Creating Sustainable Holiday Traditions in Partnership with Volvo

It's that time of year again - the magic, the lights, the music, the presents, the anticipation, and best of all, in my opinion: the traditions. Patricio and I both grew up celebrating Christmas, and we each have our own family traditions that we look back fondly on. For me, it was decorating the tree together as a family, unwrapping every beloved ornament from tissue paper and finding the perfect branch to hang it on, a clementine in my stocking - and getting to open one present on Christmas Eve before we went to bed. The memories surrounding this time of year seem the most vivid and bright our minds - and now that we are parents, we get to relive a piece this piece of our childhood, and also choose which traditions to introduce to our family culture.

While this time of year is filled with feelings of warmth and nostalgia, one thing that I don't feel an ounce of sentiment for is the wrapping paper, tape and plastic ribbons littered across the living room floor in the aftermath of opening presents. As we have become more sustainably-minded over the years, our approach towards the holidays has shifted to reflect those values. We want this time of year to carry the same joy and cheer for our children as it did for us, but to let go of the significant amount of waste that unfortunately goes hand in hand with the holidays.

In the spirit of creating more sustainable traditions, I'd like to share a few ways to avoid excess waste this time of year.

This post is in partnership with Volvo, and their sustainability mission, which includes a long-term ambition to be a climate-neutral company by 2040. Volvo has a 2025 goal to have 1 million electric cars sold, like the XC90 T8 Hybrid (as featured in this post). Much like how we are always adjusting our approach to the holidays with our environmental impact in mind, it's wonderful to see companies like Volvo making sustainability a priority as well. While this is a sponsored post, all thoughts, opinions and run-on sentences are my own. 




No Gift Wrap, No Problem

According to 2017 statistics from Zero Waste Canada, 540,000 tonnes of wrapping paper and gift bags are thrown out each year (as the majority cannot be recycled) - and 25% more waste is created over the Christmas holidays than the rest of the year.

There are some more comparable alternatives to wrapping paper, such as rolls of craft paper made from recycled materials, or old newspapers, but if you're willing to think outside the box, pretty much anything can be used as gift wrap.

Silk Scarves |  A really beautiful, zero-waste method for wrapping presents. I have a basket of secondhand silk scarves that the girls play with year-round, which I then raid around the holidays or birthdays. There are a few different techniques for folding them here. (Also, doesn't have to be a silk scarf - could be a handkerchief, cloth napkin, etc.)

Brown Paper Bags | Instead of buying a roll of craft paper, you can simply cut up your brown paper grocery bags to use as gift wrap. And if you're missing the lovely printed gift wrap - make a print! This year we made mushroom and Christmas tree paper using potatoes as stamps - simply cut a potato in half and cut out your desired shape, dip in paint and stamp away.



Cloth Bags | After years of purchasing from small brands, I have quite a collection of cloth bags that were used to wrap their handmade goods in. My personal favourite no-fuss method for wrapping presents last minute.

Ribbons and such | In anticipation of giving gifts on holidays, I keep a jar full of any strings or ribbons I acquire throughout the year - a length of yarn makes a pretty bow too. A cedar clipping adds a nice decorative touch as well.

Compostable Tape | A more sustainable option to standard tape is Japanese washi tape, which is made from plant fibres and is biodegradable. So instead of tossing your tape in the trash, you can put it in your compost.

Shop Secondhand
There is a certain stigma around giving secondhand items as gifts - but I hope that this generation can undo it with thoughtfully gifted preloved toys, clothes and books, as this is a more sustainable option to buying new every year. Consignment shops sell gently used clothes and toys - and since people are generally purging their toy collections in anticipation of receiving gifts during the holidays, there is often a great selection this time of year. Used book stores are a great way to find interesting titles for the book lover in your life. In my family, we even offer hand-me-down toys and clothes as gifts sometimes - eco-friendly, and friendly on everyone's wallets, too.

Give an Experience
An important thing to remember is that: a gift doesn't have to be a thing. Instead of more stuff, you can give the gift of an experience. Passes to a museum or amusement park, swimming lessons, art or music classes, theatre tickets or passes to see a movie. Go on a weekend getaway together as a family, or eat out a favourite restaurant.



Made With Love
As someone with a long (and ever-growing) list of things I'd like to make one day, I appreciate when someone else takes the time to craft a gift with love and intention (shout out to my sister-in-law who has spent the last few years giving handknit clothes for Ramona's baby dolls, which are so well-loved). A few simple sustainable handmade gift ideas, using natural materials:



Beeswax candles | Whether rolled wax sheets or hand-dipped, this is one of our favourite gifts to both give and receive for these dark, cold winter days.

Baked Goods | I could never turn down a plate of vegan Christmas cookies - or cake or pie or chocolates.

Handcrafted Toys | Whether it's woodworking, felting, knitting, sewing - there's something so special about making something for our children with our own two hands. I learned how to knit a year ago specifically so I could knit clothes for my daughter's dolls.

Original Artwork | I remember my own mum preferring gifts that we made for her more than anything bought in a store. And now, any art created by the hands of their grandchildren is a priceless treasure!

Sustainable Decor
Last year I read an article in the Guardian about how 60% of the world's Christmas decorations are made in a small village in China by migrant workers. It was shocking to read about the conditions this festive decor is made under, the toxic materials used, but also the quantity. Thousands of decorations are made in a single day to meet the demand based on spending habits during the holidays, and also to keep up with the current holiday trends.

Most of our decorations are childhood Christmas ornaments or the odd secondhand bauble that caught my eye. For the most part, when it comes to decorating for the holidays, we try to do the same thing we do during the rest of the year: draw from nature and the seasons. I also think that these colder months are made for, well, making. We spend the whole of December creating together - sometimes they are ornaments that we will keep for years to come, but often we make just for the love of making together - so we make sure to use materials that can be composted or recycled when they are no longer of use.




Salt dough spiral | Each year we make a salt dough advent spiral to count down till Christmas day. Each night at dinner we light the candle move the candle one space closer the centre, counting down the days till Christmas. It's become a beloved tradition, both in making it together and the anticipation that it creates.

Seasonal Trimmings | Pinecones, cedar clippings, fallen pine branches, a sprig of juniper, all add a lovely cosy feeling around this time of year - best of all, free and environmentally friendly.

Handmade Ornaments | Some years I purchase a handmade ornament from another maker, but many years I needle felt or sew my own - something that will be treasured each Christmas for years to come.

Scrap Paper Snowflakes | I collect old scraps of paper, tissue paper that came in gifts, even flyers, and use them to make paper snowflakes to decorate our windows with.




Dried Orange Garland | A beautiful, simple festive touch this time of year. Simply cut thin slices of orange and place on a baking sheet, and bake for a few hours at 200F, flipping the slices halfway, until they are no longer soft (and before they burn). Then thread some string through them (better yet, let your child do it) and hang it from the mantel or on the tree - or anywhere really! (While oranges imported from overseas may not be the most sustainable option, we try to reduce our carbon footprint somewhat by buying California oranges.)

Give Thoughtfully
I once heard that an unwanted gift can feel like a burden, no matter how grateful you feel for the gesture. I've heard friends who already felt like they were drowning in stuff say that they felt guilty to get rid of things that were given to them, even though they didn't need or want them.

It's easy to get caught up in the joy of gift-giving - to get carried away even with the thrill of surprising someone with that one special thing they never knew they needed. But more and more each year, I find myself giving less and less physical gifts unless it is exactly what a person has asked me to give - no surprises. This not only helps ensure the gift will be better appreciated, but it also helps to reduce excess waste and avoid unwanted items from ending up in a landfill. I want to make sure that I give presents thoughtfully, that they are things that will truly enrich my friends and families lives long-term, and not be a burden to them - or to the planet.

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Thanks for taking the time to read. Would love to hear some of your sustainable traditions around the holidays.

As mentioned earlier, this post is in partnership and sponsored by Volvo - however, all thoughts, opinions and run-on sentences are my own.