An eco-conscious family business is encouraging customers to enjoy the festive period “luxuriously but sustainably” by renting their Christmas trees this winter.

Christmas on the Hill, run by Clare Slater from her home in East Finchley, is urging residents to reduce the millions of Christmas trees that enter landfill every year.

With collection points in Hampstead, Muswell Hill and Stoke Newington, customers can order online, pick up their Christmas tree for the holiday, then return it to the same drop-off location once the festive fun is over.

The business also delivers to, and collects from, people’s homes.

Clare told the Ham&High: “It is absolutely possible to have a luxurious, yet sustainable, Christmas and I think rental trees are the first step in that direction.

“The statistics on the amount of waste we generate at Christmas are shocking and I think we all have a responsibility to try and reduce this.

“People have been looking for a more sustainable living tree option for a while, and this hopefully ticks all the boxes.”

Christmas on the Hill was set up by Clare after she became “depressed” at the number of trees left dead and discarded on the streets.

“Fewer miles means fewer emissions, which appealed to us from an environmental point of view,” Clare said.

“Although we personally offer a recycling programme for our cut trees, it still depresses us to see all the other dead trees littering the streets in January, so we began looking for a more sustainable option – to promote the life of a tree, rather than ending it.”

All the rental trees are Norway Spruce, which require watering and have a smaller root system. They’re grown from seedlings on a farm in Gloucestershire.

Outside of the Christmas season, Clare’s business runs as an organic gardening company.

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On the need to Shop Local – as the Ham&High’s campaign continues to encourage – Clare said: “It’s been a very difficult year for small business, so it’s more important than ever to shop local to support and strengthen our community, and finding a way to live more sustainably is equally as important.”

Christmas on the Hill is working with 23 local schools to spread the festive cheer, with more set to join.

For every tree or wreath purchase made with a special code of the school’s, the business donates up to 20% of its profits. It also gives the school a free tree.

Some of the schools involved include Highgate Wood School, Tetherdown Primary School, Muswell Hill Primary School, Rokesly Junior School, Alexandra Park School and Campsbourne Primary School.

For more information or to place an order click here.

The Ham&High’s Shop Local campaign is designed to highlight the hidden – and not so hidden – gems on our high streets. If you run a shop in our area we should be shouting about, contact our reporter Michael on michael.boniface@archant.co.uk or 07805 403 545.