Happy Holidays!

Gifts galore
Game consoles, Smartphones or a new pair of shoes: as wonderful as the festive season is, frequently gifts are purchased which are ethically problematic or not produced in an eco-friendly way and which have long delivery routes behind them. Home-crafted Upcycling gifts from material you already have at home – for example a DIY-beeswax cloth or self-crocheted bookmarks or bags of soap! You also can sew stylish gym bags from a discarded shirt or make cool upcycled bags from old packaging - like cement bags. And if you want to give your loved ones a special treat, with a little creativity you can create your own upcycling board game made from old wooden boards. If you’re looking for an alternative to home-crafted gifts, it's also worth browsing for gifts at flea markets – there’s always a beautiful second-hand zero-waste gift to find for your loved ones.

Packed with style and still sustainable.
That thrill of unpacking presents is of course electric but vast amounts of wrapping paper waste every year are not so hot! You can pack gifts in an eco-friendly way and the goods can still look quirky. Use old newspapers, brown wrapping paper adding your own inscriptions, silk scarves or warm woolen hats – the joy will most definitely be even greater if the packaging material already forms part of the present.

Fantastic and inspiring ideas for decoration from Mother Nature herself.
Decorating in a sustainable way does not necessarily mean that you have to do without – nostalgic second-hand items from the flea market, setting up a swap shop within your own family or creating your own decorations from natural materials in the run-up to Christmas will also create a festive atmosphere in your own four walls. Figures of wood, stars made of straw, chocolate or dried fruit such as rosehips or oranges, are just perfect to decorate the tree, garlands and your home. Keep your eyes open when you are out on walks – there is an abundance of natural materials you can use for decorating which are sure to spark your own creativity. If you get off to an early start in the fall, you can start to decorate your rooms and the tree in time for the holidays, in a cozy, ecological and natural way - and you might even have time to make a gift or two whilst you are at it.

Sustainable lights.
Festive lighting in the form of fairy lights with LED or halogen lamps will ensure that you use up to 90% less electricity. Candles are best to fuel the romance and tranquility of your festive mood. Sadly, they are rarely sustainable: either they contain paraffin, i.e. from crude oil which is problematic when it comes to the environment, or they are based on palm oil from monoculture plantations located in places where the rain forest should actually be growing. Take care to use candles from beeswax, biomass or candles which are cast from GMO-free oils from renewable raw materials such as rapeseed or soy and which are produced regionally.

Creating a festive dinner table.
You just love inviting lots of guests and spoiling them with your culinary skills? If you organize it well, you can add more sustainability to your feast: start with a calculation aid so that you get the right amount of food for the number of guests you are expecting – this can help to save a lot of food waste. It is a good idea to include seasonal and regional products of organic origin when planning your menu – in the same way go without meat and replace meat dishes with vegetarian or vegan alternatives on the basis of seasonal products. All of this will add sustainability and lower the carbon footprint of your holiday menu.  Even it seems nigh on impossible to celebrate without a turkey, roast or goose, it is worth dishing up alternatives. After all, if you shop with a heightened awareness, you can enjoy with a clear conscience. However you decide to spend and celebrate this winter’s festivities – we would like to wish you #happyholidays!