Less waste- and less clutter- this holiday season!featured
Want less?
Truthfully, I definitely didn’t want “less” when I was younger. As a kid I would literally hand my parents the Sears Wish Book and have about five things circled on every darned page.
It was very exciting.
These days, the idea of “less” is appealing. Less stuff cluttering up my home, fewer physical things that’ll then have to go somewhere, and absolutely nothing crazy wasteful.
I’ve found that when things are truly special, you really don’t need as many of them and you take better care of them. (You also remember where you’ve put ’em.)
So here are my favorite ways to celebrate the season and all of these beautiful holidays with less.
Need to wrap and decorate packages?
Oh my goodness, I totally get Julie Andrews now: brown paper packages wrapped up in string are the nicest things ever. (Brown paper shopping bags are totally recyclable, btw, and Staples sells rolls n’ rolls of the good- recycled- stuff.) Decorate with stamps, markers, kids’ handprints and pets’ paw prints…who needs ribbon?!
Also, can we all agree to nix excessive tissue paper and gigantic bows? I’m all for saving and reusing as many as I can…but there comes a point where I’m just waiting and waiting for someone to celebrate their New Baby Boy because I have a gift bag I’ve been refolding and storing since, like, 2002.
Presents need more flair? Put those gorgeous Christmas cards from years (or weeks) past to good use and cut n’ paste the prettiest part onto the front of a package. I’m also in love with cinnamon sticks, and think they make fantastic gift-toppers…especially tied with a sprig of evergreen…or a dried orange slice… (And now I’m ready for some grog.)
Can we talk “gifts?”
Maybe I’m just very old now (spoiler: I am), but the best gifts really are handmade and/or involve spending time with the peeps I love. (Now tuck me in for ‘Murder, She Wrote’ and my chamomile.)
Whenever possible, I have my kids make handmade cards from previous years’ wrapping paper and card scraps (…and I swear to goodness I try not to micromanage the gluing of the things) and write out messages in their actual, unprompted words. Some years, the grandparents receive heartfelt messages about snakes, but it usually works out.
And sure, “experience” gifts can be as pricey as you want– museum tickets, wine tastings, paint-your-own-anything classes- but they can also be in-kind presents. Who wouldn’t love a “just because” date day? Or an offer for a cleaned house/free babysitting/Get Out Of Dodge (solo!) trip? People, I’d cry happy joy tears over any of those.
Gifts that can be used up– and soon- are legitimately wonderful, too. Feeling crafty? Infuse your own olive oil– or, ahem, vodka. DIY lip scrubs make wonderful stocking stuffers. So do coffee beans, bottles of wine, and chocolate bars wrapped with more chocolate bars. Also? Cookies. Cookies are always awesome. But one of my favorite easy gifts has got to be the donation. Guys, go make donations in each others’ name all over the dang place. “Merry Christmas, you’ve just saved the manatees!” “Aw, thanks- Happy Hanukkah, and you’re the best for protecting our forests!” “Thank you!” “Thank you.”
Environmentally friendly gifts are also pretty faboo. Insulated beverage cups are the gifts that keep on giving (and hydrating/caffeinating), bamboo housewares are fun to give and receive, and I’m totally jonesing on these stainless steel straws. (Santa: take note.)
And to take your “less wasteful holiday-ing” to the next level…
Hosting a holiday party? Instead of buying disposable goodies– or worrying about the “good” plates- or even if you have enough place settings, hit your local thrift store and find holiday-tastic/fancy porcelain orphans to make mix n’ match place settings. Bonus: they won’t feel “precious” so you won’t worry about breakage. Double bonus: Donate ’em afterwards and feel super duper awesome.
To recap: Your settings will be as gorgeous as you could wish for. You won’t have to store them post-holiday. You’ll be paying it forward to your community.
Fa. La. LA.
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What’s your fave way to do less- & get more- at the holidays?
Comment below!
