It’s the most magical time of the year and for plenty of good reasons. The holiday season is synonymous with family, feasting, and fun, especially for the little ones —presents galore! It may be a time of plenty, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make it a more planet-friendly occasion.
After all, being sustainable is a way of life that doesn’t cease with the holidays. It’s still entirely possible to be mindful of our environmental footprint and fully celebrate and embody that spirit of giving!
Here are six “greener” ways to ensure that the family has a holiday season to remember!
1. Choosing gifts that give back
Being sustainable doesn’t mean becoming a scrooge and stopping buying presents; instead, it’s about putting a little more intention into the gift of choice. Paying attention to whether a toy is responsibly made is one consideration. Still, if it can also promise hours of play, you know you’ve gotten a beloved childhood toy that has longevity.
Take the Oddbods Eco Blocks. Made from a plant-based material sourced from sugarcane, these plastic-free building blocks are 100% recyclable. They are a gift of endless possibility! The Eco Blocks can be formed and reformed into anything your child imagines, encouraging creativity and motor skills. Their durability also means you can hand them down to a younger sibling or friend.
The Oddbods Eco Blocks encourage creativity and sensory play and make an excellent gift for little ones.
2. Create one-of-a-kind wrapping paper
There’s always a sense of anticipation in tearing open a wrapped present. Rather than purchasing store-bought wrapping paper, bows or foil, make gift wrapping a little more special by literally making it your own.
Get crafty by reusing unwanted catalogs or even old artwork from school to form unique collages. The children can get involved by becoming "Santa's little helpers", writing messages or drawing on paper - making the gift to family, friends or relatives that much more personal.
Reusing wrapping paper can also be made fun. A quick print of your child’s favourite Oddbods characters from the Oddbods printables means that even after the unwrapping ends, the joy of colouring begins.
3. Portion Planning at the dining table
What is Christmas or Thanksgiving without a feast? Before you get to work on that delicious roast dinner and all the trimmings, some prior planning will save you the dilemma of excess leftovers. We reportedly throw away more food during the festive period than we do over the rest of the year, and aside from your hard work in the kitchen going to waste, it just isn’t sustainable. And if you celebrate Thanksgiving, teaching gratefulness for abundance while exercising mindfulness on food wastage is a great lesson for the kiddos.
Portion planning ahead of time will help gauge the number of ingredients you need, and little things like saving the ends of vegetables to create delicious homemade stock add up. As for teaching the little ones, start with encouraging them to ask for more food only after they’ve finished what’s on their plate.
The Oddbods Bamboo Fibre Dinnerware Set For Kids is chip-resistant for even the highest drops and designed with non-toxic food-grade edible plant pigments with no plasticiser, no heavy metal, BPA-free.
4. Make your own decorations
We know we’re not the only ones who enjoy putting up the Christmas tree well before Christmas and procrastinate in taking it down. Festivities begin at home, which usually come in the form of Christmas decorations (wreaths! Stockings! The annual advent calendar!).
Despite stores bursting with new baubles and decorations to take home, we reckon that making decorations with the family would result in a Christmas tree that the children would adore even more. Ornaments could include tiny teddies, origami animals with leftover ribbon, or cutouts from our handy Oddbods Christmas printables.
5. Take the time to reorganise
The end of the year is also a time to take stock, reorganise, and undertake a quick spring clean before a new year begins. Set aside the clothes, toys, and essentials that your children have outgrown, and get them involved in deciding where they should go.
This fun task may well become an annual tradition: as the children look forward to what Santa has brought them this year, they learn to give the toys that no longer serve them to others. This concept of rehoming could come in the form of a family trip to the charity shop, secondhand gift exchanges with friends, or a mini garage sale to raise funds for a good cause.
6. Plan experiences at home to remember
The holiday season is about the gift of time. There’s plenty to do during these days away from school or the office, and family excursions, shopping trips, and treats may be in order. But arguably, we can find the most precious of moments right at home.
With friends and relatives coming around, why not organise your own Bake-Off-inspired gingerbread men decorating competition? If you’re pressed for time or not a confident cook, bags of icing and pre-bought gingerbread men can still make for raucous fun in the kitchen. Crumbs, laughter and candid family photographs guaranteed!
Being sustainable during the holiday season doesn’t mean celebrating with less, and for more eco-friendly ideas, stay tuned on our page to check out our other parenting tips. With a bit of creativity and timely planning, this Christmas with your Oddstars will undoubtedly be one to cherish.
