The most festive time of the year can also be characterised by excessive consumption – of goods and resources – and greater waste. This is why we need a “greener” Christmas – a concept that urges us to celebrate the season with greater mindfulness. This doesn’t mean you need to give up the Christmas spirit or your traditions; it’s about combining them with more sustainable choices for the environment.
Each year, the Christmas season takes an ever-growing toll on our planet. Between Thanksgiving and New Year each year, American waste increases by 25%, amounting to about 25 million extra tons of garbage produced. With a constantly increasing strain on our environment, we must do what we can to lessen this burden.
Use some of these ideas to help you have a green Christmas in 2024, without giving up your favorite Christmas traditions.
Avoid Food Waste
It is normal to cook too much food at Christmas. However, food waste is a serious problem on a world scale. Plan your meals in advance so you don’t cook too much food. If there are leftovers, start a traditional “leftovers day”. Or even better, give some to a neighbor, a family member, or a social institution. You can also put it the freezer.
Go For Reused Wrapping Instead
As beautiful as the wrapping paper is, it turns into waste the second the present is unwrapped. So, there must be a better way to make wrapping paper more sustainable. And there are plenty! If you chose a wrapping paper made of recycled materials, you’ll already be reducing its carbon footprint impact. But you don’t even need to buy new one – why not reusing it from previous years? You can even make your custom wrapping paper from old newspaper pages and use old cardboard boxes to make name tags. Either way, try to avoid tape, so it’s possible to reuse it next year or event switching to use fabric reusable wrapping instead.
Give More Sustainable Gifts
We know the tradition of Christmas gifts is an important one, so why not make it an opportunity to change some minds? There are some very good and useful sustainable gifts out there, just waiting to be wrapped. Think about socks made of recovered fishing nets, fabric tote bags for groceries, reusable metal straws or fair-trade chocolates (discover the hidden story behind the cocoa production and why should you choose fair-trade chocolate).
For kids, consider colouring pencils that have seeds, and can be planted when worn, wood building blocks, or even science kits that can teach them about renewable energies, like solar, work. There is so much to choose from, and in the end, you might make a difference in someone’s life.
Reuse, Recycle, Reduce, ... Re-Gift?
Re-gifting – the practice of giving someone the gifts you’ve been given and don’t use – is becoming increasingly popular. For example, if you loved a certain book but it’s sitting on your shelf, why not give it away so that more people can read it? The best thing about ‘re-gifting’ is that it makes someone happy and is more sustainable, as you won’t have to spend more money – and resources on the planet – buying new presents.
Choose Battery Free Gifts
Many toys and electronic devices still rely on batteries, which end up as toxic waste – although it is possible to recycle used batteries. If there are kids in the family, choose educational toys and games that don’t require batteries, such as books, puzzles, or arts and crafts materials, or wood music box instead, or even no batter require amplifier. If batteries are unavoidable, choose rechargeable ones. This is also a great time to sort through toys your child no longer plays with and donate them to someone in need or a charitable organization. After all, a green Christmas is also about sharing.
More Sustainable Christmas Decorations
For a “green” Christmas, pick sustainable decorations. Go for a walk in nature and collect natural items to adorn your home. Pine branches, pinecones, dried twigs, holly, and various leaves can be transformed into table arrangements, wreaths, or tree ornaments. Pair these with reused items, such as ribbons from previous years, and avoid disposable or plastic materials.
Start A Green Christmas Tradition
Everyone has numerous Christmas traditions that their family appreciates year after year, like our simple pioneer Christmas activities. But with humans’ ever-growing impact on the planet, it’s time to start thinking about transforming some of these ideas into new green Christmas traditions that limit their impact on our earth. This way, our descendants can continue to appreciate these traditions long after we’ve gone.
It may be difficult to change your entire Christmas all at once, but if you incorporate just a few of these green Christmas ideas into your plans each year, you’ll make a difference. After just a few years, your holidays will be as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.
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