Do you want to spend Christmas as sustainably as possible? Then you've come to the right place! During the Christmas season, many people buy their way out of their minds, fly to their home towns and eat stuffed geese. But Christmas is not the festival of mass consumption, environmental destruction and Cruelty to animalsbut the feast of love, reflection, gratitude and mindfulness.
In this article, I would therefore like to show you how you can celebrate a contemplative, happy and sustainable Christmas - from the Advent calendar to a festive meal together. Let's go!
You can find a brief overview of the ideas and advice here in advance:
- Advent calendar
- Nicholas
- Christmas market
- Gifts
- Snacks
- Christmas tree
- Decoration
- Journeys
- Christmas dinner
- Digital Detox
- Do good
1. design a sustainable Advent calendar
The pre-Christmas stress often begins with the search for a suitable Advent calendar - which often ends with a Mass-produced product ends.
A simple, yet flexible and special alternative is the Homemade, plastic-free advent calendars with 24 individually filled fabric bags. Or a self-made box with numbered drawers.
For example, fill them with small noteson which personal memories or particularly cherished values of the recipient are written. Complete the content with, for example Nuts or vegan fair trade chocolate. There are no limits to your imagination.
2. on Nicholas-day, put sustainable treats in the boot
Before December 6, shoes and boots are often prematurely combined with the classic, Santa Clauses wrapped in aluminum foil stuffed with milk chocolate.
It's best to make sure that for St. Nicholas Day you prefer Plastic-free, fairly produced and animal cruelty-free treats as a gift. This makes the Christmas season that little bit more sustainable.
You can get really tasty snacks - from chocolate Santa Claus to hazelnut bars - for example here at Velivery*.
3. to a green Christmas market Go
Traditional Christmas markets often lots of junk on offer and lots of grilled animal meat. You have to take a close look to find your own, preferably sustainable lifestyle to do justice to them.
But whether in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Erfurt, Nuremberg, Munich, smaller cities or larger towns: There are now environmentally conscious Christmas markets almost everywhere and Advent eco-marketswho focus on the essentials during the festive season and offer organic mulled wine in their stalls, for example. Ultimately, this makes it easier and easier to celebrate a sustainable Christmas.
4. fairly produced, sustainable Gifts make
Christmas presents... many of us feel stressed just thinking about it. Often An emergency gift just before closing time on Christmas Eve over the counter. But on the one hand, the gifts are often inappropriate and wrapped in lots of wrapping paper - and on the other, they soon end up lying unused in a drawer. What's more, their production is often Environmental problems of our time contributes.
Instead, focus on the things that really interest the recipient - and take the pressure off yourself. How about a personally-written Christmas card or a Invitation for a special shared experience in the new year? If you're giving items as gifts, you should limit yourself to local retailers where possible. The earlier you start, the less stress.
Here I would like to give you some further articles that could help you:
- Wrap gifts plastic free
- Plastic-free Christmas presents
- Sustainable online shopping
- Vegan Christmas presents
- Gifts in the sustainability store
-
Skipping rope30 € -
Pocket ashtray5 € -
Sustainable travel for beginners15 €
5. for organicSnacks provide
Walnuts, almonds and oranges for the snack bowl should ideally come from fair, organic farming for a sustainable Christmas. And you can also get bars, cookies, chocolate or potato chips as Organic Fairtrade products - for example again here at Velivery*.
It will of course also be a very special celebration with home-baked delicacies. Here are a few environmentally friendly ideas:
- Vegan vanilla crescents / tahini cookies / pointed biscuits / nut corners
- Chestnuts from the oven
- Roasted almonds with a little sugar
- Vegan puff pastry buns with red pesto and vegan cheese
- …
Do you have any other ideas or recommendations? Then I look forward to your comment under this post!
6. for an environmentally friendly Christmas tree decide
Almost 30 million Christmas trees are sold in Germany every year.1 The long Growth period, the Water consumption and the contemplation of the Christmas tree as Disposable itemsbut in times of the Climate change particularly to think about.
How about one instead sustainable Christmas tree from fair, regional, organic cultivation? Or even better: with a little tree in a pot for rent? No joke! At least the tree has a life after the presents have been given.
Also self-made "Christmas trees", a genuine and eternally reusable Plastic tree and last but not least the so-called No Christmas tree* are alternatives.
7. to natural Decoration set
What would Christmas be without the right decorations? But where tinsel and plastic baubles usually hang, environmentally conscious people tend to decorate with natural Straw stars, wooden pendants or dried orange slices the apartment.
The appropriate contemplative lighting is provided by LED fairy lightswhich, with timers, only shine when they are needed. In the middle of the night, they are generally neither seen nor needed - so they can be used very well during this time. Save energy and protect the environment.
When purchasing Christmas candles you should make sure (apart from the constant risk of fire) that they are free of animal ingredients, kerosene and palm oil and that they are of organic origin.
8. reduce journeys in an environmentally conscious way
During the Christmas period, we particularly enjoy traveling from A to B - whether to our parents' house, to the in-laws or to friends. Try to keep your car journeys to a minimum during this time and avoid flights. By train you can definitely more environmentally friendly travel and generally reach their destination more relaxed.
But it's not just us who are on the move - our parcels and Internet orders are too. The Parcel shipping usually takes over before the contemplative Christmas holidays and brings the Swiss Post and its employees to the limit. Therefore, try to buy locally and avoid energy-intensive transportation and any Avoid returns.
9. vegan Christmas dinner serve
The festival of love is currently only for us humans. For Pigs, cattle, ducks or geese It's a sad time for the world's young people, as they often end up in the oven as roast pork or beef, Christmas duck or foie gras. And the environment also suffers from the resource-intensive Factory farming.
Fortunately, you can do without meat - and without really giving up anything. There are countless sustainable, Plant-based alternativesthat you can inspire your family with. In general, the Christmas season is a great opportunity to inspire people to eat an animal-free, plant-based diet and, more generally, to promote your own Bringing parents closer to sustainability.
In addition to the recipe video embedded above, here are a few more ideas to inspire your festive meal:
- Chestnut and nut roast with porcini mushroom sauce
- Vegan meatloaf made from lentils with potato wedges
- Mushroom polenta wrapped in savoy cabbage with cranberry chutney
- Vegan Dresden hand bread with smoked tofu and mushroom filling
- Brussels sprouts risotto with roasted hazelnuts
- …
Are you still looking for the right ingredients or do you need other ideas? Have a look at these delicious vegan alternatives at Velivery* on! The list ranges from vegan roast beef to plant-based steak.
10. turn off the screen and spend time together
Instead of spending many hours in front of the TV or games console on Christmas Eve or the following Christmas days, you can use the time much better for joint discussions or active Walks with your family - and meet up with friends you only see once a year.
So just leave your smartphone and TV alone, especially during the festive season. The saves energy, strengthens friendships and is also a valuable part of the most sustainable Christmas possible.
Tip: At Digital Detox I'll give you lots of tips on how to be offline more often!
11. Doing good for more than just your own family
You don't just celebrate a sustainable Christmas for yourself. After all, the festive season is also about Gratitude and respect for others.
So how about, for example, a Donation to a human rights or Animal welfare organization or the Taking over a sponsorship? You can also plant a tree or support the homeless. Get involved at Good deeds in everyday life simply inspire something and put a smile on someone's face. Ideally at any time, but of course especially at Christmas time.
Sustainable Christmas: Contemplation instead of waste!
It is the ideal time to reflect on what really matters - and what constitutes human values. For example Love, compassion, support and respect. These values can be applied to the gifts, the decorations, the communication with each other and the festive meal.
"Be the change you wish to see in this world."
Mahatma Gandhi (more at Sustainability Quotes)
I hope that with these tips I have been able to help you have the most sustainable and enjoyable celebration of love at home or with friends. Do you have any questions or other tips for a sustainable Christmas? Then I look forward to your comment!
A Merry and Sustainable Christmas,
PS: The turn of the year is also approaching. In the article about Sustainable New Year's Eve without fireworks you can find out how you can be more environmentally friendly. Have fun with the implementation!
- S. Ahrens; Statista GmbH: Sales of Christmas trees in Germany in the years 2000 to 2019 (as of 24.07.2023), available at https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/372294/umfrage/absatz-von-weihnachtsbaeumen-in-deutschland. [14.12.2023]. ↩︎
