To ask what you're doing to make your Christmas more simple/ethical?

[Quizeerascal]

Just that really. There's been a lot on social media in the media and in real life conversations about how we can make Christmas more simple, ethical, sustainable and I wanted to see what others on MN were doing. I've bought reusable wrapping paper for a relative who I think will appreciate it as well as buying toiletries from an ethical company, socks which donate to charity and shopping at farmer's markets/small businesses. I'm interested to hear others' ideas

Buying less, gone from 25 odd presents per DC to around 12 each. I’m not doing anything else though, I do my bit the other 364 days of the year.

My parents always insist on buying us a present, even though there really is never anything we need! This year I settled on a membership to a local wildlife place, something we wouldn't buy ourselves but means more time spent out as a family and it isn't any actual stuff!!

No presents for family we won't be seeing (so MIL and SFIL, SIL and BIL, nephews), so liberating! Secret Santa for the family we are seeing, so only buying for and receiving from one person. Using a real 🌲, it'll be its fourth Christmas. No new decorations (the ones we have are woefully unethical) Not buying small gifts. Charity shop present for DN (if I can find something suitable). Debating sacking off Christmas cards but I don't want to be the Grinch at work... Not succumbing to the temptation of buying DS a whole Christmas wardrobe (he is getting Christmas socks though)

Environmentally unfriendly things we do: flying to see family, buying for FIL and SMIL (they have everything and more money than we will ever have, several times over), wrapping paper and sellotape, presents for distant relative (tradition), 🦃

I haven't done crackers for years. Makes me a bit sad cos they were a real part of my Christmas growing up. I live abroad and wanted my DC to experience that part of a British Christmas.

However after 2 years of picking up all the bits of crackers 2 seconds after opening them, then later on rounding up the jokes, hats and crap plastic presents to throw away, I decided it was far too wasteful.

Not sending Christmas cards. Actually that's probably just laziness on my part . But it is also a terrible waste of money on cards, stamps etc

I love all the posts on here that say things like, we're not buying presents this year because we dont need anything, which spectacularly.misses the point (hint: you're not buying the gifts for you)
Or the ones that say, we're are going to wrap our presents in newspaper
Or the ones that say we have donated money in your name (again missing the point. Ask people to donate money instead of getting you a gift, if you want, but dont be virtuous on someone else's behalf. It make you look like an arse)
If you are concerned about the planet, and why not, just use less, buy less or skip Christmas altogether.
But Please dont go round making everyone else feel like they are responsible for the fate of the world if they opt for tinsel, shiny wrapping paper and, god forbid, they buy supermarket crackers with plastic novelties in.
S'all I'm saying.

Most of my children's gifts are second hand. We burn our Xmas tree on the log burner the following year once the wood has matured. Have cut right back on who we buy for. Haven't bought new clothes for Xmas parties which I would normally do.

Oh and no Christmas crackers.

Secret Santa gifts have to be bought in a charity shop. Much better fun than usual crap.

Family Secret Santa. Christmas 'twig' twisted willow brought out every year.

Also i agree with pp about the 'something to wear' poem too, especially if you're lower income or for extended family. Good way of sticking to a number of gifts and not just buy buy buying. And less in agreement with the 'don't judge about Christmas ' pp who used very judgemental language around it 🤨

I didn't have a lot growing up and family wouldn't always have been able to buy books throughout year. I loved the library but can still remember how special it was to have my own children's dictionary set, new pyjamas etc.

One of my own nieces has books bought whenever family see one she will like but she also asks Santa for a special book she has chosen or in previous years I've bought her a gift of a book i really enjoyed at her age. Comes across a little judgemental implying parents aren't doing right by their children by gifting books. For some that's the only time the budget might justify it, for some that's what the children are desperate for.

You can't make a post judging people who buy what you think is "too many" presents and complain when they reply.

Pretending that if you don't follow the "one thing to wear, one thing to read..." you are wasteful is a bit silly. I don't agree, and will always refuse to stick to 1 present per child. What give others the right to judge that?

Not doing Christmas cards and donating to a homeless charity instead. Reducing presents and doing experiences/season tickets/nights away instead.

There's only two things where I've really made a conscious effort:

The first is that I have wrapped presents in brown paper I stamped with Christmas designs, and used paper tape. To be honest, even with the stamps and the pretty tape I don't think it looks as nice as printed wrap but that's not the point.

The second is that my poor old veteran Christmas jumper was really due to have been replaced this year, but I instead spent an embarrassing amount of time carefully shaving the bobbles of it so it'll last another season.

Other stuff is just normal: I've had my decorations for years and 95% are second hand. I've bought a few presents second hand, and made a few, and I've tried to stop buying for friends and stuff where I can.

I will have a vegetarian Christmas dinner with my partner, but I guess she gets the credit for that as she doesn't eat meat.

I have also reduced the cards I send by about two thirds. I can't really take credit for that either; it's the culture at my new workplace. I probably would have opted out of Secret Santa too, but at my new workplace there mercifully wasn't the chance to opt-in, so that was easy.

We’re only sending four Christmas cards this year.

One present each for four people (as in one each, not every person exchanging one with every other person). I have a load of Christmas wrapping papers saved up in my stash but when that runs out I will switch to Christmas fabric and ribbons which I will reuse every year.

We don’t buy a huge amount of treats/foods/snacks - we push the boat out but not to a hugely excessive extent. We don’t throw any food away, either - if there are any leftovers they will all get eaten through to January.

We don’t buy a new Christmas scheme every year - we reuse our many baubles and decorations which have been collected over many years. If I do add any they are pre-loved/vintage.

Brown paper wrapping and biodegradable string to tie the gifts with.
Not having a big meal on Xmas day, just something normal that we all like.
Recycling as much of the packaging as possible.
Only buying drinks in glass bottles not plastic - we wash and reuse the glass bottles for making our own squash when we go out and want to take a drink with us so they get many uses before they are recycled.

My DS's stocking and Christmas eve box are plastic free. It is small and unfortunately he will get plastic for some presents being 2. But I am trying. Next year will be better.

I have bought less presents and tried to buy things people actually want it need. No plastic tat in stockings have got useful presents they can wear/use all year round.

Advent calendars with chocolate that is palm oil free.

No new decorations. Solar powered lights.

Recyclable wrapping paper and gift tags. Only giving cards who give them to me.

Just buying less.

No Christmas cards, no new decorations and recyclable paper. We still buy presents though and DH and I spend a decent amount on each other to get decent presents we will use. No plastic toys for nephews either.

Oh lord not the twee poem. I hadn’t heard it mentioned at all on here this year, we were doing so well

As for the OP, not much. But then I’ve always bought presents very carefully (and vouchers when I don’t have a clue). I started using brown wrapping paper last year. Our decorations are much loved and have been around a long time. My kids would be appalled to see new ones.

I won’t apologise for getting in some lovely food and cooking up a storm. Food waste is something I’m very careful about anyway. Christmas leftovers are the best.

And I’m not giving up crackers because we really enjoy them.

No flying anywhere
Free range, local meat when having meat
Reduced amount of meat meals
Organic dairy products (higher animal welfare standards)
Toddler dc wearing hand me down Christmas clothes and pjs from friends
Minimal cards sent (just to those I know it means a lot to)
Avoiding glitter
Avoiding plastic toys where possible unless they will last decades and pass on to multiple dc like Playmobil
Not doing crackers (pulling crackers that is- defo eating cheese on crackers)
Reuse Christmas jumpers year after year
Reuse same tree decorations every year
Adults in the family all get 1 gift from secret Santa on Xmas day (some couples also buy for each other but not me and dp)
Not doing any extra traditions like elf of the shelf or Christmas Eve boxes

Only 1 dc (so far but that might change if mistletoe is potent this year..)

I never ever send christmas cards, total waste of money and trees, all just ends up in the recycling. Very small family anyway so only small amount of gifts and food.

No, my interpretation of your post is in one paragraph judging people who gift books, literally comparing it to gifting a meal to their child. Then that you don't welcome judgement around Christmas. It read to me quite contradictory. Nobody so far that I have read has said "one Christmas present for my child, that will save the world".

Tickets rather than presents
Fabric and newspaper for wrapping
greenery from the garden for decorating
vintage presents - bought some gorgeous glasses for DM which are almost identical to a set she had as a wedding present and slowly got broken
e christmas cards rather than paper ones (cheaper too)

Pretty simple. Nothing! I don't celebrate Christmas as I'm not Christian (or any religion. I don't celebrate Passover or Diwali either), don't like decorations, don't do presents etc. It's literally a day to me 🤷🏼‍♀️