Are we part of the pollution or part of the solution?

Christmas is often a time of over consumption and excessive spending to meet entrenched expectations. With the push for black Friday sales and glittery Christmas displays and the release of the latest and greatest of this product or that, it is hard to resist the pressures to buy buy buy adding more stuff to our already over-stuffed lives! Of course, we want to treat those we love with our gift giving generosity and immerse ourselves in the joys of excited children but there are many people who are looking to shift towards more thoughtful, mindful and environmentally friendly ideas to celebrate the holidays. This post is intended to spark the conversation and rethink our gift giving practices!

Benefits of a “greener: Christmas

• Reduces unnecessary waste in our landfills.
• Limits one use plastics and excessive packaging.
• Encourages more thoughtful and mindful gift giving, shifting quantity towards quality.
• Supports ethical and equitable labour practices.
• Shines the light on unnecessary and excessive material consumerism.
• Encourages us to take more responsibility for our individual and collective footprint on the planet.
• Supports local businesses, artisan and crafters and thus the local economy.
• Uses more sustainable and less harmful materials such as repurposed or natural items and therefore lessens the impact on the environment and our health.
• Supports the local service industry.
• Can reframe gift giving away from the material.
• Promotes a long term vision for environmental protection.

Key considerations

First and foremost, check your obligations at the door. You don’t have to gift everyone you know. Prioritize! Even if you need to offer a gift for an office party or Christmas gathering, you can still choose something thoughtful, Eco friendly and creative. Here are some thoughts to get you started:

• Really know your recipient and give thoughtfully, making it meaningful and from the heart.
• Choose quality gifts over quantity, don’t buy or gift because “you have to” do it because you want to!
• If the gift is right for the recipient, re-gifting or thrift store purchases are great ideas.
• Offer experiences and connection instead of more things.
• Consider practical and useful gifts with a long life span.
• Support local businesses, artists and craft markets.
• Get creative and crafty yourself.
• Choose gifts made of recycled, repurposed or natural materials such as bamboo, wools, hemps and wood.
• Give gift cards for practical (grocery) or fun (entertainment) or self care (massage therapy).
• Avoid buying wrapping paper and reuse recycled paper, gift bags, butcher or newspaper, cloth wrappings, tea towels or other creative items.
• Support businesses that commits to sustainable practices.
• Consider as a family donating to a cause such as a monthly donation to the food bank, animal shelter or Unicef. There are dozens of charities that could use your support!

Gift card and service ideas

• Grocery cards
• Gas cards
• Pet stores
• Kids consignment stores
• Garden stores
• Registered Massage Therapist (like me 😉  )
• Spa services or passes to mineral pool and saunas for hydrotherapy
• Vouchers to help out the parents in your life to assist with baby sitting, a home cooked meal or some house keeping assistance
• Restaurant gift certificates
• Movie theatre passes
• Trampoline park passes
• Subscriptions to music (Spotify), TV (netflics), book services (audible) or magazine and newspapers
• Subscription to a monthly CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) food box
• Craft or wool stores
• Hardware stores
• Speciality food stores like cheese and teas
• Book stores
• Yoga, Gym or pool punch passes

Natural and sustainable ideas

• Bamboo kitchen ware for traveling, camping or picnics
• Telescoping metal travel straw and spork
• stainless steel water bottles
• Stainless steel or glass food containers
• Travel mugs and thermos containers
• Natural fiber cutting board and knife
• Cookware
• Beeswax wraps
• Mesh cloth vegetable storage bags
• Hand made jewelry from crafters
• Pottery
• Art
• A house plant
• Wind-chimes
• Yoga props for your yogi such as straps, blocks, bolsters or a new matt
• Board and card games
• Puzzles
• A wrist watch
• Ceramic tea pot with strainer for your tea lovers
• Camping and hiking gear for your outdoor adventurer

Consumables

• DYI spice blends in small mason jars like taco, Italian or cinnamon sugar or a collection of fun spices from a vender.
• Preserves such as pickles, krauts and jams.
• Hot sauces, special condiments, marinades and sauces.
• Flavoured Honey’s.
• Homemade roasted nuts and seed mixes stored in a mason jar.
• Fill glass jars with favourite holiday candies and chocolate from bulk store.
• Homemade treats.
• Infused vinegars and oils.
• Specialty teas and coffee.
• Ready to go homemade cocoa in a mason jar.
• Fancy cheeses and crackers.
• Bath and body products such as salts, bombs, oils and body butters.
• Natural soap, shampoo and conditioner bars.
• Flower bulbs or seeds for spring planting for your gardeners.
• Scented candles or incense for your hippy friends.
• Essential oils and diffusers

stocking stuffer ideas

• Fun socks
• New bamboo toothbrush
• Scratch and win tickets
• Lip balms
• Bath bombs
• Soap bar
• Unique tree ornament
• Earrings or jewelry
• Hand crafted fudge or chocolate
• Roll on essential oil perfume
• Gem stones
• Mittens
• Razor head replacements

Transitioning away from traditional and conventional gift giving practices can take both courage and thoughtfulness. It requires thinking ahead and making different choices than made in the past, requiring a mind set shift. We don’t need to stop giving, just rethink our giving and move away from the abundance of stuff!

Check out last years blog post on Top Tips to Keeping the “Happy” in the Holidays and Avoiding Burn Out

Happy holidays!