Christmas brings joy, but often also a lot of waste. It’s not just wrapping paper that ends up in the trash after the party, some gifts are hardly used or quickly sorted out. With sustainable gifts and gift packaging, consumption around Christmas can be made more conscious. What are ideas for sustainable presents? And which materials can replace wrapping paper?
For many people, giving gifts is simply part of Christmas. But what ends up under the tree doesn’t always make sense: Some gifts are produced under problematic conditions, others are hardly used and end up in the cupboard after a short time. There are also large amounts of packaging waste. However, with some eco-conscious gifts, Christmas can also become a more sustainable celebration.
Regional and fair
The origin of the gifts is particularly important for sustainability. Many products are manufactured in China or other Asian countries. In order to end up under our Christmas tree, they have to be transported a corresponding distance. In addition, the production conditions are often problematic – for example due to low wages, a lack of occupational safety or high environmental pollution. It is therefore better to give away regionally produced products. For example, Christmas and craft markets often offer goods from the region. Not only do they have short transport routes, but they also support local trade.
But fair trade products from other countries are also easily accessible today. So-called world shops offer a large selection of fair trade food, textiles and everyday items. There are also labels for fair fashion in many shops as well as upcycling shops that create new things from old materials. You can also find many shops online that focus on sustainability. For electronics, which are considered to be particularly resource-intensive, there are also more sustainable alternatives such as long-lasting smartphones that are manufactured under conditions that are as socially and environmentally friendly as possible.
Borrow, make it yourself and give the gift of time
Gifts don’t always have to be bought new. Children in particular can quickly lose interest in toys that, until recently, they took everywhere with them. Some websites offer toy subscriptions where the products can be borrowed and exchanged on a monthly basis, for example. Similar subscriptions are also available for adults – for books, films or video games, for example.
Another option for more sustainable giving is to make something yourself – for example from unused things in the household: For example, the old clothes hanger becomes a jewelry holder, pallets are turned into a piece of furniture and cans are transformed into plant pots. Home-cooked or baked gifts are also a way to give yourself sustainable and personal gifts at the same time.
If you want to forego material gifts entirely, you can give shared experiences as gifts. Time spent is often remembered for a longer time and when we give the gift of a shared experience it can bring us closer to our loved ones. Platforms like “Time instead of Stuff” provide ideas for this and make it possible to send vouchers directly with a specific date suggestion – so that they don’t disappear unused in the drawer.
Less rubbish under the tree
Once the right gift has been found, the packaging follows – and this is exactly where a lot of waste is generated during the Christmas season. According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 14.9 million tons of paper, cardboard and cardboard waste were generated in private households in 2023 alone. The production and recycling of wrapping paper uses a lot of energy. If it ends up in residual waste, it can no longer be recycled.
Packaging made from recycled paper, which can be recognized by seals such as the “Blue Angel”, is more suitable. It is even more sustainable to use materials already in the household as wrapping paper: for example old calendar pages, newspapers, magazines or pages from old books. Screw-top jars, fabric bags or scarves are also suitable as packaging – they also look festive when decorated with a bow and a pine branch. A more unusual way to wrap gifts is the Furoshiki technique, which comes from Japan. Fabric cloths are used to artfully wrap gifts. They can be used again and again and make the packaging itself part of the gift. Instructions for various wrapping techniques can be easily found online.
Sustainable giving does not mean giving up joy. If you choose more consciously and use environmentally friendly alternatives when it comes to packaging, you can make Christmas more resource-efficient – and often more personal.