“Alexa, how many more sleeps until Christmas?” You need to get your Amazon orders in before this Wednesday for them to arrive in time, right … but - do you really?
Wrap your gifts sustainably this Christmas [photo source].
(Over)consumption
With “SALE” emblazoned upon every store front, and “Christmas Deals” on every corner, it can be hard to imagine a Christmas not driven by consumerism. But let’s all take a step back. Are we buying presents that people will truly treasure, or something just for the sake of it? Do we ever think about the wider picture, the item’s life before it was bought and after it will go out of use?
Overconsumption, often driven by holidays like these, has a devastating impact on our society and planet. Not only does it drive pollution in all shapes and sizes – millions of returned clothes go straight to the landfill – but also exploits workers and promotes inequality. Recently, with the wider population becoming more environmentally aware, an increasing number of “planet friendly” gifting options has been made available, but even these are often a result of greenwashing, whereby a company falsely promotes their products as environmentally friendly for the sake of profit or popularity.
So, let us take a look at some environmentally and socially responsible last-minute festive presents (psst, they’re budget friendly too!)
Ditch Amazon, Shop Small and Local
If you can, always try to find an alternative shop for things you want to buy on Amazon – this online giant simply exploits workers for the benefit of the rich, and is everything else but planet- and people friendly.
Instead, pay attention to the small businesses scattered along the street during your daily socially distanced walk to find a last-minute present at a physical shop. In Edinburgh, you could try buying a couple of zero waste essentials, like a bamboo toothbrush or reusable water bottle, at shops like The Refillery, perfect for someone transitioning to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Local dry shampoo from The Edinburgh Natural Skincare Company, paired with hand-made vegan chocolate from Considerit, makes for a great (and sweet!) sustainable present. You can also find plenty of budget-friendly presents at Edinburgh’s various second-hand stores – who wouldn’t love to be gifted a vintage book with a personalised note? For more ideas on sustainable small businesses in Edinburgh, check out our Instagram, where we have been posting their takeovers throughout December.
You can never go wrong with a box of chocolates, especially local vegan ones from Considerit.
Materialistic? No, Thanks
Giving non-physical gifts can be incredibly convenient, especially if you’re buying late (or quarantining …). It has even been shown that experiences make people happier than material things. You could gift someone a ticket to a virtual concert – many artists are donating profits to charity.
Directly donating in someone’s name can be a beautifully thoughtful present, be it symbolically adopting a rescued animal (like a sloth or seal!), planting a real tree, or supporting Choose Love by buying real items for refugees. For a truly heartfelt gift, add a home-made Christmas card with a confirmation of the donation, or try writing a gratitude letter to give it an even deeper personal touch.
The Cherry on Top: Upcycled or DIY Packaging
To make your presents truly sustainable, it is important to consider how you wrap and decorate them. Regular wrapping paper is often not recyclable and can easily lead to recycling contamination. If you already own wrapping paper, try to reuse it as many times as possible. You could also try making unique and aesthetic packaging with brown paper or newspaper, though adding dye or glue can make these unrecyclable too. Transforming an old shoe box into a beautiful gift box can be a fun craft project, and the box can be reused virtually indefinitely. For unique stocking fillers, decorate them with jute twine, spruce twigs and rosehip buds. If you are feeling especially creative, try making stars out of toilet paper rolls to add to your gifts.
There are endless possibilities for having a more sustainable Christmas. Whether you’re creative and DIY-ing all of your presents, or buying from your local artisan shop, let us all try to consume ethically, sustainably, and most importantly less this December.
Happy Holidays!