Have Yourself A Merry Little Sustainable Christmas

The holiday season is full of joy and celebration, but it increasingly generates tones of waste which is contributing in a major way to global environmental impact. From exorbitant non-recyclable packaging, to excessive decorations and masses of mass-produced gifts, Christmas can leave its mark.

This year, you can make a difference by choosing a more sustainable approach to your Christmas festivities. Small changes in how you shop, wrap, decorate, and gift can contribute in a major way to a greener, more thoughtful holiday season.

Here’s how you can have a sustainable Merry Little Christmas

Shop Local to Support Business in Your Community and Cut Carbon

Choosing local shops, and supporting small businesses over big chains or online corporations reduces the environmental cost of shipping and packaging. Shopping local saves the direct shipping, and lessens demand for big corporations to ship. Plus, shopping local helps your community thrive during the holiday season. It stimulates the economy and puts money back into your community.

• Visit farmers markets or craft fairs for unique, handmade gifts

• Look for local boutiques, and thrift stores that sell clothing, books, and home goods

  
  

Shopping local also means you can avoid the rush and stress of crowded malls and long delivery waits.

It’s a win for the planet, the future and it preserves your holiday spirit.

Shopping local feels good. When your purchase something from a small business, you support real people, not corporations. When you shop local, your purchase helps a family in your community buy food, or pay rent. This exchange of goods also doubles as an exchange of gratitude, and positive energy that you cant ever get purchasing from box stores, or online factories filling a billionaires pocket.

My Market Table - All Things Made with Love by Me

Wrap Gifts Sustainably with Style

A major memory from Christmas' past is the HUGE black garbage bag being passed around for gift wrap, and the stacks of boxes and packaging from gifts by the back door.

Zero Waste Canada, a Canadian advocacy group estimates there is over 540,000 TONNES of gift wrap and gift bags thrown out each year come Christmas. Traditional wrapping paper often contains plastic and foil, making it impossible to recycle. Imagine the impact we could have if we would instead, try these eco-friendly wrapping ideas that not only look beautiful, they also reduce a great amount of waste:

• Purchase fabric reusable gift wrapping, and gift bags. You can also use fabric scraps, old scarves, or tea towels as gift wrap.

• Wrap gifts in brown kraft paper and decorate with and natural elements like jute string, pine sprigs, cinnamon sticks, or dried orange slices. I have let the kids paint with water color paints

• Reuse gift bags and ribbons from previous years.

• Use newspaper, maps, or comic pages for a quirky, creative touch.

These alternatives not only cut down on waste but also add such cute personality, and a handmade feel to your presents.

Make Your Own Decorations for a Personal Touch

Store-bought decorations often are made of plastic, come in plastic packaging and are discarded after the season. Crafting your own decorations can be fun, budget-friendly, and sustainable.

• Create ornaments from natural materials like pine cones, dried fruit, or cinnamon sticks tied with twine.

• You can cut decorations out of cardboard and decorate with chalk markers ; You can also use chalk markers to draw on windows, ornaments and snowflakes

• Use recycled paper to cut out snowflakes, stars, or garlands.

• Make salt dough ornaments that you can paint and keep for years.

• Repurpose old holiday cards into gift tags or bunting.

  
  

  

  Cardboard/Chalk Marker Garland

  
  

Making decorations at home reduces waste and creates lasting memories with family, and friends.

Choose a Sustainable Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree is a central symbol of the holiday, but it can also be another major source of waste.

Here are a couple ways to choose a tree that’s better for the environment:

• Buy a potted tree that you can keep alive and plant outdoors after the holidays.

• Look for trees grown locally and sustainably, avoiding those that are shipped long distances.

• Harvest your own tree, in a sustainable way (A Charlie brown tree, anyone) - once the season is over you can reuse the tree as firewood

• Consider renting a tree from a local nursery that will pick it up and reuse it.

• If you prefer an artificial tree, try and buy a used one from an auction or thrift store. Use the same one for many years to reduce waste over time.

  
  

Proper disposal is key. Compost real trees, use them as firewood or recycle them through local programs instead of sending them to the landfill.

Thrift Gifts for Unique Finds

Thrifting is a great way to find one-of-a-kind gifts while reducing demand for new products. Secondhand shops, online marketplaces, and charity stores offer a wide range of items, such as:

• Vintage clothing and accessories with character

• Books, vinyl records, or board games for entertainment

• Kitchenware, home décor, or collectibles

• Toys and baby items in good condition

• Craft supplies, fabric and sewing notions to make your own gifts

  
  

Thrifted gifts often come with stories and charm that new items lack. Plus, buying secondhand keeps items out of the waste stream. It will blow your mind, all the things you can find at the thrift store, most items being in really excellent condition.

Regift Thoughtfully to Extend Joy

Regifting gets a bad rap, but when done thoughtfully, it can be a sustainable way to share items that someone else will appreciate and get more use out of than you.

• Only regift items that are new or gently used and in good condition.

• Avoid regifting to the person who originally gave you the item.

• Personalize the gift with new wrapping or a handwritten note.

• Consider whether the item fits the recipient’s tastes and needs.

  
  

Regifting helps reduce clutter, waste and reduces financial burden during the gifting seasons all while spreading holiday cheer.

There are many ways to reduce our consumption and waste habits over the holiday season, without sacrificing any of the joy we get from giving and receiving gifts, sharing in festivities and making memories with our loved ones.

Reducing waste isn't a total sum game either, you don't have to have a perfect no-waste Christmas to have a big impact. Our small choices all contribute to big impact!

How do you celebrate sustainability over the holiday season?

I would love to hear from you in the comment section below!

Merry Christmas to all, may you relish in sustainable delight!

With Love,

Katie

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