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Original poster

Low carbon Christmas present ideas

58 replies

StrongLegs · 23/10/2021 14:11

Hi,

I wondered if anybody might have good ideas for Christmas presents that don't increase our carbon footprint and fill the house with stuff that takes up space and isn't used?

I wondered if the best thing would be to just buy things we need like clothes and duvet covers and kitchen utensils, and wrap those, so we have something to unwrap. Maybe I could wrap the Christmas pudding and the crackers??

One time I bought us all pillows for our beds and wrapped those, and that was epic looking on Christmas morning.

This year I've also bought some nice seeds so we can all have something interesting to grow in the coming winter/spring. Mostly cacti so they can grow indoors in winter.

ds likes computer games, but he downloads those, which makes them hard to wrap.

OP posts:
Chipsinthewoods · 23/10/2021 16:15

Clothing and money plus some sweets and toiletries in a stocking, teen Christmas, job done Grin

Porcupineintherough · 23/10/2021 16:16

@StrongLegs

Now I think about it, my wrapping paper is not recyclable, so that's probably bad isn't it?
If it isnt recyclable then use it up and replace it with some that is, or something reusable like present bags.
Original poster
StrongLegs · 23/10/2021 16:24

@Chipsinthewoods I think that maybe is where we are now. :-)

Maybe some nice sort of grown up clothes might be nice.

OP posts:
TiddleTaddleTat · 23/10/2021 16:59

I'm trying to be more mindful about plastic, wrapping and general tat this year. Avoiding Amazon. Making gifts and asking for charity or second hand, or from ethical companies if possible.
I've just bought some good sturdy gift bags that I'm hoping to use for several seasons / birthdays.
Following for further ideas...

Lockheart · 23/10/2021 17:09

The best thing you can do is just buy less. Almost anything you buy is going to contribute to landfill or pollution in some way. I'd get a few things people really want and ask for rather than piles of stuff.

My mum is of the piles of stuff mindset and no matter how much I spell out for her "no really, I'd be very happy with just X jumper or X book" she does like to go off-piste and get me more things but none of it quite what I asked for!

FangsForTheMemory · 23/10/2021 17:14

plants for the garden

Original poster
StrongLegs · 23/10/2021 17:29

@TiddleTaddleTat and @Lockheart that's exactly the lines I'm going along too.

We're trying to buy things from ebay rather than amazon, but dh got caught out recently. He bought something from ebay, and the person on ebay just ordered the things from amazon for delivery to our house. So cheeky!

I really like the idea of plants for the garden, though I think that might be more me then dh and ds. :-)

OP posts:
Original poster
StrongLegs · 23/10/2021 17:30

If there was a way to get more time as a present, I think we would all like that, but I'm not sure how to do that.

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 23/10/2021 17:46

Forget about wrapping things up or at least use reusable or recycled wrapping, not necessarily paper. Use cloth bags for example. I agree that adults don't really need presents then you don't have to worry about it not being right or having to provide lists.

Just give favourite consumables if you 'have' to give something. Or just spend time together and play games etc.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 23/10/2021 17:57

The problem now compared to when I was young is the amount of stuff people get all year round. When we were kids we got presents for birthday and Christmas. Chocolate was a once a week treat. Biscuits were usually home baked and fizzy drinks were purchased once a week and when they were gone we waited until the next week before they were replaced. We had plenty of veg but fruit was expensive and mainly apples, plus anything in season. We always had enough food to eat and were never hungry though. It made Christmas so much more exciting because we got all good things we didn't get all year around, all gratefully received and nothing wasted.

Now I sound like I am about 120 lol,

Original poster
StrongLegs · 23/10/2021 18:03

@sweeneytoddsrazor I completely agree. When I was a kid we waited until Christmas for some big thing. Now we don't, we just buy stuff when we need it. I am also about 120.

In a way I think at Christmas what we want is headspace, and for it not to be cold and dark.

Maybe I could make Christmas a bit special by lighting a candle on the table? That would be nice and a bit different, wtihout messing up anyone's routine.

I have bought some jigsaws, as we enjoyed those during lockdown. Those are nice things that we can all pretty much agree on.

I was about to say maybe we could turn off the internet for an hour, but no, I think that would be a step to far.

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 23/10/2021 18:09

That's an excellent idea, turn the internet off for an afternoon or evening and play games. Dominos or card games like Uno or cards against humanity for an adult group are popular and easy to learn.

BarbaraofSeville · 23/10/2021 18:10

The internet is also very carbon intensive, so you'd actually make a saving too.

Original poster
StrongLegs · 23/10/2021 18:30

Thanks, I'm glad you like that.

We did turn it off once and it was surprisingly nice. Just for an hour. We all kind of wandered around a bit. I liked it so much that I gave up the internet for three whole days, and felt like a brand new person (says she, glued to mumsnet...)

We also thought about just turning off all the electrics at the big switch in the stair cupboard, because the white noise of all the appliances really annoys my husband.

We thought it would be a nice present to him to have total complete silence in the house for an hour. It would be very low carbon indeed, as long as we kept the windows shut.

OP posts:
Onairjunkie · 23/10/2021 18:49

Are people really so dependent on the internet that turning it off for an hour causes them to wander about lost?

Original poster
StrongLegs · 23/10/2021 19:29

Not wandering about lost .

Wandering about enjoying the silence and not feeling under pressure to constantly keep up with whatever excitement is developing in the news.

OP posts:
Onairjunkie · 23/10/2021 19:46

@StrongLegs

Not wandering about lost .

Wandering about enjoying the silence and not feeling under pressure to constantly keep up with whatever excitement is developing in the news.

My apologies. You made it sound like you were all just meandering around with nothing to do so I pictured you all glued to devices ordinarily and lost without them.
BigGreen · 23/10/2021 19:50

It's so hard to calculate the carbon cost of a thing. I buy the best quality that I can and then sell it on to get the best carbon price-per-use that I can.

I usually buy second hand - Facebook marketplace has been a game changer since people resell almost everything.

I also try to rescue things from waste as much as possible, like buying seconds or short dated goods.

Original poster
StrongLegs · 23/10/2021 19:51

LOL!

No, we're okay really. Dh spends much of his time on the piano, I'm a keen gardener, and ds has a big tap dancing thing going on.

OP posts:
DaisyNGO · 23/10/2021 19:54

@StrongLegs

Not wandering about lost .

Wandering about enjoying the silence and not feeling under pressure to constantly keep up with whatever excitement is developing in the news.

So why the shudder?

You can wrap presents in those reusable shopping bags, I've had a few people do that and now have several reusable bags 😂

batmanladybird · 23/10/2021 19:56

Lurking

ShinyMe · 23/10/2021 20:04

Do you really need crackers? They seem so wasteful and pointless to me. If you're trying to reduce your carbon footprint that's one way to start.

Cryalot2 · 23/10/2021 20:26

Be glad you have people to get presents for.
I don't buy many but life has been cruel and this year I will have 2 less. I see things that I know they would like and struggle with grief.
I mosty buy local but draw a line at the local soap maker.
I like many use a kindle, and plants have to need little care and be pet friendly. Personally I dislike succulents, cacti and poinsettia.
To those giving food, please list all ingredients as so many allergies and intolerances.
Depends on who you are giving and do things have to match .
If you are buying someone then you will know their taste. Wrap in a cloth bag.
Depends on how you feel about Christmas. You can be sure all those who preach will not go without .
Count your blessings and enjoy.

AccidentallyOnPurpose · 23/10/2021 21:15

@StrongLegs

If there was a way to get more time as a present, I think we would all like that, but I'm not sure how to do that.
Where can you cut corners and let things slide? Are you all off for Christmas? Can you have a nice,easy ,chilled one?

Maybe some vouchers with an hour of rest, an hour where someone picks what you all do, doing a job for someone else etc to use as you each wish over the holidays? It would cost nothing and no carbon footprint.

ConfusedBear · 24/10/2021 06:32

For people who have everything I've had success paying for a treasured item to be repaired. This would also be low carbon.

If it involves something like furniture been sent away for repair then I check with the present receiver that they are happy for this to happen. If it is spare or replacement parts for something then I wrap them up as a normal present and give as a surprise. Both approaches have gone down well.

You do have to know the person well though to know what items are in need of some tlc.

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