Simple and sustainable holidays: Four ideas for a meaningful season

Every year my hope is that the Christmas season brings chances to celebrate and create wonderful memories with loved ones. However, it’s also a time when we tend to spend a lot of time and resources gathering the things we think we need for a meaningful time of celebration. Last year I left preparations a bit late and ended up feeling quite anxious about the whole thing!

As a result, this year I’m trying to slow down, appreciate the small and quiet moments of the season, and generally pack less onto the shopping list and calendar. However, there are still gifts to be bought, celebrations to plan and events to attend!

So recognizing that these are somewhat opposing goals I’m sharing a few thoughts below about how I’m planning to prepare for Christmas with simplicity and sustainability in mind.

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Simple and sustainable gifts

Gift-giving is at the heart of many holiday traditions, and there are many ways simplify how we gift in this season – and many of these are sustainable, too!

• Experiences over objects: Give the gift of memories rather than material things. Tickets to a concert, a cooking class, a nature hike, or a favourite restaurant can create lasting memories without the impact of physical items.
• Homemade gifts: Handcrafted gifts, such as homemade candles, baked goods, or knitted scarves, are personal, thoughtful, and eco-friendly.
• Secondhand or vintage finds: Consider giving gently used or vintage items that have a unique charm and story behind them. This year I attended a vintage market and enjoyed shopping through many collections while taking in the holiday spirit!
• Charitable donations: Donate to a cause in someone’s name. Many organizations offer the option to give gifts that support environmental conservation, education, or even adopt an owl like we did one year!

We’ve shared some great ways to gift sustainably in past posts here!

Get creative with wrapping

Gift wrap is generally expensive and is just thrown away! Instead of spending on wrapping, there’s a great opportunity to get creative:

• Recycled wrapping paper: Choose wrapping paper made from recycled materials or, better yet, wrap gifts in newspaper, old maps, or fabric (think scarves or tea towels) for a creative and unique approach. See below for my potato stamp wrapping paper – it was simple, fun and very colourful!
• Reusable gift bags: Fabric gift bags can be used year after year and can easily be customized with ribbons or stamps.
• No wrap at all: For a truly minimalist approach, skip the wrapping and give gifts as they are, or use a simple ribbon or string to tie them together.

In a past post Alison shared how she made homemade bows from magazines, check it out here!

Decorate with nature

Holiday decorations are beautiful but can be expensive and are often made of materials such as plastic. A time-tested sustainable (and beautiful!) alternative is to opt for natural, reusable, and biodegradable decor:

• Use natural elements: Decorate with pinecones, holly, evergreen branches, and dried flowers. These elements can often be foraged from your garden or local park and add a rustic, cozy touch to your home.
• DIY decorations: Craft your own ornaments or wreaths using natural materials like twigs, dried citrus slices, or cinnamon sticks. These can be composted after the season ends, reducing waste.
• Energy-efficient lights: If you love the look of twinkling lights, opt for LED lights, which use less energy and last longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.

Simple celebrations

The holiday season often comes with a lot of expectations to attend events. One of the things I’ve done less of this year is schedule events in general, but particularly those that are far from home. This is mostly because I just find it stressful to rush to events with two kids, but there are definitely a cost saving and environmental benefits to this too! A few ideas to keep celebrations simple and sustainable include:

• Fewer, more meaningful gatherings and events: Instead of attending or hosting multiple gatherings or events, focus on events that are meaningful for you. This is beneficial in a few ways: it helps reduce travel emissions, fewer gatherings means less cleaning, decorating, food preparation (and potential food waste). And the few events that remain in the schedule become more impactful for not being amidst the hustle and bustle that we so easily fall into!
• Borrow instead of buy: If you’re hosting a holiday gathering, opt for reusable plates, glasses, and cutlery instead of single-use plastic items. If you don’t have enough, consider borrowing from friends or using disposable options made from bamboo or compostable materials. I’ve borrowed tablecloths, tables and chairs, and servingware for gatherings over the years and it usually makes for a cost-effective and eclectic party!

Celebrating with Purpose

The holidays at their best are a time for connection, reflection, and giving. By simplifying celebrations and choosing more sustainable options, you can reduce waste (and stress!) and still create beautiful memories with loved ones.

Have you made any changes to how you’re approaching the holidays this year?

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