StefanG81/stock.xchng
READ MORE ABOUT:
Holidays are a wonderful time to enjoy family traditions. But if you were raised in a typical American household, chances are that there is an awful lot of waste and stress involved in your holiday celebrations. Here are a few ideas for de-stressing and greening your holidays.
1. Think quality not quantity.
It is so easy to overdo everything during the holidays. Buy more, cook more, party more. But when the flurry of activity and spending is over, we're often left with a sense of "is that all there is?" What we miss in the process of doing and attaining more more more is the small moments that make the holidays memorable. Don't take on more than you can comfortably, happily handle.
2. Shop locally and seasonally.
Besides avoiding buying unnecessary items, we can take this whole "conscientious holiday shopping" thing a step further and shop locally for those items we decide to purchase. Get as much food for your feast as you can from local growers and food producers, and shop for gifts made by local artisans. Two great resources for this are Local Harvest, which can help you locate everything from local heritage turkeys to organically grown heirloom broccoli, and Etsy, which has a fabulous "shop local" section.
3. Don't buy special "holiday" items.
Before Halloween has even passed, most retailers start stocking their aisles full of turkey-themed napkins and red-and-green, well, just about everything. Americans buy this stuff up in the hopes of making our homes look more festive and welcoming. But there is nothing more welcoming that a home that is naturally comfortable and lived-in. Why buy a set of fall-themed dinnerware when you have a perfect set of white dishes that you use everyday? Simply add some cloth napkins in fall colors, or a few candles, and maybe a simple centerpiece of pumpkins and pinecones, and you have something that evokes the harvest much better than any store-bought place setting could have. The same goes for Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hannukah. Personalize what you already have, and leave those themed holiday items in the store.
4. Spend time, not money.
Don't spend your evenings at the mall. Spend them with friends and family instead. This is one of those things everyone says they're going to do differently, and then the insanity of the season grabs on and won't let go. Let's think of it this way: what would you rather look back on: a night spent with a bunch of stressed-out holiday shoppers in an over-crowded mall, or a night spent around the table with your best friends or closest family? Kind of a no-brainer, right? If you're hosting, remember it's about the time together and not going completely overboard with the food and drink and so on.
5. DIY holidays.
Spend time this year making festive upcycled decorations, baking cookies to snack on, and making dinners that you'll really enjoy. This doesn't mean you need to be Martha Stewart. It means choosing a few activities that have meaning for you, and really going all out. This is how memories are made, and that's what the season is all about.
6. Cut the waste.
Whether it's an office holiday party or a small get together with friends, it's almost a guarantee that food will be served on disposable plates or napkins, drinks will be served in paper or disposable plastic cups, and wrapping paper is just about everywhere. Help eliminate the waste this holiday season by using real dishes and glasses at your parties. (If washing dishes seems like too much work, get your guests to help, it's good togetherness time anyway.) Forget those rolls of paper wrapping paper. Wrap your gifts in reusable items (such as pretty baskets or fabric bags) instead.
7. Try something new.
For many of us, the holidays are all about tradition. Tradition is good, but those holiday habits are not always green ones. For example, if you always get a supermarket turkey, shop locally for a heritage turkey instead. Try volunteering on the holiday instead of watching football or stuffing your face with cookies. Consider buying a live tree, which you can plant in your yard or elsewhere in your community, instead of buying a cut Christmas tree. The small things can really make a big difference, and, who knows? You might like the new ways better!
8. Don't buy into the hype.
And the holidays are one of the most challenging times of year to avoid hype and commercialism. Ignore flashy store displays, commercials, and all of those catalogs and sales papers. Think before you buy. Don't feel like you have to live up to commercial America's idea of the "perfect" holiday -- just be yourself.
We hope these ideas help you have a calmer, more meaningful, and less stressful holiday entertaining season. In the end, each of these suggestions are about living deliberately, deciding what you want for yourself and your family. Happily, living purposefully often results in living a bit more lightly on the Earth, and that's something we can all agree on.
Green your holidays with these videos from Planet Green.
Related Posts:
How to Go Green: Thanksgiving Day
How to Go Green: Holidays
Traditions for a Greener, Saner Holiday Season
-
- {}
