By Crys Zinkiewicz

Christmas is a challenge for Christians. We get pushed and pulled by our faith and our culture. Don’t tell me I also have to juggle being green! probably screeches into your mind when you hear about “greening Christmas.”

However, you may find that rather than adding to the conflict, going green helps you navigate it in ways that are more satisfying and less stressful. Below are some thoughts and practical tips that can help.

Preparing

Center your season in devotion and worship. The church reminds us we are in Advent, the time of waiting and preparing our hearts. Attend and attend to worship services. Add devotions to your routine. Reading or listening to an Advent devotional book, a book on faith and justice, a series of seasonal or eco-friendly children’s books are ways to stay focused.

Decorate naturally. Look for the gifts of nature, perhaps red berries, evergreen boughs, and pinecones. Naturally, the holiday is a time for family and friends. Chose ornaments and other decorations that remind you of them. As you decorate, tell the stories of these special items. That is a gift of heritage you can pass along. Naturally, you can simply avoid adding trimmings that you recognize as bad for nature, such as plastic. Replace the lightbulbs of the past with LED’s, for example.

Shop in ways that double the value. Choose gifts that will be great for the person and for the earth. Venture beyond big-box stores and mammoth online/delivery companies. Look for local. That avenue cuts emissions, supports businesses that support your community, and can result in great gifts. Online opens opportunities to find companies that are offering green. An increasing number produce products that are sustainable and do so with practices that are zero waste or carbon neutral. Many of those companies also give a portion of their earnings to organizations that support the environment, as well. When you visit a website, don’t go straight to the “Shop” tab. Rather, take a few moments with the “About.” There you’ll quickly learn what they value that you value too. Talk to your recipients about why you made the choices you did. 

Celebrating

Choose presence, not just presents. Ultimately, Christmas is God giving God’s own presence to humanity in the person of Jesus. A good example for us. What are the places, the experiences, the service you might arrange for you and the recipient to do together or that you can set up for the recipient to enjoy with the presence of others? For your actual day of celebration, orchestrate some opportunities for your group play together—cards, music, board games, a Christmas craft project, for example.

Eat as if your life depends upon it. Of course, it does. We know that the quality of food choices also affects the quality of our health. What we do with food also affects the health of the earth and justice. So, more plant-based options and fewer processed “treats.” Buy organic as you can. That action supports farmers who avoid using pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which damage the soil. When disposed of in a landfill, food waste transforms into methane, which is a justice issue because it negatively impacts the air people living nearby breathe and contributes to global warming that harms us all. Use up or freeze leftovers. Share extra food with friends. Compost if possible.

Give your mother a gift too. Mother Nature has been giving and giving, and humanity has been taking and taking and taking. Plant a tree. Plant lots of trees by donating to organizations with a wider network and larger scope than we as individuals have. The same is true for cleaning up waterways, removing plastic from the ocean, protecting wildlife, restoring wetlands, conserving forests, creating community gardens. Individually, you can donate funds or give your time. Joining with others helps turn the tide in Mom’s favor. 

Moving Forward

Clean up responsibly. Know what can and cannot be recycled. Shiny or plasticized elements on wrapping paper and cards and crumpled tissue paper, for example, are doomed for the trash. Save things that can be reused, like gift bags, bows, and tissue paper that’s “good enough.” 

Give that tree a second life. If it is live, replant it or pot it. If it is cut, find an organization that collects and chips the tree for footing on park trails, mulch, or compost. If the tree is artificial, reuse it for at least 10 years. That’s a common marker for when it will have a carbon footprint comparable to a cut tree. When you are finished with the tree, pass it along to someone else or a charity, so it can continue to be reused.

Reflect on your holiday experiences. With Refuse, Reuse, Recycle, Reflect is a good addition. As you look back, what green changes did you make? How did you help your family and friends learn more or do more that is green? What might you want to try next year? Greening Christmas is like faith, a journey. It is a journey, however, that starts with Remember. Remember who you are and Whose you are. Both Christmas and going green are ways to honor our Creator and love the creation.