I love Christmas.
For as long as I can remember Christmas has been my favourite holiday. I love the traditions and the memories surrounding it, but Christmas can also be a very wasteful holiday.
As I am trying to work on my minimalist and zero waste journey I am trying to make my holidays and general life create less waste and not bring a lot of things into my life. As this is my first Christmas since starting my journey I am still learning and would love your help.
Here are some of the ways that you can make your holiday season more sustainable:
- Bake or make gifts for people – there is nothing quite like a homemade gift and not only are they generally not as expensive as bought gifts but they also create less waste. Plus people love that you spent time on something just for them
- Don’t get sucked in by the sales – The mall parking lots are crazy and the stores are just getting busier and busier, but if you don’t have to be there just avoid it. If you do need to buy gifts or aren’t the DIY-er consider going to a craft fair or local market to support some of the people who live in your community
- Spend time together – You don’t need new things to celebrate christmas; get together with friends and family and go check out the christmas lights, or have a potluck and watch cheesy christmas movies. Time is more important than stuff
- Choose sustainable materials to wrap and store gifts. Whether this is a piece of fabric that can be reused or used as a hair tie, plain wrapping paper that can be recycled (aka no foil or glitter), or the same Christmas gift bags that you have been using for 10 years back and forth
Ideas for Gifts for the Minimalist/Zero Waster in your life
- Experiences – Whether this is a restaurant gift card, day at the spa, or attraction in your town, something you can do together is a great gift
- Food – Things that can be consumed is a great gift and not something they need to worry about storing, just make sure it isn’t wrapped in a ton of plastic
- Donate to a charity or cause that is close to their heart
- Products that can help reduce their waste such as dryer balls, beeswax wraps, or a reusable coffee cup (but only if they don’t already have it)
- Something Local – Shop around your hometown and see if there is anything that can be found made locally and ethically
Want some more ideas?
Check out the website – Create Memories not Garbage for over 170 ideas for gifts, wrapping, food, and decorations.
Reducing your waste at Christmas doesn’t mean taking all the fun away, it just means thinking up some different ways of doing things. How will you be reducing your waste this holiday season?
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