As the festive season approaches (…for the rest of the world, I’ve been full-on Christmas since like September), I find myself getting excited about all the traditions that come with it. I love the cozy atmosphere, the delicious food, and spending time with family and friends. But I also worry about the impact that Christmas can have on the planet.
Since the last Sustainicle, the Boyfriend got sick (and now I’m traveling for work), so our 12-Days of Cocoa is still ongoing and I am unable to report our favorites so far. But I do know that we like it to be a little bit thick and creamy, we don’t like the addition of cornstarch, and we’re excited for to add some things in, like a little orange juice. YUMM!
Some of my favorite holiday traditions are cookie baking with the family, decorating the tree, and seeing the holiday light show. We are also hosting our second annual holiday party this year. We started it last year to bring back all the Christmas party excitement we used to have as children. But other than that, we keep our Christmas schedule light so that we have time to travel to both of our families for the holidays.
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Eco-Friendly Christmas Decorations
Incorporating eco-friendly Christmas decorations into my holiday isn’t exactly a tradition, but decorating is. We definitely try to strike a balance between buying too much shit to decorate with, and also being thoroughly festive because we love the holiday season. Even though some of our decorations aren’t recycled or natural, we look at them as long-term investments that we will enjoy for many, many years (hopefully the rest of our lives). And it also helps that we don’t buy many decorations; most of them have been handed down from elder generations of each of our families, and we love building on these traditional ornaments that have so many great memories.
Choosing the Right Christmas Tree
When it comes to choosing a Christmas tree, there are a few options that are more eco-friendly than others. One option is to opt for a real tree that is grown sustainably and locally. Another option is to rent a living tree that can be planted or given back to the nursery/farm after the holidays.
If you prefer an artificial tree, look for one that is made from recyclable materials and can be reused for many years. Since our tree gets left up for at least six months (I’m telling you, we LOVE the holidays), we opted for a recycled artificial tree from OncorTrees that should last the rest of our lives. This way we only throw out one tree (when we die), and we can continue to celebrate one of our favorite traditions of decorating the tree November 1st.
Handmade and Natural Decorations
DIY and handmade decorations are a great way to add a personal touch to your holiday decor while also reducing waste. You can make ornaments out of natural materials like pine cones, dried flowers, and cinnamon sticks. You can also make garlands out of recycled paper or fabric scraps. Handmade decorations are not only eco-friendly, but they also make great gifts for friends and family.
We’re especially looking at natural ornaments to add to our decorations this year because we are hoping to make time to decorate some outdoor trees for the holiday season. We’re thinking Cookie Cutter Birdseed Ornaments, Dried Orange Garland, and maybe some Dried Flower Wreaths (no flowers, just the seeds on their dried stems).
Green Lighting Options
LED lights are a great eco-friendly option for Christmas lights. They use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last much longer. LED lights also come in a variety of colors and styles, so you can find the perfect ones to fit your decor. If you prefer traditional lights, look for ones that are made from non-toxic materials and can be recycled.
I REALLY (really, really) want to be one of those fantastically lit houses that are so beautiful at Christmas time. We’ve tried LED icicle lights a couple years in the past, but they just don’t work well for our home (surrounded by fields, lots of wind). The Boyfriend wants to put up permanent outdoor Christmas lights like ones from Govee and I’m all for them for festive and aesthetic reasons, but I’m having some problems wrapping my head around how much our artificial lights will disrupt the eco-system we are trying to “build.”
But that’s next-year Ginny’s problems.
When it comes to glitter and other decorations, try to choose natural or biodegradable options. Avoid decorations made from plastic or other non-recyclable materials, if you can. You can also reuse decorations from previous years to reduce waste.
Sustainable Gift Giving
I believe that gifts should be enjoyed, and should create lasting memories; it’s part of why I LOVE giving gifts so much. And there are so many ways to give gifts that are eco-friendly and sustainable.
Gift Wrapping Alternatives
Instead of using wrapping paper, consider using recycled materials such as brown paper or tissue paper. You can also use reusable gift bags or beeswax wraps. There are so many ways to “wrap” your gifts without creating more waste. These alternatives are not only eco-friendly but also add a unique touch to your gift.
Experiences Over Material Gifts
Another sustainable gift-giving option is to gift an experience rather than a material item. This can include a cooking class, concert tickets, or a spa day. Not only are experiences often more memorable, but they also do not contribute to waste or clutter. I love gifting my niece and nephews experience gifts, like annual passes to their local zoo. Bonus points, if I can make it down there to go with them at least once.
Reducing Food Waste
We always try to reduce our food waste by only buying and making exactly what we will eat (or freezing the rest for quick and easy meals in the future). We’re not always successful, but the few times we aren’t, we just add our waste to the compost bin and we feel moderately better that we’re fueling the garden.
But with the holidays come sooo much delicious and traditional foods that we only get once a year. So, it’s really easy to “go big or go home” in the preparations department. That’s where planning and portioning can help to avoid overbuying and overcooking. Before heading to the grocery store, I always make a list of the items that I need and try to stick to it. I also make sure to check the fridge and pantry for any items that I already have to avoid buying duplicates.
When it comes to portioning, I estimate the number of guests and adjust the recipe accordingly. I find that people, including myself, tend to graze over the holidays….a little bit here, another little plate here. OOOO! Is that a Christmas Cookie??? Yes, please! With this in mind, preparing smaller sized portions can help to reduce your overall food waste as well.
Using leftovers is an excellent way to reduce food waste. I always make sure to store the leftovers properly and use them in creative ways. For example, if you have leftover turkey or ham, these make great additions to sandwiches, soups, or salads. Brussels sprouts can be sautéed with garlic and used as a side dish or added to omelets. Mashed potatoes can be fried into potato pancakes. The list is endless, especially since I end up eating our holiday leftovers as breakfast meals.
Our Eco-Friendly Christmas Activities
Our little family traditions are probably just getting started. We’re a child-free couple that loves family and the holidays, and it seems like we LOVE adding new adventures and traditions to our lives (like our 12 Days of Cocoa)! We enjoy making memories, keeping traditions alive, and experiencing life. We’ve consolidated our Christmas Cookie Baking Day to one day with all the family. We each make a batch or two of our favorite cookies, and we all decorate (and eat them together).
This way everyone gets a couple of every different kind of Christmas cookie they can dream about, instead of being left with 50 of the same cookies. It also cuts back on energy usage since we efficiently utilize one oven over the course of one day, instead of three or four different ovens going for an hour or two. And, it typically creates less waste since we can buy our cookie baking supplies in bulk (so less packaging, etc). Plus family time, laughter, and putting flour handprints on the Boyfriend’s back are priceless.
Another tradition we do every year is to go see the holiday light show. I don’t know if this is only a small-town thing, but basically it’s a drive through light show to beautiful Christmas music. One car gets in for the same price, so we typically invite friends to share the experience with us. We try to go on a week day so it’s not too busy and we’re not just sitting in line with the car idling.
Final Thoughts on Sustainable Traditions
These traditions might not be as impactful as our one recycled “forever-tree,” or gifting experiences instead of items destined for the landfill, but the goal is always to enjoy our lives, while appreciating our beautiful planet and everything she provides for us…and making our family holiday traditions just a little bit more sustainable is showing that love and appreciation.
This has also led me to discovering the joy of making my own decorations and gifts, which not only saves money but also reduces overconsumption. And having accumulated “stuff” from several households that have downsized over the years, I try extremely hard to NOT buy anything else, unless we 100% NEED it to survive.
One of the easiest ways to have a more sustainable Christmas is to reduce your waste by just a little bit this year. This can be done by using reusable wrapping paper, making homemade decorations, or buying gifts that are eco-friendly or have a low carbon footprint. There are also plenty of fun activities that can be done with family and friends that are both festive and environmentally friendly, like going on a winter nature walk, making bird feeders, or baking Christmas treats using locally sourced ingredients.
So maybe you just pick one thing this year to make slightly more sustainable…maybe it’s baking cookies with the whole family? I promise, you’ll have an absolutely incredible time. Or maybe you and your family make homemade, natural ornaments for your tree this year. Let me know how you plan to slip a little sustainability into your holidays in the comments below.
