10 Tips for a Happy and Sustainable Holiday Season

A Christmas tree decorated with red and white ornaments sits next to a gray couch in a minimalist-style home

The holiday season is upon us! That means it’s time to decorate the home and office and start crossing off that list of gifts. Yes, the holidays are a time of shopping, spending, and indulgence in some of the things that fill our lives with joy. But they are also a time of reflection, of gratitude, and of growth. 

This year, as you prepare for a joyous and adventurous winter season, take a moment to learn how you can make your holiday merry and bright while doing it in a way that is sustainable and better for the planet.

How to Have a Sustainable Holiday Season

The holidays can be a chaotic time. Whether connecting with distant loved ones or scurrying to the mall for last-minute gifts, the end of the calendar year is always filled with more tasks than we can count. But it’s important during this time to consider our impact on the planet. 

Celebrations for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s feature wonderful gatherings with gifts, food, and oh-so-much joy. But all that celebrating can take a toll on the environment. The following tips will ensure that you are celebrating sustainably and make your holiday that much brighter.

1. Decorate Responsibly

There is nothing quite like bringing the magic of the holiday season to your own home.  As big a part of the holidays as decorating is, it should be done thoughtfully to offset any potential environmental impacts. 

Whenever possible, opt for sustainable Christmas decorations and other holiday trimmings. Homemade, repurposed decorations are a good idea. 

When shopping, recyclable paper ornaments are often better than plastic varieties. Look for decorations that can be used for many years to come as opposed to those designed to be discarded after one season’s use.

2. Choose Sustainable Christmas Gifts

Holiday shopping lists seem to get longer every year. That’s why one of the best ways to enjoy the holidays responsibly is to shop for sustainable gifts. 

Whether shopping for family, friends, or work colleagues, it’s important to select gifts thoughtfully. This way, when giving gifts to those you care about, you can give a big gift to the planet, too!

3. Buy Local, Reduce Food Waste

The holidays are a time of feasting, and that means they are also a time of shopping for food. 

As with other times of the year, you can do a great service to both the planet and your community by shopping locally and buying locally-sourced food products. This will cut down drastically on carbon emissions, so you can enjoy a few guilt-free indulgences this winter season.

4. A Word on Christmas Cards

It can be tempting to spread holiday cheer by sending Christmas cards to everyone you know. However, this may be more wasteful than necessary, and the delivery process produces a lot of harmful emissions. 

Consider a digital card this year, which you can easily create on your home computer. If you choose to send out physical copies, it helps to select sustainable Christmas cards.

5. Choose a Sustainable Christmas Tree

It is often assumed that an artificial tree, which can be used year after year, is better for the planet. But did you know that natural trees are actually the greener option? 

Christmas tree farms are a wonderful source of natural carbon capture and have a positive impact on our planet. After the season, natural trees in many coastal areas are used to bolster sand dune restoration efforts. So ditch the plastic, and go for the real thing.

As for those decorations on the tree? Sustainable Christmas ornaments can be purchased or made at home, greatly reducing the environmental impact of the holiday season. 

Want a pro tip? Try scavenging natural artifacts to decorate your tree with. Acorns, sand dollars, birch bark, bird feathers, and other outdoor finds will look great on your tree and will be great for the planet as well.

6. Think Before You Wrap

When wrapping gifts for those special people on your list, be sure to reach for wrapping paper that’s made from–paper! 

Many of the shinier varieties of wrapping paper contain large amounts of plastic and aluminum and may not be recyclable. The paper rendition is fully recyclable. 

If you’re being extra green, you can fold used wrapping paper and stash it for next year. There is always the option of skipping the wrap altogether if it suits you.

7. Consider Hosting a Secret Santa

For those celebrating the holidays with a large number of people, consider employing a Secret Santa game instead of the traditional gift exchange. This can greatly reduce the number of total gifts and, therefore, the amount of waste produced in the process.

8. Lighting Matters

Holiday lights are a joy to behold. Unfortunately, they require a lot of energy to run. 

If you are planning to incorporate lights in your holiday decorating, it’s best to limit the amount of time they are engaged each day. Look for high-efficiency bulbs wherever possible, and consider using fewer lights than in years past.

9. Reuse and Recycle

Boxes, bags, wrapping paper, cans, and bottles. The holidays sure do seem to leave behind plenty of each. Be diligent and recycle what you can, reuse what you can’t, and repurpose whenever possible.

10. Less is More

The holidays need not be a time of excess materialism. This year, make it a time of friends, family, and togetherness. By limiting unnecessary consumption, you can focus more on the joys of being around those you love and greatly reduce your impact on the planet.

Final Thoughts

Remember, the holidays are about the people in our lives, first and foremost. Secondly, they are a time to show gratitude for what we have, including the planet we live on. You can be a good steward of the earth and of your fellow humans by incorporating some of these tips and aiming for a more responsible, sustainable holiday season.

Featured image via Bob Dmyt from Pixabay

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