15+ ideas for a more sustainable Christmas

New Zealand Christmas Waste

Summer is upon us again – with the pleasure of gift giving and summer holidays! Christmas is a time of joy, connection and tradition. Unfortunately, it’s often excessively wasteful. In fact, in the week after Christmas, New Zealanders send 50,000 extra tonnes of waste to landfill.  As one site I visited said, that is enough to fill 14,286 twenty-foot shipping containers – which, if stacked one on top of the other, would stretch 105 times higher than the Sky Tower!

And it’s not just the extra trash that’s a problem. All the fossil fuels, trees and other natural resources that go into producing unnecessary plastic toys, novelty gifts and wrapping paper are a real economic and environmental burden.

Certainly feels like an opportunity to take a deep breath and consider our priorities, doesn’t it. Is there another way to experience Christmas that doesn’t involve the stress of sprint present buying and dreading the January credit card statement?

What does Christmas mean to us?

Let’s be honest, for most of us over the age 15, the “joy” of Christmas gift giving is often an experience of diminishing returns. The gratification of finding the perfect item for someone is frequently overshadowed by the pressure to get something. We can end up spending a lot of money on stuff we instinctively know has little chance of being truly appreciated.

There’s a deficit of joy on the receiving side too. We may get a little burst of excitement opening certain gifts, but for many people this feeling is overshadowed by the emotional weight of living with the clutter these items eventually become.

Ideas for a more environmentally friendly Christmas  

Let’s consider the alternatives.
 
Stepping back from the “stuff”- centred approach doesn’t mean abandoning gifts. Rather, it means refocusing on the core purpose of gift giving, to celebrate and build relationships. That might, in fact, still mean getting them a physical gift, but only because you know that item will have meaning to them.  But with a little creativity, there are a lot of other options that can add to the joy of Christmas instead of the stress.
 
Here are a few ideas to getting your thinking:

• Cut down on Christmas shopping by making gifts at home, like chia tea blends and baking; sewn, knitted or crocheted items; or home- made cosmetics and soaps
• Look in your garden for ideas – lemons and limes at this time of year are plentiful, so maybe some preserving, Lemon Curd or Lime Cordial
• Gifting your time to help someone with a carpentry project, babysitting, or other tasks 
• Give “experience gifts” rather than stuff – taking someone on a picnic or to the beach for the afternoon, give tickets to a concert that you know will appeal to them, or try one of those local activities the “tourists” do
• If you’re into spreading the low-waste living message, gift a zero-waste starter pack to help your friends and family reduce their waste every day – things like reusable cloth produce/bulk bin bags, reusable takeaway coffee cups, reusable drink bottles, reusable metal straws, beeswax wrap, stainless steel lunch boxes/containers, compostable bamboo toothbrushes, and wooden dish brushes with replaceable, home compostable heads
• Make an environmental difference - Got an environmentally conscious recipient in mind? Trees that Count is a New Zealand based organisation that facilitates the planting of native trees at community-based planting projects around the country. For as little as $10 you can gift 1 native tree in your recipient’s name
• Think socks for Christmas are boring? Not when you buy them from  Nisa Clothing. Super comfy and with some fab designs for a little bit of flair, anyone would be happy to find these in their Christmas stocking. And by supporting Nisa you are helping women from migrant backgrounds in New Zealand to improve their English, gain work experience and make a difference
• Or maybe look at a Christmas Candle from Downlights NZ. Their luxury artisan candles are manufactured by people with Down syndrome and other intellectual or learning challenges

• Wrapping paper is expensive, often non-recyclable, and resource-intensive to produce. Our mother always lovingly preserved the beautiful glossy paper for reuse from year to year
• Did you know you can wrap your presents in reusable fabric? Maybe a cloth bag or a piece of beautiful fabric. Alternatively, wrap your presents in material that is both upcycled and compostable, such as newspaper, or leaves and flowers
• Avoid tinsel and glitter, which shed micro-plastics into the environment. Opt for natural decorations, such as flowers, leaves and pine cones. You can also make paper chains and fabric bunting
• Make an upcycled Christmas tree out of old pallets, driftwood, cleverly stacked books, or even felt with attachable felt decorations!
• Avoid food panic buying on Christmas Eve. Instead, plan your meals so that you just buy what you need. Have a plan for your leftovers too
• Feature only local foods on your menu. This can help simplify planning while supporting your community
• Opt for homemade treats rather than packaged ones – try your hand at making homemade mince pies, plum pudding, pavlova, and even panettone!
• Buy your ingredients and meat with minimal packaging by bringing your own bags and containers to stores 
• Over the festive season, use real crockery and cloth napkins rather than disposables
• Instead of buying Christmas crackers, make your own out of upcycled newspaper, three toilet rolls and some string. Making your own cracker has the added benefit that you can put whatever you want in it!

By simplifying Christmas traditions and celebrations in ways that respect land, waters and wildlife, we can refocus on what really matters. After all, when people talk about why they love Christmas, they usually describe spending time with family and friends, eating good food, having fun and relaxing.  Let’s keep that at the heart of our choices this year.
 
Wishing everyone a safe, happy, healthy and wise Christmas