Wildlife-Friendly Holiday Habits: Simple Ways to Help Nature This Season

The holiday season brings cozy lights, festive gatherings, and traditions. A meaningful time to show a little extra care for the wildlife that we share our spaces with. 

From birds living through colder, harsher weather to small mammals seeking reliable shelter, simple choices at home can support the health of local ecosystems during the toughest months of the year.

Here are a few thoughtful, wildlife-friendly habits to weave into your celebrations this season.

Cardinals in Christmas Tree with Bark Butter. Photo by Leanne Leblanc. 

1. Choose a Real Christmas Tree and Repurpose It for Wildlife

For many families, choosing between a real or artificial tree is a yearly debate. Last season, we reviewed which option is greener overall and real trees came out on top.
They support local growers, are biodegradable, and can be repurposed after the holidays in ways that genuinely benefit wildlife.

When the season ends, don’t toss your tree to the curb:
🌲 Stand it upright in your yard to create shelter for small birds fleeing winter wind and predators.
🌲 Use it as a natural feeding station by hanging suet, seed wreaths, or feeders among the branches.
🌲 Donate it to wildlife sanctuaries that use trees for habitat enrichment.
🌲 Turn it into crafts like wreaths or natural decor.

Real trees continue giving back long after the ornaments come down.

2. Secure Garbage & Recycling

The holiday season often means more packaging, boxes, plastics, and food waste which can unintentionally harm wildlife.

Plastic pollution affects birds in significant ways:

• ingestion

• entanglement

• nesting with plastic pieces

• foreign objects getting stuck on their bodies

Help protect your wild neighbours by:
✔️ rinsing and securely closing your recycling
✔️ tying garbage bags tightly
✔️ avoiding leaving plastics outside where they can blow away

A clean yard = a safer habitat.

3. Bring Reusable Bags When You Shop

Holiday shopping can lead to an explosion of single-use plastic bags, many of which escape into the environment.

If you've ever seen a plastic bag tangled high in a tree, you know how easily they become hazards for birds. Using reusable bags significantly reduces how many of these airborne “traps” end up in local ecosystems.

Small habit, big impact.

4. Offer Nutritious, Wildlife-Safe Food

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) with a WBU Hot Pepper Cranberry Wreath

Food is scarce in early winter, so the right nutrition is essential. Excellent choices include:

• Sunflower chips & black oil sunflower

• Shelled peanuts

• Suet & suet blends

• Bark Butter® & Bark Butter Bits

Avoid offering bread, salted nuts, or holiday leftovers can do more harm than good.

Even a single well-stocked feeder station supports countless birds through cold snaps.

5. Keep Water Open & Accessible

Fresh water freezes quickly this time of year, leaving birds scrambling for alternatives.
A heated bird bath provides clean water for drinking and preening even on the coldest days — a life-saving resource when they need it most.

Water sources often attract species that don’t visit feeders, too.

6. Give the Gift of Birding

Gifts that connect people with nature have a ripple effect: when someone falls in love with birdwatching, they naturally begin caring more deeply for the environment around them.

Some great ideas:
🎁 binoculars
🎁 Bark Butter® 
🎁 field guides or bird-themed books
🎁 heated bird bath

A Bird Feeder Gift Sets make an especially meaningful gift for families, seniors, or anyone craving a little joy at the window this winter.

Winter is the toughest season for wildlife. It comes with cold nights, limited food, fewer safe spaces, and unpredictable weather. Simple acts like securing recycling, choosing reusable bags, offering fresh water, and repurposing natural materials can make a measurable difference.

Your yard can become a refuge.
Your choices can help wildlife thrive.
And your holiday season can be just a little more magical for it!

Warmly,

Heather