Category: Holidays

bookmark_borderGreat Eco-Friendly Wedding Gifts to Give This Summer

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Hey earth muffins! Wedding season is upon us. 💒 Summer is a very popular time to get hitched, which means you might find yourself spending a few weekends celebrating couples in your life. I’m a sucker for a good wedding – so much romance! Plus, it is totally possible to have a sustainable wedding if that is important to you. On the flip side, even if you are just a guest at a wedding it doesn’t mean you can’t keep your green values alive! Today, I will be sharing a list of my favorite eco-friendly wedding gifts to give this summer. 🎁 Let’s jump right into it!

A picture of a newleywed couple holding hands in their wedding outfits

~Money or a gift card

While this might not seem like a “special” gift, it is definitely a pratical one. The couple will be more than happy if you give them some cash to spend on whatever they choose! To make this gift even more green, try thrifting the wedding card or buying it from a local business as well. If you don’t think money is a good enough gift, get them a gift card (or e-card) to use on their honeymoon! This could be for Airbnb to help out with housing costs or for an experience you know they will love. If you really want to get creative, you could even give them money/gift cards for 12 experiences that they can do throughout their first year of marriage. A great way to gift them dates for a year!

~Stainless steel, glass, or wooden kitchen utensils

Many wedding registries include houseware and kitchen items for the couple’s new house or apartment. If they have any items on the list that are made of sustainable materials, purchase them! Having good kitchen products made of high quality materials (like stainless steel, glass, or wood) will allow them to have them for a long time. Makes for great eco-friendly wedding gifts for sure! It’s a nice way for them to think of you whenever they are cooking a delicious meal too. 🍳

~Artwork from Etsy for their new home/apartment

While not an entirely sustainable gift option, I suggest supporting small business Etsy artists for the happy couple. Many shops on Etsy sell art that is made to order, which reduces the possibility of creating extra waste. Plus, Etsy offsets all carbon emitted during their shipping process! There are many great pieces to choose from, but here are some of my top recommendations:

  • Dried flower art – you could use some flowers from the wedding bouquet or centerpieces!
  • Custom painting of the church the couple was married in
  • Spotify QR code art – when scanned, this can take you to the first dance song!
  • Custom painting of the couple in an art style that will match their new home
A picture of custom QR code art for the first dance of a wedding

~Soy wax candles

Soy candles make a great gift, especially if the couple already lives together before getting married. If they already live together, they often already have many of the typical house/kitchen products on registries… So get them some amazing candles to spruce up their home! Soy candles are much more sustainable than paraffin wax ones; plus, I find that they often have better scents! You can buy soy candles almost anywhere now as well; try looking at some local small businesses or ordering some off Etsy.

~A care package of your favorite eco swaps!

If you know the couple is interested in making their house more green, create a gift box of all your favorite eco swaps! This eco-friendly wedding gifts post cannot be complete without a plug for a nice care package. 😆 From bathroom products to kitchen utensils, there are so many options to customize a gift that you know they will love (and more importantly, actually use). I suggest going the extra mile and packing the gift in a compost bin – saves on single use wrapping paper AND adds another practical gift to your present. It will be the talk of the wedding for sure! 😊

~Potted plants for their home

While not a gift for everyone, houseplants make a great gift if the happy couple has a green thumb. I suggest picking a plant that is easy to grow or has a high probability of staying alive… Wouldn’t want a dead plant reminding them of their wedding!

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Final Thoughts About Eco-Friendly Wedding Gifts

This wedding season, be conscious about the gifts you are giving! Even if the wedding itself isn’t sustainable, you can ensure that your contribution to the event is. While not really that special, money and gift cards are always a great option. If the wedding registry has some sustainable housewares, definitely scoop those up! Even if they aren’t on the registry, I think soy candles and plants are excellent gifts to give as well. Or, you can go the creative route and invest in some customized artwork for the couple’s new home. What eco-friendly gifts will you be giving this upcoming wedding season?

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderHow to Celebrate a Zero Waste Birthday!

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Hey earth muffins! I recently posted about the 5 things I am glad I did before turning 24… As my birthday month comes to a close, I thought I should write a post about celebrating a sustainable birthday. It seems that for every major holiday I share my tips with you all, and, honestly, your birthday is one of the biggest days of the year! So, it is crucial to make sure you still treat the planet right on your special day. 🎂 Here are some of my favorite tips for celebrating an awesome, zero waste birthday!

A picture of a girl sitting on a table in front of Happy Birthday balloons

Use secondhand and/or reusable decorations.

Birthday parties create a lot of unneccesary waste. From streamers to balloons, most people toss everything into the trash after the celebration is over. But, it doesn’t have to be that way! I suggest checking your local thrift stores (and Facebook Marketplace) for secondhand birthday items. You might even find some brand new items that were extras from another party in the area! If your secondhand options are limited, be conscious about your decorations. Instead of helium balloons, purchase foil balloons. These are blown up with a straw and can be deflated and reused for years to come (peep my reusable birthday balloons (affiliate link) in the photo above!). Use streamers that can either be recycled or rolled back up after the festivities die down. Having one set of birthday items allows you to use them for other birthday celebrations too!

Request experiences or eco-friendly gifts!

If your loved ones ask for gift suggestions near your birthday, tell them that you would rather be gifted an experience instead! These are better for making memories anyway; plus, they save from having to use pesky wrapping paper. If your family or friends must get you a present, give them a list of some eco-friendly products that are on your wishlist. Also recommend that they use sustainable wrapping methods. This can be reused packing materials, reusable cloth wrapping paper, or even delivering an e-gift card. A perfect zero waste birthday tip!

A picture of reusable cloth that can be used as gift wrap

Support local bakeries or bake a cake from scratch. 🥳

Having some sort of cake on your birthday is a must. Support local and buy a cake from a bakery in your area! This prevents you from buying a cake at a grocery store that is often heavily wrapped in plastic packaging. It also supports a local business during these challenging times. If you are wanting to be even more sustainable, try baking your own cake from ingredients sourced from bulk bins or eco-friendly packaging. For those who aren’t cake lovers, you can opt for cupcakes and use reusable silicone liners like the ones I recently purchased (affiliate link). Such a great way to be green in the kitchen!

Use plastic-free candles and a rechargeable USB lighter!

I recently wrote a post comparing soy and paraffin wax candles. When it comes to a birthday, you can’t have cake without singing and candles. But, many birthday candles contain paraffin wax and plastics. Probably not the best when it drips on the cake you are about to eat! To make your zero waste birthday extra special, buy some plastic-free and/or soy wax candles for your tasty cake. And, use a rechargeable USB lighter (like one from the USB Lighter Company) to light them up. These lighters are awesome because they can never run out of lighter fluid! 🎉

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Conclusion

There are so many ways to make your birthday awesome AND sustainable. I personally think thrifting decorations is my favorite tip because you can find so many funky things secondhand. This is perfect for themed parties too once Mister Corona decides to leave us all alone! Instead of wrapped gifts, opt for experiences or e-gift cards. Support local and use eco-friendly candles/a lighter when it comes to your birthday cake. As long as you are thinking about how your birthday is impacting Mother Earth (and then acting in an eco-friendly way), your birthday is going to amazing! 🥳

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderHow to Celebrate a Zero Waste Mother’s Day!

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Hey earth muffins! This is a friendly reminder that Mother’s Day is on Sunday. 😊 I am so excited to announce that I am officially immune after my second Pfizer vaccine! I look forward to celebrating with my mom in-person this weekend! While Mother’s Day doesn’t create as much waste as larger holidays, it is still important to remind yourself to stay conscious about your impact. A zero waste Mother’s Day isn’t far out of reach; I hope these suggestions inspire you to make small adjustments to your weekend plans.

A picture of a cup of coffee with macarons with a sign that says Happy Mothers Day

Use craft supplies around the house to make a personalized card for your Mom.

Remember the days when you would make handmade cards for your mom in elementary school? Well, I personally still love a good homemade card! You can use any art supplies you already have at home. From paper to paint to watercolors, there are so many great options to get creative. I personally love “punny” cards, so I recommend checking out Pinterest if you need a bit of inspiration. If you really can’t get yourself to bust out the art supplies, try looking at local thrift stores to see if they have any cute cards.

Make some delicious breakfast in bed (or dinner) with sustainable ingredients.

When I was little, my dad and I would always make my mom breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day. To make this a little more eco-friendly, try opting out of meat or selecting vegan options if possible. If you go the extra mile to bake something from scratch, I highly suggest sourcing ingredients from the bulk bins or selecting items in sustainable packaging. Bon appetit!

Get a zero waste Mother’s Day gift!

I wrote a post all about my eco-friendly Mother’s Day gift suggestions – make sure to check that out! Another one of my favorites is to buy felt flowers instead of real ones. Did you know that cut flowers aren’t very sustainable? Many flowers travel hundreds or thousands of miles to get to their end destinations… And then only last a few weeks. Not to mention the pesticides used to grow them. Felt flowers are such a great gift idea for many reasons. First, they are beautiful and will last a lifetime! 🌻 You can also support some awesome small businesses by buying them from Etsy or Fair Trade Winds. I personally am a huge fan of flowers as decoration, so this is an awesome sustainable alternative to cut flowers for a zero waste Mother’s Day.

A picture of a felt flower bouquet

If your mom likes sweet treats, bake them yourself!

While cakes and chocolate aren’t typically associated with Mother’s Day, there is nothing wrong with showing your mom some appreciation with baked goods. Baking from scratch is much more rewarding (and tasty) than chemical-filled baking mixes… Try out a new recipe from Pinterest and see what delicious treat you can make! Again, try to source your ingredients from bulk or sustainable packaging.

Make your zero waste Mother’s Day special by spending the day doing something she loves.

If she loves to garden, spend some time outside with her. Did her favorite restaurant finally open dine-in service again? Treat her to dinner! Or, hit up her favorite local boutiques and buy her something she loves. There are so many options to enjoy quality time together without hurting the planet! Celebrating locally is a great way to help your community during this tough time too.

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Conclusion

There are so many great ways to celebrate your mother and Mother Earth this weekend. Get creative and make sure your mom is the center of your festivities. Whether you decide to make her a new cookie recipe or buy some adorable felt flowers, your mom deserves to be treated like a queen on her special day. And to all you mothers out there, Happy Mother’s Day from Life of an Earth Muffin! 😍

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderHow to Have a Zero Waste Easter!

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Hey earth muffins! I can’t believe that Lent is almost over and Easter is around the corner… I am SO ready for some spring weather. Winter is tough for me in terms of work and seasonal depression; having some sunshine and warmer temperatures is going to make my life much better. 😊 With Easter just around the corner, many people are making plans on how they are going to celebrate. So, when you and your loved ones are deciding this, opt for an eco-friendly Easter this year! As I’ve done for many other holidays, here are my tips for having an amazing, zero waste Easter! 🐰

A picture of pastel Easter eggs

Stream the Easter Vigil or Mass online.

While many people are getting the vaccine, it is important to stay safe this holiday. Church services are central to many celebrations of Easter, so see if your church has a live stream service online. You can still dress up in your best spring fashion, but you can opt out of a mask (unless, of course, your family decides that masks should still be worn). The cathedral I attend has been live streaming their services for years even before the pandemic, so I will be tuning into their Mass with my family. ⛪

Thrift your Easter decor (including eggs!)

I’m always amazed at the cute holiday decor I can find at my local thrift stores. I’m not one to have a ton of holiday decor around the apartment, but I’ll definitely put up a bunny or two. Shopping secondhand is a great way to reduce your impact on the planet. Plus, you can find some unique treasures that no one else has! 🐇 One of my favorite local thrifts had bags of plastic Easter eggs too – perfect for any Easter egg hunt! If you can’t find secondhand eggs, opt for wooden ones instead of plastic.

Reuse your Easter basket every year – and thrift it!

Even when it isn’t springtime, baskets are everywhere in thrift, secondhand, and antique stores. Find a cute one and then reuse it every year for the Easter Bunny’s treats! If it isn’t too spring-colored, you can even use it around the house until it is needed for the holiday. I remember using the same basket every year growing up, and it was super fun to bring it out each year when we were decorating for the holiday. If you are gifted other baskets from family and friends, find a good use for them as well – don’t just toss or donate!

A picture of an Easter basket full of candy and toys

Choose bulk candy and/or avoid plastic packaging.

The bulk bins are my favorite – and you can find some delicious treats to fill up Easter baskets! Not only is bulk bin shopping easy, it reduces a ton of packaging if you bring your own bags to fill. If you don’t have a lot of candy options in bulk, you can fill Easter eggs with special notes, drawings, money, or little secondhand trinkets. Depending on your bulk bins, you might not have any candy options… If that is true, buy large bags of candy that aren’t individually packaged to save on waste. 🙌

Avoid plastic Easter grass!

Even as a kid, I hated Easter grass. It got in the way of my precious Easter candy and got EVERYWHERE. Now, I hate it because it is super wasteful and bad for the planet. Opt for paper grass or cloth stuffing materials, reuse the Easter grass you already have, or just use no grass. Your basket will be just as pretty if it is a zero waste Easter one!

Dye eggs with natural dyes.

There are a bunch of ways to dye your eggs in a natural way. If you don’t want to go through all of the trouble, see if your secondhand store has dye kits. I saw a bunch at my local thrift store – just make sure the expiration date is okay! You could also skip the dyes and use brown eggs and paint markers instead!

A picture of brown Easter eggs on a decorated table

Go meatless and skip the ham.

After being vegetarian for over a year, the meat I miss the most is my mom’s Easter ham… BUT, save the planet and go meatless for your Easter dinner! This year, my mom got me a “ham” from the brand Tofurky… So get creative and figure out how to have a delicious vegetarian feast as well! Be conscious of the amount of food too, and do your part to reduce food waste!

Stream your favorite Easter films.

My family seems to have movies to watch for each holiday. We always watch It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (affiliate link) and Here Comes Peter Cottontail (affiliate link) for Easter! If you also have a similar tradition, stream your Easter movies as you eat some of your bulk candy or make popcorn from bulk kernels!

Get your Easter dress secondhand!

I’ve always been a fan of cute spring dresses, so it was always fun to get super dressed up for Easter. Hit up your local thrift stores and find some super cute pieces to wear. Or, rent a dress online from sites like Rent the Runway. If your family is into Easter bonnets, try DIYing yours this year! 😍

Overall, it isn’t that difficult to have a zero waste Easter – you just have to be mindful of the waste your celebration is creating. I hope everyone is planning to celebrate in a safe, eco-friendly way, and I bet the Easter Bunny (and Easter Beagle) won’t forget to stop at your house! 😊 Happy Easter!

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Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderHow to Celebrate a Zero Waste St. Patrick’s Day!

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Hey earth muffins! Believe it or not, St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner… And then Easter is not far behind! I have never really done much to celebrate St. Patty’s Day; but, as it is a major holiday, I just couldn’t skip over writing another sustainable holiday post. Today, I wanted to share my list of how you can celebrate a zero waste St Patrick’s Day this year! Holidays tend to create more waste than a typical day, so it is important to be mindful of how sustainable your celebrations are. Let’s jump right in!

A picture of two St. Patrick's Day mugs

Wear green!

Wearing some sort of green is a tradition for St. Patrick’s Day. This is the one thing I try to do every year! Looking through my current closet, I actually don’t have any green to wear… Instead of going out and buying something to wear for just one day, borrow from a friend or family member. My boyfriend has a couple green sweatshirts, so I can just steal one of those! If none of your friends have green, then you can check to see if there are any cute items at the thrift store. Make sure you will wear it on a “normal” day too – buying a St. Patty’s themed shirt is silly because it sits in your closet for 364 days of the year.

Play some tricks.

Similar to the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus, my parents tricked my siblings and I into believing that the Leprechaun was real. He would cause chaos in our house each St. Patty’s by messing up our orderly toys and dyeing the milk green. While playing some tricks on your roomates is clearly zero waste, I would steer clear of the food dyes that come in plastic. I have been making my own seed/nut milks recently; pumpkin seed milk (from raw pumpkin seeds) is already a light shade of green. Maybe opt for this instead! ☘️

Do some zero waste cooking!

There are tons of amazing Irish meals you can cook for this holiday. Try to source all of your ingredients from bulk bins, glass containers, or loose items. 😊 If cooking a whole Irish meal seems like too much, try making one thing. I personally would recommend some delicous soda bread! For those who aren’t into cooking, support a local Irish pub or restaurant. Try to eat in if there aren’t COVID restrictions; takeout always creates more waste than necessary!

A picture of a loaf of Irish soda bread

Learn to Irish jig or listen to some Irish music.

While learning the jig might sound stupid, it is always fun to try something new! 👯‍♂️ Plus, having a few random dance moves in your back pocket is always a good idea. I taught myself how to moonwalk in middle school, and there have been numerous times where I’ve shocked people because they didn’t believe I could actually do it. If dancing isn’t your thing, listen to some classic Irish music. Or, listen to Spotify’s top songs in Ireland – I love that you can listen to what is popular in other countries!

Skip those gold coin chocolates.

For one, they don’t even taste good haha. And they create a lot of extra waste. Instead of those candies, look for some other sweet treat in the bulk bins. If you can’t find any good options, you could always make your own chocolates or candy!

Attend a virtual St. Patrick’s Day parade!

Every holiday I am always amazed at the number of virtual events you can stream. I bet if you go on YouTube you will be able to stream a bunch of different celebrations from Ireland! If you can’t find any, there are sure to be ones from prior years that you can watch. 🍻 I personally will probably watch a St. Patrick themed movie, such as Luck of the Irish.

There you have it – some awesome ways to have a zero waste St Patrick’s Day! 🇮🇪 I hope your holiday is lucky and full of gold! 🍀

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Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderHow to Have a Zero Waste Mardi Gras (and Lent)!

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Hey earth muffins, happy Fat Tuesday! 😊 I can’t believe Lent starts tomorrow… Easter and spring are just around the corner! As a practicing Catholic, I’ve always loved to challenge myself during Lent to improve my life in some way. I gave up YouTube a few years ago, stopped going on social media another time – there are so many ways to push yourself! Fat Tuesday is a time to celebrate before Lent begins, so I thought it would be fun to share ways to have a zero waste Mardi Gras. I’ve never been one to party hard on this day, but there are still so many ways to enjoy the holiday! 🎉

A picture of Mardi Gras masks

~Avoid plastic party favors/beads!

Mister Corona is still (unfortunately) an issue, so most Mardi Gras parties, parades, etc. have been cancelled or moved online. But, if you find your housemates or family having a party to celebrate, avoid any type of plastic party favor. I think this goes for any party, as favors tend to get used for a few hours and then chucked in the trash. Plus, do you really need a plastic bead necklace to remember the memories you have?

~If you are drinking anything, choose glass (or metal cans).

I think it goes without saying that glass should be your first choice when it comes to purchasing beverages. Metal cans can usually be recycled curbside or returned to stores, but glass is always the best alternative. Avoid plastic containers as much as you can!

~Find a local shop to buy your Paczki

A picture of two paczki donuts and a glass of milk

Have you ever had a Paczki? These are a staple when celebrating a Polish Mardi Gras… Even if you aren’t Polish, these delicious donuts are usually only around for Fat Tuesday; make sure you get them before they are sold out. Word from the wise: pre-ordering is the way to go! 😊 I have personally found that the best paczki are made by local bakeries and donut shops. Many donut chains like Tim Hortons will make “paczki” on Mardi Gras, but they usually just taste like their typical filled donuts. A real paczki doesn’t taste exactly like a donut – plus, you can find some more unique (and traditional) filling flavors at local shops. Ask your local shop to only use a cardboard box when packaging, then compost or recycle it!

~Reduce your food waste – compost if needed!

Just as the name implies, Fat Tuesday is often about eating a lot of food; some people take the name a little too literally. I guess maybe they are preparing for the fasting on Ash Wednesday? Regardless if you decide to eat a lot or not, make sure you are consciously trying to cut back on food waste! I’ve written a post all about my top tips for reducing food waste at home, so give that a read if you haven’t already! A zero waste Mardi Gras should be one where there isn’t extra wasted food lying around. If you do find yourself with extra paczki, make sure you 1) give it to someone who will eat it or 2) compost it! I can honestly say the best decision I made in 2020 was to start composting in my apartment – I’ve saved SO much waste from going to the landfill!

~Think of an eco challenge for yourself this Lent!

Sure, Lent is a religious thing but I’ve always tried to do extra “challenges” to improve my daily life as well. If you are feeling up for it, try to think of an eco-friendly goal you would like to do from Mardi Gras to Easter. This could be decluttering, adopting a few new eco swaps, or volunteering for our planet! My boyfriend and I have decided to do a (modified) “Less is More” challenge. Every day of Lent we will be picking one new item to donate. I’ve decluttered a lot since my eco journey began. But, it will be awesome to pass on more items to someone who will use it more.

A picture of zero waste shopping with jars and loose vegetables

~Try not to eat meat the WHOLE Lenten season

Most Catholics do not eat meat on Fridays during Lent. (As a vegetarian, this is definitely not something I need to worry about this year haha.) If you still eat meat, an awesome Lent goal could be to stop eating meat the whole 30 days! The meat industry is horrible for the planet; this is a great way to reduce your impact on the earth for a month or so. Plus, if you have been thinking about becoming a vegetarian, this is the perfect opportunity to give it a try! Who knows, you might absolutely love it and make the switch completely. 😍 All in all, there are so many ways to make your Mardi Gras zero waste. Here’s to the upcoming growth we shall see during this Lenten season!

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Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderHow to Celebrate a Zero Waste Valentine’s Day

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Hey earth muffins! It is crazy to think that Valentine’s Day is almost here! 😍 I love spoiling my friends and family with candy and cards, and it is the first year my boyfriend and I have been together on actual Valentine’s Day (thanks a lot long distance). Plus, February 15th marks the end of my busy season at work… So, I’ve been counting down the days to this holiday! 😊 In the spirit of sustainability, I thought now would be the perfect time to share some ways you can celebrate while still being kind to the planet. Here is my list on how you can celebrate a zero waste Valentine’s Day. Let’s get started!

Bake some zero waste goodies!

A picture of two hands holding a heart cookie

You need some kind of tasty treat for Valentine’s Day. It’s basically a proven fact of life. How can you celebrate a day of love without treating your stomach to something sugary? There are plenty of options to do some zero waste baking. Make your favorite cookie recipe. I personally love to make heart sugar cookies with adorable sprinkles. 🍪 Attempt making homemade truffles or chocolate bars. I tried this over Christmas and it wasn’t too difficult (but it does take some time). Or treat yourself (and your loved ones) to candy from the bulk bins! While you are baking, make sure to think about how you can reduce any food waste. I personally like to compost any leftovers!

Have a romantic movie marathon

It seems like during this pandemic my boyfriend and I have been watching a lot of TV/movies… But, Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to put on your favorite rom coms! If I would have to pick, I think my favorites would be:

–10 Things I Hate About You
–The Princess Bride
–A Cinderella Story
(affiliate links)

I personally would throw a few Disney movies in a romantic movie marathon as well. 😉 I suggust:

–Tangled (the lantern scene will forever be my favorite scene of any movie!)
–The Princess and the Frog (watch this for the romance of Ray and Evangeline… This is the only Disney movie that has ever made me cry)

Once you have indulged yourself in some romantic movies, you can totally get a little freaky. 😚 (It is Valentine’s Day after all.)

Make homemade Valentines!

A picture of a bunch of homemade valentines cards

Who doesn’t love getting a card in the mail? In the spirit of spreading kindness and cheer on this day, I suggest making a bunch of valentines. Use whatever craft supplies you have around the house – get creative! You can give these to your partner, friends, family, neighbors, even yourself! I personally think this is a great time to support Cards for Hospitalized Kids too. This organization accepts cards for any holiday and distributes them to kids in the hospital. If you follow me on Instagram, you saw that I made a batch of valentines this year…. I urge you to do the same! 😍 Give a little love to those who truly need it most!

Have a stay at home date night

Most couples head out for Valentine’s Day, but, due to Mister Corona, that is not going to be the case this year. I say embrace it – recreate what you would have done! Put on your fanciest dress, do your hair, throw on some makeup. Order food from your favorite local establishment (support small business!), pour some wine, turn on some smooth jazz, and have a great dinner in. You don’t need a date for this either; treat yourself to an amazing meal because you deserve it!

Celebrate your love by having some deep conversations

Valentine’s Day is a great day to reflect on your relationship with your partner. Deep conversations can sometimes be difficult to start, but they are so worth it! You should always be growing as a couple, so take time to talk about what could improve in your relationship. I’ve always found setting goals to be super helpful, so I encourage you all to do the same. 🙂 If you aren’t in a relationship, you can still have deep conversations with yourself. Think about where you want to be in life and make a plan on how to get there! A zero waste Valentine’s Day is not complete without a little self love. ❤️ How will you be celebrating this year?

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Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderHow to Celebrate a Zero Waste Christmas

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Hey earth muffins, happy Christmas Eve to all those who celebrate! 🎄 With Christmas less than a day away, I wanted to share this post to remind you all that the holidays can be sustainable! Especially this year, celebrations will be different. So, take that opportunity to reduce your impact on the planet too! I am lucky that my family (and my own household) has been staying safe in our respective bubbles. This allowed me to still go home for Christmas this year which I am extremely grateful for. Here are some of my top suggestions on how you can celebrate a zero waste Christmas this year! 😊

Wrap your gifts in reusables.

A picture of presents wrapped in reusable fabric gift wraps

You might have seen this picture on my Instagram, but I thought it was worth mentioning in a post too. Instead of using wrapping paper, use fabric wraps! I bought these at Lush and plan on using them every year for the same family member. However, an even better zero waste solution is to use fabrics you already have around the house. Or, hit up your local thrift shop as I always see some pretty adorable printed fabric at mine. Just thinking about all of the single use wrapping paper trash that is created on Christmas makes my head spin; reusables are always a better option! 🎁

Donate to your local community.

Many people won’t be able to celebrate Christmas with their families this year. Instead of large gatherings with lots of food, there might be a small dinner or even dinner for one. If you were supposed to host a large amount of people, donate the food you would have bought to families in need in your community. The pandemic hit everyone – share what you can in the giving season! If you aren’t sure how to donate food, then write a check instead. Most organizations allow you to donate online, which is a great contactless way to give.

Use actual dishes, silverware, and cloth napkins for Christmas dinner!

Like I mentioned in my Thanksgiving post this year, it is so much better for the planet to use reusables at the dinner table. Even if the number of guests only includes your household members, you can still make the dinner nice! I personally will be folding napkins into Christmas trees for our fancy dinner. It is actually super easy to do, and looks adorable! On top of the reusables, think about reducing the meats at your feast. Even if you just swap the meat in one dish for a protein replacement, you will have a better impact on Mother Earth already!

Attend virtual church celebrations.

I used to go to church every week before the pandemic hit. While the churches in my area are actually open (with limited capacity of course), I don’t feel the need to go and spread germs. Watching church livestreams or on YouTube is a great alternative. You can still dress up like you were actually going but then can enjoy the festivities from the comfort of your home. The true meaning of Christmas is important to remember, especially during this challenging time for many.

Make a plan for all those cookies and treats.

A picture of a gingerbread christmas cookie

I know my family always goes a little nuts when it comes to baking this time of year… But a zero waste Christmas requires you to have a good plan to reduce your food waste. I’ve written a whole post about how you can avoid throwing away excess food; definitely check it out for some ideas like sharing with your neighbors or even freezing leftovers!

Relax with your loved ones!

Christmas is a time to unwind and chill for a whole day. Who says you even have to change out of your pajamas? Spend some quality time with your family playing board games, drinking low waste hot cocoa, playing outside, or watching your favorite Christmas movies. My family always watches A Christmas Story each year, which is a great tradition that I look forward to. What will you be doing this year to celebrate the holiday?

How to celebrate a zero waste Christmas pinterest pin

Love,
Jenna ♥

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