Have Yourself a Sustainable Little Christmas

Consumerism is So Last Year 

I won’t sugar coat it, these are tough times. In this economy, it will be difficult for most to afford that traditional consumerist Christmas that has always been so engrained in our culture. Aside from the financial expense, our planet can’t afford it any longer either.  

So what’s an upstanding citizen to do? 

Expand Your Idea of What a “Gift” Is 

When we think of gift giving, we have that nostalgic picture in our heads of pretty packages wrapped up in pretty paper, maybe even with pretty bows on top. I distinctly remember the insanity that was Black Friday shopping. Sure, online shopping may have cut down on physical injuries and the amount of time people spend standing in lines, but it has most likely increased the ecological footprint of the gift-giving season altogether. People need less stuff! 

So what kind of gift(s) should you consider?  

Experiences 

As a parent of small children, I could almost cry at the thought of all the toys they’ll be given by family members at Christmas. Our home is small and humble – and also jam packed with clutter! If you have small kids at home you know what I’m talking about. I once had a mom share with me that she used to clean her kids’ toys up using a snow shovel! While the technique was unique, the situation surely isn’t.  

What would kids benefit from more? Experiences and quality time. This is a great time to support your local children's museums, libraries, restaurants, etc. Is there an activity they really enjoy? Get them a pass to your local indoor pool. Do they love music? Buy them a session of guitar or piano lessons! Personally, our family enjoys attending our local college’s hockey games in the winter. Tickets are great, whether it be to a sporting event, play, musical concert or other family-friendly event in your community.  

This applies to adults as well. If you don’t have kids and need to find a gift for a significant other, purchase tickets to one of their favorite shows. Plan a date out on the town and take them to their favorite restaurant. Is there an adult skills class your local community provides that they’ve always wanted to take? Enroll them and/or yourself! These can easily be applied to other family members and friends as well.  

The Fam cheering on our alma mater’s hockey team

This is how Farmer Forrest spends his time in the off season

Projects 

While it is entirely possible to purchase a pre-made project “kit” at a large store, why not take a chance to break out some creativity? Smaller children certainly won’t know the difference between a new, storebought kit or unwrapping a box filled with parts to piece together. Chances are, you’ve purchased something in a large box before and watched your kid play with the box way more than what actually came inside. If your kids like to build or create, these are perfect gift ideas. Bonus points for repurposing something you already have.  

Its also really fun for kids to do something WITH you. I know they love to eat cookies, but they also love to bake them. Package up the ingredients in a festive way and gift some quality time and yummy cookies. Want to create memories with old fashioned salt dough ornaments? Package up the materials and paints and let them open them as a gift. Trust me, they’ll remember creating these things with you for much longer than they’ll remember a toy they’ll play with for all of 10 minutes.  

Homemade Goodies 

Adults may appreciate a tin full of homemade cookies, a mix of home-grown teas or dried herbs, a cozy blanket that was hand-knit – basically anything you can create and package in a merry way. Food items are great because they won’t increase clutter in the home. 

Now I know what you’re thinking. You’ll need to purchase the materials to make these gifts. While that may be true, also keep in mind that it is totally up to you whether you choose to make something that requires a lot of materials or just a few. You can also try to use up some of the odds and ends crafting supplies you already have. Your recipient most likely won’t even notice. Its the thought that counts!  

Making Room for Physical Gifts

Sometimes it really is preferred to purchase a physical item. I’m not saying this is wrong. In general, our family does our best to only purchase a few things rather than many to keep our consumption (and clutter) down. When I do purchase gifts, I am mindful of purchasing them from a local business. Last year I remember purchasing ceramic mugs, sweaters, freshly made baked goods and candies all from local businesses in my small town.  

Thrifted items are also great. It may not be everyone’s jam, but it is a great alternative to buying new. Thrifted childrens’ books are a favorite in our home. If you’ve never shopped at a thrift store, you should know that most of the items sold are in great condition. Some items are even brand new with the original tag still attached! If something is in subpar condition, just don’t buy it.

Hint: a subscription to your local farm’s CSA is also a great gift 😉  

Holiday Decor 

Another piece of consumerism during the holiday season involves purchasing the latest seasonal decor. I know you have decor from last year tucked away in your basement, storage shed, garage, etc. I also know you likely have at least one full tub or more. Think about it. Do you really have space to store MORE of this stuff? If the answer is no, then you may be thinking that it would make sense to toss some of your old decor to make room for the new. You can see how this may not be sustainable for the planet or your wallet.  

One of my favorite holiday decor items we have in our home every year are our homemade paper snowflakes. Something so simple turns out to be so magical in a large volume. I save them each year. Sure we lose one or two each season from wear and tear, but they are easy (and fun) to replace.  

Other sustainable decor items may include homemade wreaths and garlands made from natural materials, reusable cloth wrapping “paper,” hand-sewn figurines or garlands, wooden painted wall hangings or mantle pieces, and any Christmas kids craft if you’re into that sort of thing. We also really love our homemade salt-dough ornaments that we painted and cured to last for many seasons to come.  

Last year’s homemade salt dough ornaments. Note: the cracks have been repaired

Giving and Gratitude 

There are many life lessons we try to instill into our children as parents. Two of them include gratitude and generosity, which are easily applied during the holiday season. In addition to only providing a small number of physical gifts for our children each season, we also take part in going through the toys they already have and donating lightly used ones for other children to enjoy.  

We also try to take part in local drives that are typical of the holiday season, whether it be for the local food shelf, a coat donation, or the gift donations our schools take each year for us to purchase gifts for families in need. Including the kids in these efforts teaches them that not everyone has the things that they have. It also teaches them to love their neighbor. When they’re parting with some of their things, it softens the blow and even gives them joy to think about another child enjoying them.  

In the off chance that you’re just swimming in money, consider making a monetary donation to local organizations or your charity of choice. We also try to make a small monetary donation as a family each holiday season. We take a vote on where our donation will go each year. In years past, we’ve donated both money and supplies to the community food shelf and to our local animal shelter.  Don’t need the recognition? Do it anonymously and let this warm your heart.

Of note, giving a donation in someone’s name to a cause close to their heart is also a great gift idea, especially if they’re difficult to shop for or “don’t want a gift.”  

That’s All You Could Possibly Want for Christmas

Gratitude, generosity, family, love... However you choose to celebrate, just ask yourself what you’re really celebrating. Let your actions reflect these values. Thank you for being a steward of the Earth and for supporting your local economies! The world needs this now more than ever.  

In case you missed the shameless sales plug, you can find the link to our Flower Shop here to purchase a flower CSA as a holiday gift to a flower lover in your life .

Do you have favorite family holiday traditions that serve others or the environment? Let me know below! We’re always looking for new traditions to adopt in our family.