Quickly Changing Holiday Gift Giving

Quickly Changing Holiday Gift Giving
October 4, 2021 Sabine Schoenberg

The 2021 Holiday season is pretty much upon us. Temperatures are quickly changing to cooler making our homes feel cozier. Holiday decor brings in even snugglier feelings at home.

Businesses do better during the Holidays since our hearts and pocketbooks are a bit more open. In light of the devastating weather catastrophes. Never before seen intense fires and floods continue to affect millions of people on every continent. Why not take this Holiday season to also think of Mother Earth in our gift-giving this year. Holiday gift-giving is quickly changing to include a new environmental awareness in gift-giving.

Let’s look at the various ways you can have a positive and meaningful impact on Mother Earth in your gift-giving. Hint: Avoid plastic, wherever possible.  This is not easy. So here are some ideas to get you started:

Quickly Changing Gift Ideas

This is one area in which habits are quickly changing. For many, it may entail a change in focus and habits. However, in the end, you are likely to feel so much better about your gifts to your loved one and to the planet:

  • Buy toys with little to no plastic content. There are great natural, sustainable gifts and wood toys available.
  • Buy only toys with recyclable and/or rechargeable batteries
  • Make a charitable donation to a cause your recipient cares about
  • Give gift certificates to experiences instead of things
  • Purchase healthy, natural products such as clothing and home goods made of natural cotton
  • Purchase a membership to a museum, theater, or streaming service.

Gift Wrapping

  • Purchase wrapping paper free of “glitter” or metallic materials as glitter renders the paper “non-recyclable”.
  • Use ribbon instead of plastic tape when wrapping gifts
  • Ask stores to wrap your gifts in a similar non-tape/non-plastic manner
  • Have your kids decorate/paint brown paper to create your own, special gift wrap paper “for Santa”

Easy To Do Home And Party Decor

  • Buy a real or living tree with a root ball so that you can plant it after the Holidays and enjoy it in your garden for years to come
  • Recycle fresh-cut trees to your community Christmas tree recycling drop off
  • Use LED lights and lower your Holiday energy consumption dramatically which reduces energy production needs – statistically, Holliday lights increase electricity consumption by 25% every year
  • Decorate with natural materials instead of plastic goods all-around your home
  • Replace all plastic party goods with bamboo plates and silverware or use your daily china

Giving more stuff, even though it may be well-intentioned, feels hollow.

Holiday gift-giving and entertaining are examples of quickly changing sentiments regarding our consumption habits.  It makes one feel good to be aligned with our planet. Sustainable living is not just a concept. It is an attitude that makes you feel good. Therefore, it is only natural to apply it to the gift-giving season for 2021.

Photo by Priscilla du Preez