Happy 1st of December to all my fellow Christmas lovers! To my not-so-christmas-loving humans, please stick around and see why I think the first of December is such a wonderful time to reflect, plan and get the Christmas mind, body and soul party started! Those who know me know i'm passionate about everything Christmas. As the calendar clicks over to the first of December, I dust off my Christmas tree, untangle the nightmare ball of lights, blast Christmas Carols on repeat while driving to work and ensure very terrible, cheesy Christmas movies are played in the background of my daily household meanderings.
However, something i'm equally and ever-growingly passionate about is being a conscious being. Environmentally, mentally, physically and compassionately conscious. As the years go on i'm more and more aware of the Christmas period being commercialised, plasticised and materialised. The true meaning of Christmas can easily be lost, along with our responsibly and care of the world and others around us. I've taken this year's 1st of December as the perfect opportunity to reflect on how I can marry those two passions together to experience and emit a conscious, caring, compassionate Christmas... Here are my 12 days of Conscious Christmas. Ideas, concepts and aspects to lessen Christmas commercialisation, materialisation, plastic or waste while increasing the life, love and light of Christmas.
1. H O M E M A D E G I F T S | For many a huge part of Christmas is gift exchange. Gifts don't have to be extravagant, material goods. There are limitless Homemade Gifts which give a wonderful personal touch. They are easily personable, unique and full of thoughtfulness and love, not to mention, cost effective. Some homemade gifts I love creating are: Essential oil sprays and mixes, Homemade Soy candles, Bags, T-shirts and Clothes, Photos and Hand Crafted Cards, Cushions, Art Pieces, Graphic Designed Family photos, Notebooks, Mugs, Pottery... You get the gist.
2. L I V I N G G I F T S | In the same sphere, living gifts are cost effective, zero waste, personalised and unique. I love giving a gift that continues to grow and live. Something that continues life beyond its initial exchange and will grow and live with the recipient. Living gifts could be potted plants, seedlings, buds, veggie gardens, bonsai tree, my personal favourite, succulents or whatever your mind can create.
3. E D I B L E G I F T S | Who doesn't love food? Especially delicious Christmassy treats. Whether it is a food hamper, a carefully constructed hot chocolate ingredient car, a box of homemade cookies, an exquisite gingerbread house, a beautifully baked banana loaf, a traditional Christmas pudding or the trusty ol' shortbread tin. Carefully created or chosen edible gifts give the gift of love without the burden of waste and plastic. It is also a gift that can be enjoyed together. As we all know, food unites and brings people together.
4. T H R I F T E D G I F T S | 4 is my lucky number, so it is fitting that the 4th day of Conscious Christmas is one of my favourites. Thrifting is the ultimate conscious, sustainable, thoughtful gift experience. It gives items another life while not contributing to the manufacturing and wasteful over-consumerisation of Christmas. Items are recycled, handed down, passed on and enjoyed through thrifting. There are limitless items, books, clothes, kitchen items, jars, and toys waiting to become the ultimate 're-gift'.
5. E X P E R I E N C E D B A S E D G I F T S | How many times has a loved one said 'I have everything I need?" " I don't need anything". I say it every year. Experience based gifts are a wonderful way to give your loved one the gift of experiencing life. Activities together, tickets to their favourite band, a flight in the seaplane over our incredible coast, a spa day together, a kayaking lessons, surfing lessons, tickets to stand up comedy, tickets to the theatre, a voucher for their favourite fancy restaurant. There are limitless possibilities for adventure, experienced based gifts which involve no plastic, no waste and no junk that will be used once and soon forgotten.
6. D O N A T E T O A C A U S E | This is my dream gift to give and receive. I personally am so immensely blessed with everything I want and need in this world. I have clean running water, a safe and comfortable home, access to nourishing food, a network of family and social support, access to education, quality health care and many material possessions which make my life easy and comfortable. I am so blessed. If my Christmas gift giving and receiving can go toward others in the world who are not as lucky, that is my ideal plan. There are so many people and animals in my own community, country and world who are in need. Donating money is an incredible way to help. Donating goods, services, and your time is equally as important and helpful.
I have three amazing charities who I love and support. Please consider giving at Christmas to whatever causes touch your heart. What an amazing wonderful time of year to do so!
- The Asha Foundation. A charity run here in Moruya. We are 100% Volunteer run. 100% of funds go directly to Nepal to provide quality Education to disadvantaged children. https://www.ashafoundation.org.au/donate.html​
- Animals Australia. A vegan charity focused on giving animals suffering at the hands of humans a voice. They do incredible activism and education work. https://www.animalsaustralia.org
- Asylum Seeker Resource Centre - Giving humans seeking refuge in Australia support, resources and hope. https://www.asrc.org.au
7. P L A S T I C F R E E | Whether it be the gifts you give, the food you buy, the decorations you use, the activities you participate in, consider the plastic and waste you are creating. There are so many amazing eco gifts, decorations, packaging and tools that can make your Christmas time more sustainable and environmental.
8. E C O D E C O | In keeping with the plastic free eco sphere. Consider the decorations you buy and use. I am a massive Christmas lover so I have many boxes filled with decorations, trees, tinsel, baubles and bits and bobs. These are more than enough to deck out my house without buying more materials and creating more waste. Another way to decorate with eco in mind is natural materials, we are surrounded by foliage and organic nature which make for gorgeous touches of Christmas around the house.
9. R E C Y C L E D W R A P P I N G | I flipping love wrapping gifts. I use to (and probably still do) wish 'gift wrapper' was a profession. I have discovered over time that this love, hope and dream is still possible (maybe not full-time) while considering my environmental impact. I have copious amounts of newspapers, old brown paper and string, magazine pages and recycled paper that I can personalise my gifts with. I see it as a great way to get creative and give personal, individualised wrapped gifts.
10. P L A N T B A S E D F O O D | The number one way you can reduce your impact on the environment this Christmas is to eat more plant based food. Overall, they estimate a vegan world would produce 49% less food-based greenhouse gas emissions, 50% less acidification on land, 49% less eutrophication, and would use 19% less water to meet our food-energy demands. Eating more vegan meals this Christmas will help our environment immeasurably. Not to mention the animals that do not have to die for the meals. Conscious eating and food prep can make such an incredible impact!
11. E N C O U R A G E O T H E R S | Alone we can do little, together we can do a lot. Encourage others to make conscious choices. Suggest an eco DIY decorating day with your friends, bring along plant based foods to gatherings, share links to incredible charities, be a voice and speak out for a Christmas that isn't simply commercial but one that is conscious, compassionate and live giving. Another way of encouraging others is to support and promote small or local businesses who are eco, sustainable and minimal waste.
12. B E P R E S E N T | And a partridge in a pear tree. Its the last day of Christmas and my last tip is to BE PRESENT. It costs nothing and it the biggest gift you can give to yourself and loved ones. Spend quality time with the ones you love. Be there, connect, share life and love with those most important to you. After all, thats what Christmas is all about.
My Christmas wish in writing this post is to encourage myself and others to think about Christmas in a different light. For those that love Christmas, I hope you can see some amazing ideas to implant into your Christmas traditions and routines. For those who don't enjoy Christmas I hope it sheds some light on why I love this time of year and why it is an incredible time of year to be a conscious, giving, compassionate, caring, light emitting, soul lifting earthling.
Peace, Love and Christmas Light
The Little Earthling Elf