Special Occasions

The holiday season is a magical time full of celebrations, gatherings, and cherished moments with loved ones. But it's also one of the most wasteful times of the year. In fact, Americans throw away roughly 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and the New Year than any other time of the year. The good news? Small, thoughtful changes can make a big difference. From choosing eco-friendly holiday gifts to decorating sustainably, you can create a joyful, green holiday season that's better for the planet and just as memorable for your family. Gift Thoughtfully Gift experiences, not things: Many of us already have enough stuff. Concerts, spa days, memberships, or workshops gift memories that your loved ones will cherish far longer than anything material. Shop small and local: Do all of your holiday food and gift shopping in your community and try to find products made near by to decrease the amount of transportation gases released into the environment from shipping. Give gifts that grow: From plantable seed paper to potted herbs or house plants, these thoughtful gifts bring a touch of life and joy to your loved ones' home. Opt for quality over quantity: One meaningful gift beats several throwaways. You can even coordinate with others to pitch in for one higher-ticket item for your loved one. DIY gifts: Swap the time you would spend shopping for making some meaningful. Whether its homemade jams, handmade bath salts, or knitted cozy items, these personalized creations are the heartfelt touch that store-bought gifts just can't match. Secondhand or thrifted gifts: It’s a thoughtful way to give something with a story. This also keeps quality items in circulation and reduces waste. These unique gifts are often more meaningful finds than anything new on a shelf. Decorate Sustainably Choose a real tree (bonus points if it's from a local farm!): Choose a locally grown real tree to protect forests and reduce carbon footprint. Artificial trees are often made with petroleum-based materials and shipped overseas. Real tree farms absorb CO₂ and release fresh oxygen, making them more eco-friendly. DID YOU KNOW? According to David Suzuki, artificial Christmas trees have three times more of an impact on climate change and resource depletion than natural ones! Reuse and refresh old decor: Chasing the latest holiday trends often end up as waste. Give your decor new life by painting it, adding ribbons, and mixing them with natural elements. This creates a nostalgic, cozy feel while keeping your holiday eco-friendly. Use LED lights: Switching to LED holiday lights not only saves energy but also lasts longer than traditional bulbs. Pair them with a timer to automatically turn them on and off, cutting electricity use and making your set up bright and eco-friendly. Decorate with natural elements: Skip the plastic tinsel and glitter and opt for natural elements like pine cones, evergreen branches, dried oranges, and cinnamon sticks. These touches add a festive scent, texture, and warmth toy our space while being eco-friendly and compostable. Wrap Consciously Use recycled, recyclable, or compostable wrapping paper: Skip the glitter, plastic-coated, and foil designed wrapping paper and go for materials that can be recycled or returned to the earth. Kraft paper, old maps, and newspaper make eco-friendly alternatives with a festive feel. Wrap with something reusable: Skip the wrapping paper all together and use a tea towel or hand-cut ribbon from old fabric scrap or vintage sheets. This eco-friendly gift wrap adds a personal, unique touch while keeping your holiday waste-free. Save and reuse ribbons, boxes, and gift bags: You don't need to buy more to make the holidays special. Many items you already have like saved gift wrap, ribbons, and boxes. Reuse and refresh them to cut down on holiday waste. Go tag-free or opt for seed paper tags: Write names and holiday wishes directly on the gift wrap or opt for seed paper tags that can be planted after gifting. DID YOU KNOW? If everyone in Canada wrapped just three gifts in reused paper or gift bags, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 hockey rinks! Source Celebrate Intentionally Build your menu with less meat-heavy dishes: Make your holiday menu more sustainable by featuring one or two meat dishes and filling the rest with plant-based options. Even small shifts toward veggie-forward plates can reduce your carbon footprint without sacrificing flavor or tradition. Use real dishes, glassware, and cloth napkins: Disposable plates, cups, and napkins might seem convenient, but they create unnecessary waste. Switching to reusable tableware reduces landfill impact while adding elegance and warmth to your holiday tablescape. Freeze leftovers and compost food scraps: Instead of scraping food into the trash, package and freeze what you can as leftovers. Compost the food scraps to avoid sending them to the landfill where they release harmful greenhouse gases. The holiday season is the perfect time to celebrate joy, connection, and tradition. It's also an opportunity to make intentional, sustainable choices. Every thoughtful gift, repurposed decoration, and mindful eco-friendly swap not only helps the planet but encourages us to slow down and create a more meaningful holiday season. By embracing small changes, you can craft a greener holiday full of warmth, purpose, and positive memories for your loved ones and the planet. Like what you see on our blog? Join our mailing list to receive emails with coupons and green living tips. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more seed paper ideas and sustainability inspiration.