The holidays are a time of great joy, celebration, and community. However, in the rush to purchase gifts for our loved ones and decorate our homes for the season, we can unintentionally create a lot of waste.
This year, instead of our traditional Holiday Gift Guide, we wanted to focus on finding creative ways to celebrate the holidays in an eco-friendly, budget-friendly, and sustainable way. Below, you’ll find ideas for eliminating waste while buying gifts, wrapping and packaging gifts, and decorating for the holidays.
Gift Wrapping
One of the best parts about the holiday season is the beautifully wrapped and packaged gifts. There is something special about searching for the perfect wrapping paper for a loved one’s gift and topping it with a coordinating ribbon and bow. Unfortunately, once that wrapping paper is torn off, it becomes waste in a landfill. Most wrapping paper cannot be recycled, resulting in an additional five million tons of waste generated during the holiday season in the United States.
There are so many creative ways to package gifts while reducing your carbon footprint, and we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite ideas:
kraft paper
Kraft paper is fully recyclable and, with some creativity, fully customizable. For added sentimentality, we recommend purchasing a large roll of kraft paper and using it a coloring book for children or a sketchpad for adults throughout the year. Once it’s time to wrap holiday presents, each present will be wrapped in it’s own unique and hand-crafted design.
fabric wraps
Fabric wraps make for the perfect gift wrap- they can be reused an unlimited number times and it’s like giving two gifts in one! They’re also so easy to make, and are the perfect project to give a second life to thrifted fabrics or old clothing.
Tip: You can also use reusable tote bags as fabric wraps!
combine gift-wrap scraps
Patchwork is so trendy right now- why not use it to make your gift-wrapping more sustainable and stylish? Save gift wrapping scraps from throughout the year, then combine them to create fun, patchwork wrapping paper for your holiday gifts.
Decorating for the Holidays
Holiday decor is an important part of making your home or workplace feel cozy and welcoming for the holidays. The key to decor that is both inviting and good for the planet is to choose pieces that can be used over and over again.
buy secondhand
Thrift stores and antique shops are overflowing with holiday decor all year long. Instead of buying your decorations brand new from the store, consider checking your local secondhand shops first- you may just find a hidden treasure!
revamp your old decorations
If you have decorations that are a bit worn down or that no longer match your aesthetic, find a creative way to give those items a second life! A can of spray paint and some eco-friendly glitter can go a long way in extending the life of what you already own.
Host a decor swap
If you’re bored with your old holiday decorations, then odds are that your friends and family probably feel the same way about theirs. Host a decor swap and trade your old decor for something new-to-you without breaking the bank or creating extra waste.
Finding the Perfect Gift
Finding a thoughtful gift for every person on your holiday shopping list can feel daunting.
donate in someone’s honor
The best gift that you can give a loved one is a gift that shows them how much you appreciate their kindness and generosity. Consider donating to a cause that they are passionate about in their honor. Check out our Honor a Dream campaign to give to SHAN in honor of a loved one today.
double your impact
Give your loved one merchandise from their favorite nonprofit organization- your loved one gets a tangible gift that will help them to start a conversation with others about a cause that is important to them, and the organization that they love will be supported financially.
Want more specific gift recommendations? Check out our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide!