Eco-friendly Holiday Alternatives

The holiday season may or may not turn us all into the worst consumerist version of ourselves (hehe). However, it doesn’t have to be this way. There is no shame in gifting someone close to you the candle you received last year but never burned; or maybe the kitchen set that you definitely didn’t need. Whether it is bathroom products, makeup and skin care, old clothes and shoes, or the oddest niknaks you can find - there can be a second life for them.

In this blog post I will be giving five tips you can use to make the best out of this holiday season while keeping it eco-friendly and sustainable.

Wrapping Paper Alternatives

Y’all… There are a lot of them.

• Fabric; this can be some old cloth from a past sewing project, an old (clean) handkerchief, or even gently used napkins or dish towels. The best part about this option is that these items can be used again once it has done its purpose. :)

• Old Newspapers or Scrap Paper; this option encompases anything from recycling your weekly newspaper or monthly magazine subscription. Bonus points if you recycle the wrapping paper after you’ve taken it off. *For your travel friends, try finding old maps to wrap their gifts in.

• Jars, Tins, Dust Bags; These, like the fabric, can have its use after it’s initial work as a wrapping paper alternative. Dust bags are perfect for any sort of jewelry or metal products as it can help in protecting them in the process. Tins and jars are good for a plethora of miscellaneous items.

• Baskets; Isn’t it always enticing to go to charity events and seeing the large basket full of goodies? Y’all can have this same feeling when the holiday’s role around if you want an alternative to some of the mentioned above. Instead of buying the premade meat and cheese kits that are very popular during the holiday season, try making your own and let your creativity roam!

• Boxes; in this case, it would be best to get a wooden or non-designed box. After the holidays are done with you can use it as a junk-mail box, place to hold valuables, a spot for pens and markers, or even an accent piece in a living room. The possibilities are endless with something as versatile as a box.

• Don’t wrap at all; of course, some could say this takes some of them out of the gift giving. However, if the gift already comes in a brown box that hides its contents, just tie a ribbon across the top of it and call it a job well done!

Rent A Christmas Tree

Yes, you read that right. Over 35 million Christmas Trees are cut down during the holiday season every year. This can be quite a dampener. Instead of keeping your Christmas tree for a month and throwing it away or burning it afterwards, try renting your Christmas tree. There are available places within the US and Canada that can uproot a tree for you and you can bring it back to be replanted after the holidays are over.

Send Plantable Christmas Cards

While a lot of us have found a way to say our Holidays Greetings, some still prefer to send out holiday cards over any other alternative. For this, we suggest finding cards that can be composted or even planted. On Etsy you can find holiday cards embedded with seeds so they can be grown after the holiday season.

Reusable Advent Calendars

Advent calendars have created quite a rage in 2021. For next year, let’s make them for each other with reusable advent calendars! These usually come in some sort of wood or wood mixture setting. The best part is that they can be filled with anything we want. Ask your friends about it for next year's holiday season!

Try Buying “Green Gifts”

We’re definitely not biased and we’re definitely not suggesting you go check out our eco-friendly shop 👀. What we are saying is that perhaps instead of more clothes or plastic gifts this year you switch it out for a reusable water bottle and metal straw for your favorite friend. Perhaps beeswax wraps for the significant other who never fails to use the entire box of sandwich baggies in one week. No, but seriously, how cool would it be to gift someone with a bit of green this year? Let’s help in pushing each other to make conscious changes for the earth! She always needs our help!

Conclusion: Of course, all of these suggestions are merely suggestions. If you can’t afford to buy “green gifts” or splurge on reusable advent calendars, we aren’t suggesting that you should be ashamed of not partaking. Everyone’s journey to going green is different. But, the more we think about all the ways we can change, the more changes that will occur. So, spread the message (and this post) and let’s help in breaking the waste associated with the Holiday Season.

Oh - and Seasons Greeting to you

With love from sunny San Diego,

<3 Viron - Environmental Services