T

he holiday season has started! It is that time of the year where we gather with our family and friends to enjoy a good time together – on Christmas Day! Unfortunately, the Christmas holiday seems to be an excuse to over-consume and buy things we don’t actually need. You know the deal!

We want to show you that you can enjoy Christmas while limiting your consumption without feeling frustrated and achieve your goals of producing a low-waste holiday. From Christmas tree to Christmas gifts, we will try to give you tips and recommendations to celebrate Christmas consciously.

Is buying a Christmas tree sustainable? Is a Christmas tree from plastic bad for the environment even if you reuse it for several Christmas? We shouldn’t be limited by these two options, you can get creative with your Christmas tree, making one with fairy Christmas lights attached on the wall!

If buying a real Christmas tree really means a lot to you, make sure it came from a sustainable forest and of course buy local if you can! Here are a few ideas for you to make a unique Christmas tree!

There are also alternatives to get less-waste on Christmas! First, use what you have (from last Christmas) and stop buying countless Christmas decorations every year. You can make your own Christmas tree decorations using cardboard, fabrics, or anything around you (like pine branches, leaves, etc) and make it a fun family activity out of it! You can also make a little gingerbread man or some dried fruits that you can hang on the Christmas tree!

Every year, supermarkets overflow us with Christmas calendars – regrettably, covered or wrapped in plastic. Not to worry! We will give you some ideas for a less-waste Christmas calendar.

First of all, you can make your very own reusable DIY calendar made from fabrics or buy a wooden calendar that you can fill yourself with delicious treats or small gifts. Make sure the companies that produce them have the legality of all timber products and are doing it sustainably. 

The Christmas holiday season is also an opportunity to give to others and create a reverse advent calendar. Every day, you put something that you no longer need or you want to give into a box, like clothes, food, books, etc. At the end of the calendar, bring this box to a charity to help people in need. Instead of receiving something every day, you give to people! That’s the Christmas spirit!

 

Free yourself from material Christmas gifts!

Gifts don’t have to be material things! You can give your loved ones a concert ticket, a visit, or a coupon. Physically small but of great value.

For Christmas 2019, Living Food Lab suggests offering a voucher to dine in at the restaurant. The good news is 10 percent of the payment will be donated to the Bali Dolphin Project. That’s what you call feeding two birds with one seed – yes to less waste, and an ethical gift!

Are you trying to achieve a less-waste Christmas but not sure how to please people? For the sweet tooth, you can bake them cookies in a jar! Simply fill the jar with the dry ingredients and add a little note to indicate what the person needs to do to end up with delicious homemade cookies.

You don’t want to give your money to the huge beauty industry? Make your DIY zero-waste beauty products, like a coffee body scrub. Not only good for dry skin but helps exfoliating. Here is a super easy 3-ingredient recipe for you:

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil or coconut oil or honey (if not vegan)
• ½ cup used or fresh coffee grounds
• ¼ cup of organic or brown sugar

Instructions: Mix everything in a cute container and voilà! Easy peasy! Personalized and less-waste Christmas gift.

Seeing pictures of Christmas gifts on Pinterest inspires you to wrap your own gifts. But, it takes forever, destroyed in seconds, and often not reusable! Instead of using supermarket-bought gift wrappings, you can switch to used newspapers! Instead of duct tape, use strings and tie a pretty little bow. The possibilities are infinite! 

You now have all the essentials to spend a less-waste Christmas holiday! Have a jolly Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!