Looking towards Christmas

Instead of a wasteful gift, why not donate to foodbank? Photo / 123rf

With COP 25 not so far away, is it possible to look for festive Christmas ideas that don’t push our earth’s resources so that they overshoot the earth’s life forces? Or even our own families’ resources of time and money?

We feel at this time we need to be supporting our family and our environment, so it can support us and our families into the future.

Thinking about where things come from and where they are going to end up can be useful, although sometimes daunting.

Just visiting the Resource Recovery Centre or looking at families’ rubbish bags can reveal a huge increase of waste generated at this time. But surely it is possible to have Christmas without such increases?

Although, during this festive season many of us are working under pressure, and may have trouble thinking of how to repurpose or ensure all we are doing has lasting value.

When thinking about gifts, remember seeds and plants can go on giving.

Sharing produce and plants from your garden and gifting homemade products are thoughtful gifts of time and practical creativity. Offering some of your time, skills or knowledge can be useful to those needing support or companionship. Think about how you or members of your family can create a gift or wrap a present. Children’s pictures, recycled paper, fabric; even clean, neatly folded newspaper, or calendar and magazine pages can look smart if done with thought. Think creatively. What scene would the recipient want on their present?

Gifting time to accompany someone to a free community venue, such as our amazing museum or one of our many galleries or parks, could be fun for both. Or a ‘ticket’ for the Durie Hill Elevator or a bus trip to another suburb may be fun, and a great way to spend time with family or a friend.

Having a free swap party before or after a gifting time may also be a fun thing for you and your friends.

If buying gifts, remember that buying local means your money helps this community. Likewise, buying locally-produced food helps our producers.

Think about the packaging you can save too, if buying from where the product was produced. Buying earrings from the market meant we could pop them in a wee bag we had with us.

You could also donate to charity in the name of a loved one.

Gifts of food to Whanganui’s City Mission Food Bank, the Koha Collective and the Kai Hub will all be appreciated. All have Facebook pages.

Think ethically, sustainably, and locally about the food you buy whenever possible.

Make your own decorations. Those from your kids can live on longer than they ever want to own them (I know), but they can come to appreciate how much their mum or grandparent likes to see them on a tree each year.

A growing tree or one created at home can also become a precious thing.

Our personal connections between family and community during this time need to remain paramount. Connecting with them through love and thoughtfulness is the basis of this season. A great gift can be remembering to eat and drink with respect and consideration to our own body, mind, and to those around us. After a hectic year with many challenges, planning safe and fun times with your family and friends is something we all need to aim to do.

Lyn and Graham Pearson are supporters of Sustainable Whanganui and the Kai Hub.