If climbing mountains of wrapping paper and getting buried under too much stuff got us dishearten this year, let us not worry. There is hope. So what can we do to make it a better Christmas next year when it comes to presents ?

The solution : Think ahead and think eco-friendly.

Scaling Down Christmas.

We found ourselves caught in the frenzy of last minute shopping with few ideas or, on the contrary, too many unfillable requests. And the day after the event ? Drowning under a pile of disposable paper and wraps. Queasy from the then insurmountable quantity of things lining the living room floor. Thinking : where are we going to put all this ? This is not a way to enjoy the holidays. Way too much stress and pressure both from before the event, and after. It can be so much better.

The Paper Trail.

Let’s start by acknowledging the elephant in the room. One just cannot disregard a huge component of both the pre-event and the post opening. Gift wrapping. Gift wrapping, although not the first thing that comes to mind when the holidays kick in, is one that will cover pretty much every aspect of your life that time of the year.

Any present we make or get to gift our loved ones will need to be wrapped. We will need to get the present, sure. And the wrapping paper, of course. And make sure there is enough. Some rolls are generously sized. So generous in fact that we will need to find a spot to keep them until next year, eeek… I don’t know for you, but for me, space is golden, so having to store specialty items for 11 months can be, let’s say, problematic. And some rolls are deceptively small, with a large core covered by a few thin layers of paper. Running out in the middle of the task ? Quite tricky to say the least. Now we have the paper, all we need is a few hours to tackle the task. Yes, hours, it adds up quite quickly. I take my hat off to the elves dedicated to wrapping, way up there in the North Pole. It is a great activity, really. And quite enjoyable too. But after a few presents, it just becomes plain overwhelming…

Uncovering Excesses.

Now that all is beautifully prepared, it’s Christmas morning ! With its display of wonderful colors. And the rush to open every single item adorning the bottom of the tree. And a pile of paper to gather late morning, to sort for recycling when comes garbage day. So much resources came into those joyful shells nesting our presents. Coming from overseas for most of them. Loads of ink and sparkles and metallics embedded, making them difficult to fully repurpose. So much energy to fabricate them. So much energy to discard them…

Sustainable Alternatives.

But it does not have to be this way. There are so many great alternatives to gift wrapping nowadays. To think forward, we need to think back. That’s right. A look at where we come from. What our past generations around the world used to do when paper was scarce and resources precious. Looking into the Japanese art of Furoshiki for example. One fabric wrapping for endless uses, to pass along, over and over again. A gift inside a gift. Genius ! Or a sturdy box, plain and simply attired with a branch of holly and a string of raffia. Once removed from its Christmassy garment, the box will be reused to store other items. For a real sustainable effect, why not using old newspapers with a nice bow when sending presents away : the recipient will be entering your world with local news, opening their eyes to your reality. So many options to divert our use of traditional wrapping paper without sacrificing the look but making it so much more eco-friendly and meaningful for the person receiving our attentions.

DIY Christmas.

Another way to have a better Christmas with the presents we share ? Put heart into the holidays by making our own presents. Let’s think ahead, and start preparing them as soon as now. It will be a great asset as well for the financial aspect of the festivities. A teen at home ? We can prepare little by little enough clever items to fill a sustainable basket linked to their interests. Think handmade natural products and accessories with sustainable essentials for a spa kit, for example. Or a set of sporting goods for the active ones. For children ? Let’s sew a nice custom toy bag to bring their favourite toys on-the-go without spreading them around. A set of wooden dolls for the artsy ones. A quirky doll for the fancy designers. Something special. Something unique.

Opening New Horizons.

As for adults, learn to detect the undetectable. Find what it is that they like. Or show them what you know they will like. Maybe not something finished, like a painting or a dress. But rather something they can invest in, a kit to make that dress, a case with all the essentials to do that painting. Something that will show you put your heart into, and that they can put their heart into all the same. For years of shared memories, and maybe a family heirloom to pass along later on. Not the handy type ? Just as well, because homemade food items are number one when it comes to set a better Christmas with presents. Get inspired and your dedication to prepare some special goodies will make the best gifts ever !

Mindful Time Of Year.

As for the mindful Santas out there : now is the perfect time to start a grateful journal. Pick a nice booklet that talks to you and enter everyday a kind phrase about your loved one. Something you liked they did or said. You had an argument today ? Well that’s an even better way to finish off before going to bed, write something thoughtful about them and dismiss the reason for your disagreement. You will feel better and the book will never remember the hiccup of the day. But your sweet words will bring joy to the recipient later on. It does not have to be Shakespeare either. Simple heartfelt words covering the page… “I loved going for a walk to the beach with you this afternoon…”, “Thank you for sharing this moment with me today… ” or “I absolutely love when you do the dishes, you truly are a natural…”

So let’s start today getting ready for a better Christmas with presents for next year, so much to look forward to…