By: Ilene Krall
It's finally that time of year: that long-awaited, cozy feeling that can only truly be captured when winter finally rolls around. And, perhaps above all, it the glorious time of gift-giving and gift-receiving as we attempt to show our family and friends how much we care for them.
This year, we can all easily also give one gift to the earth. In reality, the holiday season is one of mass consumerism. As Linda Poppenheimer mentions in her article, 'Free Yourself From Christmas Consumerism', in the US alone, shoppers were expected to spend somewhere from $678.8 to $682 billion— yes billion — on their Christmas shopping in 2017.
How has a season of family and appreciation been transformed today into a time of buying, giving, and receiving? In the midst of all this gifting, the earth, unfortunately, suffers. The holiday season brings with it a 30% increase of waste in the UK alone, according to the article 'How Much Waste Does the Festive Season Create', of course only adding to the already pressing issue of waste that we as a society currently face. I believe the issue, however, lies not in a lack of knowledge about this waste, but instead in an unwillingness to do anything about it.
In my own experience, though I try my best to be as eco-friendly as possible the affordable, easily accessible options of less sustainable gift choices have their appeal. But to help you, and help myself too, I've compiled six tips for a very happy green holiday.
Choose battery-free gifts
The EPA, an American federal agency with the goal of protecting the environment, claims that 40% of all battery sales within the US occur during the holidays, a majority of which then end up in landfills. Though it may seem trivial, skipping out on battery-operated gifts can greatly reduce the damaging impact batteries and battery disposal cause. When gifting to younger friends or family members, opt for naturally-powered toys, such as science kits or kites, or creative toys, like artist's kits, that not only reduce battery waste but can also teach your younger loved ones the importance of sustainability.
Make handmade gifts
Another option for sustainability, which in my opinion can never fail, is the handmade gift. In any handmade gift that you create and give, the effort and care you put in speaks for itself. Whether it contains memories of you and your loved one, such as in a scrapbook, or is simply a work of homemade art, like a painting or a poem, the recipient is sure to appreciate the time you invested in that gift. One of my personal favorites I've made made is a wooden box on which I drew inside jokes,and filled with pictures and memorabilia. Not only was the process of making this gift quite fun, but my friend who received it now has a little box of our memories forever.
Shop local
If handmade gifts are not an option for your arsenal (drawing shoddy pictures on a wooden box was really my personal limit), shopping local is always a good alternative to buying online or buying from brands who tend to disregard sustainable practices. In St Andrews, there are countless local shops that cater to a wide range of interests. A nice jam or chocolate from Balgrove Larder, an offbeat, yet beautiful, candlestick from Farmore Interiors, delicious fudge donuts from Fisher & Donaldson, and so many more can evoke more meaning than a Prime delivery from Amazon. Just last week, I bought my mother a beautiful gemstone necklace from the Crystal Shop on South Street and did so happily, knowing I had at bought from a local store, one where I also got to meet the amazing woman who works there. (If you've been, you’ll know.)
Shop ethical brands
If shopping online is truly the only option available to you, particularly during the pandemic, there are plenty of ethical brands that produce and ship with sustainability in mind. For your younger loved ones, Krochet Kids is a clothing company which specialises in children’s clothing that focuses on the buyer knowing exactly who made the product. Each piece of clothing is marked with the maker's signature and the proceeds from these products are powered back into aiding the company’s local Uganda. For your older friends and family, several fair trade companies, such as Warby Parker, Fair Anita, and 100% Pure, all place emphasis on ensuring their materials are sustainable and that their products are produced humanely. Many of these fair trade companies, like Warby Parker, for example, even boast a 'buy a pair, give a pair program' in which, with every pair of sunglasses you purchase, another is sent to someone who can't afford one for him- or herself.
Give an experience
This is by far my personal favourite on this list. Gifting an experience is affordable, even free if you so desire, for both parties, and it's personal as well as invaluable in creating an everlasting memory for you and your loved one to cherish. Instead of spending your money on a materialistic gift which may end up stashed with miscellaneous chargers in a nightstand within the year, the gift of an experience is a private memory to be held dear. A picnic with your friends, a hike with your family, or even an elaborately planned fancy-dress dinner at home for you and your partner are all lovely experiences which could easily take the place of a gift. This experience, whatever it is, only you can give.
Suggest alternatives
The magic of the holidays is that they're made up of your loved ones and your personal family traditions. So do what you want to do! There is no right and wrong way to spend your holidays. Gifts do not have to be given nor received, and your holiday does not have to be defined by consumerism as so many other families’ are. There are truly endless possibilities to the sustainable directions in which you and your family can take your holidays; the world is really your oyster. In my family this year, we have put a budget on the gifts each of us are giving. Though this may seem like a small step, for my family, it means moving towards making sure our physical impact on the earth is a little less this year. If we each take one small step, together we take many larger ones. Sustainability starts with an awareness of your choices, so aim well this winter as we head into another holiday season.
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Sources
Life with Less. “A Guide to Sustainable Gift-Giving,” March 10, 2019. https://www.life-with- less.com/sustainable-gift-giving/.
Don’t Forget To Move. “Ethical Gift Guide: For The Sustainable Shopper,” November 27, 2017. https://www.dontforgettomove.com/ethical-gift-guide-sustainable-shopper/.
“How Much Waste Does the Festive Season Create? - PHS Wastekit.” Accessed December 6, 2020. https://www.phswastekit.co.uk/blog/posts/20-11-2018/how-much-waste-does-the-festive-season-create.
Eartheasy Guides & Articles. “How to Have a ‘Green’ Christmas.” Accessed December 6, 2020. https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/how-to-have-a-green-christmas/.
The Good Trade. “How To Steer Friends & Family Toward Sustainable Gifting.” Accessed December 6, 2020. https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/how-to-ask-for-sustainable-gifts.
Poppenheimer, Author Linda. “Free Yourself from Christmas Consumerism.” Green Groundswell (blog), November 27, 2017. https://greengroundswell.com/free-yourself-from-christmas-consumerism/2017/11/27/.
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