for the Holidays | Homes & Lifestyle | Noozhawk
Another holiday season is in full swing. Fragrant evergreen trees dominate the scene by Arlington Theatre and the harbor; the boat parade has floated by. Frazzled shoppers are laden with fancy shopping bags.
I have passed through many iterations of love and disdain for the glitter and excess of the Christmas season.
On the one hand, this is my birthday month, so I'm down with celebrating the whole month alongside Jesus.
I cherish the Advent season with its anticipatory Advent wreaths and calendars, carols evocative of my childhood, and the Christmas story retold anew by each generation.
On the other hand, I begrudge the commercialization of a holy experience. I count as lucky Muslims, Jews, and other religious followers whose holidays are concentrated in their homes and places of worship. Evangelicals notwithstanding, this is where I believe religious practices rightly belong.
Now that I've spewed out my Scrooge, I won't begrudge the gift-giving traditions of the season. There are plenty of ways you can practice gratitude without supporting the excess and consumerism of modern Christmas. Creative reuse is in vogue!
"Upcycling," as it's now dubbed, curtails waste, adds value, reduces environmental impact, and saves money.
If you're creative or even creative-adjacent, a little paint, glue, or perhaps needle and thread can renew a piece of furniture or article of clothing for reuse or gifting. If that's not an option, there are other ways to conserve resources while brightening someone's holiday.
The Community Environmental Council (CEC) has hosted a couple of events that can guide you to greener future gift-giving.
Their Repair Café on Nov. 15 served scores of community members despite that weekend's torrential rain. Would-be re-users from teens to seniors brought in clothing, lamps, computers, and cell phones for advice and help in repairing. It was so successful that organizers say it will be repeated soon.
The CEC also hosted a Green Holiday Market on Dec. 4. This was an upcycling event of "climate-conscious shopping, creative crafting, and community connection."
I love how old silver charm bracelets were fashioned into necklaces and earrings. We partook of local hot cacao, honey mead, and eco-friendly Girl Scout holiday wrapping. We skipped the flash tattoos, but it was a popular station.
Don't despair if you missed these. There are ways to capture the upcycling magic by visiting Mission Refill in Goleta and The Refill Shoppe in Ventura. These stores stock dozens of commonly purchased ecological household goods.
You can bring assorted-size containers, or purchase them there, to fill with soaps, laundry detergent, creams, and even chewable toothpaste tablets. They are "friendly to eco-warriors and eco-curious: no judgement."
Upcycled electronics are another way to go easy on the earth and your pocketbook. The CALPIRG Education Fund releases an annual Fixed for the Holidays shopping guide that helps consumers shop confidently for used electronic items.
The newest version of the guide features shopping tips to find high quality refurbished products at deep discounts. The guide recommends specific vendors and advises which devices make practical refurbished gifts. It discusses common pitfalls in buying used products and how to avoid these.
Other low- to no- consumption ways to fete your loved ones include the gift of music (play them a piece or take them to a concert) or writing (try a gratitude letter).
Offer your time and talent to a local charity in honor of your friend. Ask for gifts of sheets, towels, blankets, or suitcases to donate to a homeless shelter.
Chances are, your friends and loved ones will be happy to leap off the consumerism hamster wheel.
"Asking Eric" advises starting such a conversation with something like, "My relationship to gifts has changed as my life has changed." He advises discussing other ways you each can express your care and good cheer.
The holiday season can be a season for inspiration, whether you align yourself with the Christ child story, Chanukah, Kwanza, or Santa slipping down the chimney.
We all need the light of the season to give us the gift of hope for a better world.