How to be as Green as the Grinch Without Stealing Christmas

Ah, the holidays. The most wonderful, consumeristic time of the year. Trees are chopped down or made from plastic and decorated with more plastic. Electricity usage balloons with light displays that envy Las Vegas. Consumer goods are bought, gifted, then stuffed in the back of a closet. 

And yet, I find holiday traditions absolutely magical! Listening to Bing Crosby’s Christmas Classics while hanging ornaments. Watching Elf and White Christmas for the millionth time. Attending The Nutcracker. And who could forget the presents? Nonetheless, as I’ve grown from sipping hot chocolate to toasting with mulled wine, my understanding of how to celebrate the holiday has evolved as well. 

As a child, receiving gifts wrapped in the Sunday newspaper’s comics section, or saving gift bows for my grandmother to reuse year after year, seemed like family quirks. I began to understand the environmental significance of these small annual acts as I started to understand the bigger picture of consumerism and waste.

There are many ways to have a greener holiday, evidenced by the plethora of eco-friendly and sustainable gift guides online. However, many of these lists imply that you need to BUY new things to show your loved ones that you care. Spoiler alert: you don’t.

In an effort to be not just another list, I thought I would highlight how I’ve tried, slowly but surely, to “greenify” my own holidays. Although this post is about Christmas, the basic principles can be applied to any gift-giving or decoration-infused holiday. 

The Tree. 

This year, I took on the chief holiday task of tree selection.

I did my research. I learned that Balsam Firs smell more “christmasy” but the Fraser Firs retain their needles better. However, my newfound knowledge was not applicable this year because of the Christmas tree shortage! (Fascinating story of supply/demand mismatch.) 

I was not-so-secretly ecstatic about this outcome. I had actually wanted to cut down a tree behind the house and have our very own “Charlie Brown” tree. Because we are lucky enough to live in the woods and own loppers to cut down a bushy young tree: I got my wish.

The real versus fake tree debate is ongoing. Although I will always be a “real tree” kind of gal, reusable plastic trees make more sense in many homes. There are a few articles (examples here and here) about life cycle analyses that have been done. The basic principles of Reduce/Reuse/Recycle apply for either tree type. 

Fake Tree: Reuse year after year to justify the plastic consumption and reduce the amount that ends up in landfills. 

Real Tree: Buy from a local tree farm (if possible) and dispose with care at the end of the season to be made into mulch or to biodegrade in the woods. . 

The Decorations.

Reuse, recycle, and get creative. 

Need to purchase new strings of lights because the old ones mysteriously turn off at odd hours? An investment in LED Christmas lights may be worth it. They use less energy (lowering your electricity consumption and bill) and last much longer than the cheap, incandescent lights.

Receive a gift with a festive ribbon? Save that for next year to spruce up a potted plant. Santa decorations and reindeer sculptures can be stored in a closet then re-displayed for years to come. 

You can also take this opportunity to hone your green thumb by blooming a deep red amaryllis or displaying a poinsettia. If you’re the crafty type, cut out paper snowflakes using scrap paper and hang them on windows and walls. Transform soda cans into festive ornaments for your tree or a friend’s tree. Then, simply stand back to admire your handiwork and holiday spirit. 

The Gifts.

Do you love handmade or experiential gifts? Do you just want cash because you are super picky and hard to shop for? Would you prefer a charitable donation be made in lieu of a gift (or no gifts at all)? Whichever option speaks to you, making your priorities and wishes known will help reduce waste in the long run. Clothing returns require nightmarish reverse logistics during the rest of the year – I can only imagine the process after the holidays. You can reuse wrapping paper and gift bags (or use old newspapers or magazines to wrap presents) to divert even more waste.

The Giving
You may recall my love of take-out Thai food from the low-waste eating post. I’d like to add one more upcycling idea here: a gift for the eco-warrior mom that never orders delivery, but loves the size of those plastic rectangles for picnics & leftovers. Wrap your various, sturdy take-out containers in a reusable cloth bag and place under the tree to open on Christmas morning. When my mom opened that bag you’d have thought she had won the lottery. She reused those containers for years to come.

The Receiving
A few years ago, I discovered a younger cousin’s interest in sustainability and the environment through Christmas gifts that I received from her. She introduced me to Stasher bags and the MakeUp Eraser, to name a few. We now exchange sustainable living ideas on a regular basis. What started as a gift became an ongoing conversation. 

What are other ways that you can create less waste and be a more conscious consumer over the holidays without becoming a Grinch?

A Few Holiday Gift Guides (in no particular order):

• The 50 Best Eco-Friendly Gifts for Sustainable Holidays (Soapbox Project)
• Love Your Planet Gift Guide (B Corp)
• Your Complete Guide to Sustainable Gifts (The Good Trade)
• EarthHero
• uncommon goods