Christmas is a consumerist wonderland. You are encouraged to buy whether you need it or not, or whether who ever you will use it or not. We are made to feel so guilty for not buying for someone that we’d rather buy them something they don’t need or want rather then just not buy for them. My absolute best friend and I have probably got each other gifts for Christmas about once. We have never really felt the need and instead we enjoy just being together. Although I will show you gift ideas and the like I implore you to think about why you celebrate this holiday and what you hope to gain. You can get whenever, but people are only here for a short time, make the most of the time you have with them.
Decorations
When we think of Christmas we think of vast amount of Christmas lights, a christmas tree with all the trimmings, and decor at every turn. Zero waste isn’t about having nothing, it’s about having only what truly makes us happy and what will be kind to the earth. You may have a lot of excess that you don’t necessarily need or that even makes you happy. You may only actually use have of those boxes that you keep in your garage. And what you do have, might be fragile and made of plastic. Keep what is sturdy, well-made, and made out of environmentally friendly materials. Donate all that doesn’t fit these needs.
Consider getting a live tree still in a pot that you can plant after Christmas. But if you already have a tree that is plastic, don’t throw it out. Make sure to get all the use out of it that you can and treat it with care. The more you use it, the less you have to buy and the less goes into landfill.
My tree currently has a orange garland (as seen above) tied around it that I find absolutely beautiful. They are very easy to make and all you need is a few oranges and some twine. http://www.adailysomething.com/2016/12/diy-simple-dried-orange-garland-for-christmas.html You can add these everywhere for a touch of color.
These rosemary decorations are a beautiful addition to any home. https://treading-lightly.com/2016/12/zero-waste-christmas-decorations/ How to make this and many other zero waste decorations are on this site. I feel like with zero waste the best advice is to be creative and try you best to work with what you have. Find colors and textures that make you happy and implement them in your home.
You may also want to change up the scents in your home. I like adding a drop or two of clove into my cleaning vinegar to add a little bit of festivity to my cleaning. You can also add some peppermint or clove scented soap to wash your hands with at you sink. All of this really adds to the smells and sights of christmas.
How to wrap gifts
I wrapped this years gifts with some brown paper bags that I saved from grocery shopping. I used to get paper bags before I committed to bringing reusable bags to the store. Now that I do that regularly I no longer get paper, but I do have a few bags left over. I wrapped my gifts normally but instead of wrapping paper I used brown paper (that once used we will carefully take off and reuse for years) and instead of tape I used natural twine to hold the fold in place. The plastic in tape is bad for the environment so try to avoid that when possible. For a little added flare you can add leaves, flowers, branches and berries to tie under the twine.
If you don’t happen to have brown paper or twine, use old fabric to wrap your gifts. An old shirt, sheet, dish towel and all sorts of others will work fine. There are also plenty of wrapping methods to keep the package looking interesting. If the gift is being exchanged within the family the family member can simply open the gift and return the wrapping. If given without the family you can also make the wrapping a gift i.e. a scarf, shirt, or a handkerchief. You could also put the gift in small drawstring bags made of cotton and much more. Again be creative and try to use what you have!
If your gift is a liquid or powder, you can use old jars, Altoids tins or any matter of small container. Try thrift or vintage shops, they always seem to have little bottles, jars, and tins for a pretty good price point.
Gift ideas
This section will be brief because I expect if you know the person you are gifting to, you should know exactly what they want. You may be able to tweak what they want to make it zero waste too. Do they want a hair brush? Buy a nice wooden one. A foot scrub? Try making one! There are a million ways of showing the people you love that you care.
Remember to also consider things that can’t be wrapped. Like a picnic, a night out or maybe a bike ride through the park. Again, this time of year is about spending time with those you love and not just about the gifts. take time to be present, and be active in your friends and family’s lives.
If you’re still having trouble I would suggest visiting zero waste nerd’s article of 101 ideas for zero waste gifting. https://zerowastenerd.com/01-zero-waste-gift-ideas
Remember to keep it simple and focus on whats important. Have a very Happy Holiday season!
Tea Tree 