Tis the season to consume. The holidays are all about stuff. Why is it that this time of year brings out the worst in spending? People go crazy with trend and forget all about tradition. The season is supposed to be about joy, gratitude, family and friends. But this appears to be lacking, at least what I’ve witnessed and been a part of during holidays past.

In an attempt to create a real holiday rather than a holidaze, I’m making simple choices this year. This season I’m thinking about being green, giving more, getting less and keeping our budget in the black.

Green giving can be simple, fun and creative. It’s also a great way to lessen your carbon footprint and save some money. Of course, the greenest way to celebrate the holidays is to reduce buying as much as possible. So, this year I’m focusing on just that.

How exactly does that work in this completely commercialized world of ours? I won’t lie – it’s tough. I like stuff and I like buying stuff. But I’ve given myself a holiday challenge and I don’t want to fail (especially now that I’ve gone public!).

Here’s what I’ve come up with to keep myself in line this season…

- Give consumables. Food-based gifts are thoughtful and tasty. For friends, neighbors and loved ones, I’m giving homemade food like granola, cookies and bread. Local coffee, local chocolate, local wine and, yes, local beer will also be doled out. We have some truly amazing local sweet treat and beverage goodness around here.

- Stuff the socks. The spouse and I are not exchanging big gifts this year. We certainly have enough possessions and anything we truly need lies under the home renovation heading. So, we are setting a very low price on the amount we can spend to stuff the other’s sock. Basically, consumables (chocolate no doubt), toiletries, essentials like underwear, socks and yarn, and thrifted items are allowed. This should be fun and have us both thinking outside the box.

Reducing the amount of stuff under the tree also goes for the wee dude. Like last year, we are trying our best to limit the amount of things he recieves during the holidays. This proves challening when our very generous loved ones spoil him. But, we’ve managed to point them in the direction of more sustainable items, as well as useful items like clothing, books and art supplies.

From us the little guy is getting one gift – yet to be determined. His stocking is filled with a few thrifted dinky cars and trucks (he’s obsessed), some treats, an orange (family tradition), socks, and toiletries like a toothbrush and natural chapstick (both also tradition). The key is keeping it simple.

Of course, Old Saint Nicholas leaves one gift for the kiddo of the manor. This is never a new toy and always left unwrapped.

- Give eco-friendly / low budget presents. In the name of buying simply to buy, I’ve gotten so far away from giving gifts with meaning. So, gift cards, used books, super-fly thrifted items, clothing and handmade toques and scarves are on the agenda. I best get knitting and hit the thrift shops before everyone else does – time is ticking away!

- Wrap smart. Use fabric, scraps of yarn and left-over brown packing paper to wrap up gifts. The wee dude and I get all creative with our wrap, using paint, crayons, stamps and markers to create funky, festive designs. Left over yarn or reused ribbon are great for securing the bundle.

- Green the décor. Holiday decoration is often based on trend rather than tradition. It’s very easy to get swept up in what’s hot for the holidays. But trend doesn’t often come with nostalgia and is rather wasteful. Looking at my boxes of holiday gear, most of it is lacking fond memories.

Homemade decorations create memories, get all family members involved and make great gifts. Depending on your skill, they can also be amazing art, as well as trendy. So, a decorating we go! My stash of fabric, bottle caps, yarn and paper scraps are getting put to good use.

- Reuse old cards as gift tags. An incredibly easy way to rejuvenate that pile of old gift cards.

- Make cards. Use collected and rescued fabric to create unique cards. The card and envelope portion will be made from post consumer waste paper.

- Plan meals. Rather than buy too much and let food go to waste, I’m buying only what we need. Any left-over and food scraps will be composted.

- Sustainable Eats. Buy local, organic and seasonal as much as works for my menu and my wallet. Keeping the menu simple, yet delicious, allows us to enjoy tasty local goodness, boost the local economy and help reduce food miles.

- Shipping. At a distance from most loved ones, the majority of gifts we give must be shipped. I’m reusing boxes I’ve saved throughout the year, using bits of paper recycling as packing fill and using only as much tape as necessary to ensure security.

- Tree. Live tree or artificial is an environmentally loaded question. Ideally, I would love to find a local, organic tree grower and recycle the tree after the New Year is rung in. But (and it’s a big one), we were given an artificial tree years ago and I’m on the fence about pulling it out. While, it was made from nonrenewable petroleum it would alleviate some of the waste attached to live Christmas trees. You can see my quandary.

Other things that can be done to keep it green– which I already partake in regularly – are:

- Recycle all beverage containers,

- Use reusable shopping bags for all shopping,

- Reuse chocolate and cookie tins as storage containers and/or fill and give away,

- Source out items with little packaging or packaging made from recyclable materials, and

- Avoid disposable plates and cups when entertaining. If you’re low on reusables, have guests bring their own or borrow from a friend.

I fully admit that most of my list is easy to execute given the fact that we are not travelling or entertaining house guests this year. It is much easier to keep it simple with only three people, one of them a child.

But, I’m looking at this as a beginning of a lifetime of holiday greenness. You always have to start somewhere and what better time than now.

Laugh, sing, think green and be merry.

All photos and content © B. Clempson