental impact and make your Christmas celebrations more sustainable. Remember, every small effort counts. Let’s embrace the spirit of giving this season by giving back to the planet. A green Christmas is a merry Christmas for all!

Tesco join forces with Hasbro and Wastebuster to trial in store toy recycling that also gets books into schools

Tesco has become the latest member of Wastebuster’s Recycle to Read toy recycling initiative, which is designed to educate and promote toy reuse and create a new infrastructure for the recycling of plastic toys.

Recycle to Read collection bins will be trialled in selected Tesco stores from this week.

Customers can deposit broken plastic toys in-store for recycling and at the same time collect points for books.

The initiative is backed by global toy and games company Hasbro, alongside the founding partners of Recycle to Read, children’s magazine publishers.

Tesco and Hasbro have combined forces with top not-for-profit environmental education company, Wastebuster, to test out a new in-store campaign, which aims at turning broken plastic toys into books and reading resources for schools in the UK.

In an important development for the Recycle to Read campaign, the trial, which will run from now until December 4th,  will encourage children and families to recycle their broken, hard plastic toys via toy recycling bins placed in a number of specially chosen Tesco stores. If the scheme proves itself  to be a hit with parents and children, it will then be rolled out to further stores.

Backed by global toy and games company, Hasbro, the initiative aims to drive a circular solution for unwanted or broken hard plastic toys. Families are first encouraged to rehome toys through charitable giving to friends, family, school toy sales or local charities. Broken toys can be recycled in store, where they are collected, cleaned and turned into plastic pellets, before being used to create new items including coat hangers, chairs and coffee machines. 

Rehomed and recycled plastic toys can be registered via the Wastebuster website to earn Planet Care Points for any schools attended by children from 2-11 years old in the Sussex area. Eligible schools can register for free to earn points for books at www.jointhepod.org/toys,

The Recycle to Read scheme will then reward the fifty highest point-scoring schools in the area with book vouchers from a prize fund of £5,000, to spend on a wide range of discounted books by children’s publishing house, Harper Collins. Participating schools could also win fantastic book bundles, provided by publishing houses Farshore and Ladybird, in a special weekly prize draw. 

The Recycle to Read campaign was launched by Wastebuster in association with Products of Change and is powered by members of the toy industry and all major children’s publishers and distributors,  including Immediate Media Company; Story House Egmont; Redan; Kennedy; Signature; DC Thompson; Frontline and Seymour. The campaign aim is to drive new infrastructure for notoriously hard-to-recycle plastic toys, plus providing reading materials to support literacy in UK nurseries and primary schools across the UK.

Katy Newnham, who is the founder of Wastebuster said: “Recycle to Read supports families in learning about the environmental benefits of toy rehoming and recycling, while rewarding them with books for taking part. 

"What better way can we inspire and empower children to make pro-environmental choices, than by storytelling with their favourite characters and giving them an opportunity to send their unwanted toys on a new adventure that is good for the planet?”

Helena Mansell-Stopher, who is the founder of Products of Change said: “The Recycle to Read platform is the result of the tireless work of an industry coming together with cross-sector stakeholders around the need to find more sustainable solution for unwanted or broken toys.

"After so many years in the making, it’s amazing to see the campaign come to life via this Hasbro and Tesco partnership. This is a really hugely exciting moment that I believe represents a turning point for circularity in toys, and a wonderful example of what can be achieved when industry demonstrates sector leadership and comes together, in the pursuit of sustainability”.

Ally Rose, who is the Tesco Category Director for Toys said: “We are always looking for new ways to remove, reduce, reuse and recycle plastic in our business, so we’re really delighted to be able to support the Recycle to Read campaign as a way to help our customers do more of this at home. As well as trialling a new way we can work together on hard-to-recycle plastics, it also helps to give children greater access to reading”.

Sara Westby, Director of Marketing at Hasbro, added: “At Hasbro, we know kids and families everywhere share our passion for protecting our planet, which is why we’re so proud to partner with Wastebuster on the Recycle to Read campaign. We encourage everyone to keep their memories, but recycle their broken toys – doing good to the planet and to people”. 

For more information on Recycle to Read, visit:https://www.recycletoread.org or contact Katy@wastebuster.co.uk.

That's Christmas believe this scheme is a fantastic idea for the pre-Christmas period.