We love the holidays! It's so fun to get into the holiday spirit. Surrounding yourself with food, friends, and holiday joy is the best! Gift giving, especially, is a big part of the celebrating. But what about the holiday waste? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that this time of year generates a far greater pile of garbage than any other season in Canada. The cause? All that gift wrap, foil, tape and those lovely greeting cards that we purchase each year.

And so, on your way to holiday bliss, we would like you to consider this...

1. Green Wrap

Opt for a re-use it approach and get yourself some fabric from the thrift shop. Grab some bed sheets, towels, pillowcases, and other loose fabric. You can also reuse newspaper and/or packing paper to gussy up your holiday gifties.

Then wrap it with some fancy string or ribbon, add a sprig or branch

and you've got the perfect gift decorated just for Blanche.

2. Alternative Card

Its not just the wrap that accumulates, its the cards too! We display them as part of the decor and save them for their treasured memories. To cut down on our waste this year, why not explore some of the paperless options?

Why not make a holiday greeting with an app?

Get it to your in-laws in a snap,

you will avoid that paper trap.

Make your insta feed your fireplace mantle

it will be more than your friends can handle.

3. While we’re at it — Here are Some DIY Gift Ideas to Inspire you!

Introduce someone to zero-waste living and to the planet you will be giving.

Start some DIY gifting and away from plastic you will be shifting.

Cut down on your paper towel and dish sponges and gift these Crochet Dish Scrubbies. Great for dishes and cleaning. You can re-use them over and over, to cleanhand wash or in machine, no dryer. Made with 100% cotton.

How bout try out some baking and a place in their heart you will be taking.

Toasted Pecans with Maple and Sea salt. Directions: Coat pecans with 2 tbs maple syrup and dash of sea salt. Bake 400 degrees until golden brown.

Buy them a green beauty workshop and once they start it’ll be hard to stop.

Make your own beauty products like this coffee infused body butter made at a DIY Beauty Class hosted by The Eco Well.

About the author

Jennifer Lyon is a KW local photographer who's passionately dedicated her career to fundraising and supporting Epilepsy South Central Ontario as their COO. As a photographer, she's amazingly creative, enthusiastic and so supportive to work with. She spends a lot of her time volunteering in the community, including here at The Eco Market. Aside from volunteering for us, she also has contributed her writing and photography to the Community Edition, a Kitchener local community focused newspaper. From our own experience, she's so full of positive energy, so hard working and so darn good at what she does! Learn more about what Jennifer’s up to at www.jennydoesstuff.ca & follow her on social media @thejennydoesstuff