written by: Giuliana de la Incera
Holidays are a time for peace, love and tranquility. Some of the best memories are made with friends and family. Now that everyone may be home for the holidays you might be thinking what should I buy? What will they like? What should I make? It can be stressful for anyone, and no one wants the added guilt of thinking about how much they’re wasting. Let’s explore small swaps that you can do to have a waste-free holiday season.
One waste-free swap you can make is using a cloth to wrap your gifts. The ancient art of Furoshiki originated in 710 B.C. in Japan. Furoshiki translates to wrapping a gift in cloth. This fun zero-waste swap is not only beautiful to look at but also an added gift for your loved one! For a tutorial on how to wrap a gift in cloth, watch this video by Marie Kondo
Eco Tip: Thrifting scarves is a very inexpensive way to find beautiful and unique scarves.
You can also swap your candles for a more eco-friendly type of candle. Candles are an essential part of holiday rituals all over the world ranging from the old German tradition of putting real candles on Christmas trees (we don’t recommend this, it’s safest and most efficient to use LED lights) to the Jewish tradition of lighting the menorah. In this swap, we can exchange the traditional paraben-based candle for a much safer alternative –The soy candle. Etsy sellers and Amazon sellers alike sell soy candles which make lovely additions to any tradition you and your family may celebrate.
Spend Tip: If you want to stick with traditional candles and are on a budget, you can find candles at many thrift stores. While you’re at it you can treat yourself to wonderful decor options that can decorate your holiday season.
Another swap to consider is to give the gift of an experience rather than something material. A visit to a museum or zoo, tickets to a show, a day out at an Escape Room for example. Whatever interests the person you are gifting. And for that certain someone in your life who cherishes the environment and the Arlington community, a membership to EcoAction Arlington is the perfect gift.
These are some fun swaps but for some, they might be a lot. The best thing that anyone can do is use what they already have on hand. If you have gift-wrapping paper, use it. If you have holiday decorations, use them. It’s easy to get caught up in the pleasure of shopping for others, but the best thing we can do for our planet is to focus on what we have and use that first.
Here at EcoAction Arlington we wish you and your family many blessings for this holiday season.