Tips for a Greener Christmas Part II: Reuse & Bring New Meaning to Gift Giving

Yes even us Ordinary Environmentalists can get caught up in excessive consumerism during the holidays. It takes a great deal of energy and resources to create holiday gifts - from the oil that make plastic toys, the manufacturing pollution, generated from making warm fuzzy throws, the immense about of fuel required to ship the products to your local store or home, and all of the packaging required to protect the gift.

Now Ordinary Environmentalists are not extreme green freaks, but there are some easy creative ways to give meaningful gifts that promote sustainable gift giving. Please read Part II of this three part series on Tips for a Greener Christmas to learn how.

Reuse and Bring New Meaning to Gift Giving

Tip #4 Give a White Elephant Gift

In ancient India it was a great honor to receive an albino elephant as a gift. The problem was, it was too valuable to use for labor, and it ate a LOT, and become less valuable to the new owner. Over time a "white elephant gift" became the tradition of giving away something you do not want to someone that might find value in it, will find it very funny.

White Elephant Gifts

Start a new White Elephant tradition with your extended cousin get-togethers and co-workers where you exchange unwanted items from your house for something from theirs! Dig into your closets and find that leg lamp (think "A Christmas Story), cat embroidered sweater, unopened Chia pet, wall-mounted talking fish, etc. And your holiday memories will be about the laughs you shared with your loved ones.

Tip #5 Re-gift (discretely)

Unlike a white elephant exchange, where laughter is your goal, giving someone an unused gift you received can be a great way to reuse an item. Don't like that bottle of Cabernet someone gave you? Put it in a nice gift bag and give as a host gift. Who would enjoy the bling jewelry that isn't your style, the beautiful scarf that doesn't work with your complexion or the gift card to the store you never go to. As long as it hasn't been used, is packaged nicely and you are certain the original gifter will not know you re-gifted, it is perfectly acceptable to re-gift and feel good about making Christmas a little greener.

Tip #6 Have an Upcycle Gift Challenge

For your gift exchanges, have a challenge where everyone has to purchase something from a consignment or thrift store with a set dollar limit and/or they need to repurpose it into a new gift. The ideas are endless; matching separate jewelry pieces into a coordinated gift set, finding picture frames and inserting fun pictures of the two of you in them, or putting together an action hero-themed kids gift box of barely used books, CDs and DVDs you know they will love.

Tip #7 Give the Gift of Time

Time is the most valuable thing you can give to those you love. Give the gift of time with a home made coupon book or gift certificate that declares you will do something with or for your loved one. It could be helping Dad clean out the garage, or spending an afternoon helping Grandma sort through her old pictures, it could be taking your niece to the zoo or giving a young Mom the day off while you babysit.

A greener Christmas is easy for an Ordinary Environmentalist with just a little bit of creativity. You may also find yourself saving time and money when you take a few steps to simplify Christmas.

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