-By Shruti Srivastava and Shikha Shah
Christmas is a season of celebration marked by twinkling lights, festive decorations, and the delightful aroma of freshly baked treats. Families gather to exchange gifts, share meals, and create lasting memories, while communities come alive with carol singing and acts of kindness.
Whether it’s through traditions like decorating gingerbread houses, attending midnight Mass, or simply spending quality time with loved ones, Christmas is a time to reflect on the year gone by and embrace the feeling of giving and gratitude. As snow blankets the ground and the air fills with the sounds of laughter and cheer, Christmas remind us of the beauty of joy of spreading goodwill.
Christmas is one of the most celebrated festivals worldwide, observed on December 25th to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a time of joy, unity, and festivity, cherished by people of all ages and backgrounds. The festival's traditions vary across cultures, but the common themes of love, giving, and celebration remains universal.
The holiday season typically begins adorning homes with sparkling lights, colorful ornaments, and beautifully decorated Christmas trees. Stockings are hung by fireplaces, wreaths are placed on doors, and nativity scenes are displayed to symbolize the story of Jesus' birth.
Christmas is also known for its culinary delights, with families preparing lavish feasts that include roasted turkey, ham, pies, cakes, and cookies. In many cultures, Christmas Eve is marked by a special dinner and midnight services, where carols fill the air, and the spirit of peace and goodwill is celebrated.
One of the most beloved figures associated with Christmas is Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas or Father Christmas, who is said to bring gifts to children around the world. This tradition inspires excitement and wonder, as children eagerly await their presents under the tree.
The festival is not only a time for family and friends but also for acts of charity and kindness. People extend their generosity by donating to the less fortunate, volunteering, and spreading cheer within their communities.
Beyond its religious and cultural aspects, Christmas invites everyone to embrace the values of compassion, forgiveness, and togetherness, making it a truly special time of the year.
Christmas season is also referred to as “the world’s greatest annual environmental disaster”.
Every year since decades, the Christmas season leads to a significant increase in waste production around the world due to non-biodegradable and single-use wrapping paper, packaging, decorations, and discarded food, which directly lands up in landfills or oceans.
Here are some statistics and factors contributing to the waste:
- Wrapping Paper: Millions of tons of multi-layered plastic wrapping paper are used worldwide, much of which is non-recyclable due to metallic finishes, glitter, or plastic coatings. The UK alone discards over 100 million rolls of wrapping paper each Christmas.
- Packaging Waste: Online shopping during the holidays results in excess of MDF cardboard boxes, plastic bubble wraps, cello tapes, synthetic ribbons and bows, plastic shopping bags and other packaging materials. These items are non-biodegradable and frequently end up in landfills if not recycled.
The UK discards plastic waste at Christmas equivalent to the weight of 76,000 giraffes.
- Food Waste: Large meals and festive gatherings often lead to leftover food, with much of it going uneaten. In countries like the U.S., food waste during the holidays increases by approximately 25%.
- Decorations: Fairy lights, balloons, confetti, synthetic cheap Christmas ornaments, plastic wreaths and artificial Christmas trees that are discarded contribute to landfill waste. Packaging waste made of plastic, MDF, polyester and metal, take hundreds of years to decompose.
Christmas fairy lights discarded each year could stretch 70,000 miles—almost three times the Earth’s circumference.
- E-Waste: The exchange of electronics as gifts contributes to e-waste, as older gadgets are often discarded improperly.
- Christmas sale: The high street retailers and online stores tempt us to consume and buy more of single-use home décor items, greeting cards and gifts for loved ones, all wrapped up in shiny packaging, which is mostly harmful for the environment when discarded.
Entire world, and especially India faces significant challenges with waste management during every festive season, including Christmas. Although specific data on waste generated during Christmas in India is not readily available, the country produces around 26,000 tones of plastic waste daily, amounting to 10.2 million tones annually, with only 8% being recycled. Festive seasons typically see a surge in waste generation, with global trends showing a 30% increase in waste during Christmas, much of which consists of food and plastic.
Let’s see how to make Christmas celebration sustainable and trash-free:
Celebrating Christmas or any festival sustainably involves making mindful choices that reduce waste, conserve resources, and minimize environmental impact.
- Opting for reusable or natural decorations like dehydrated fruits, pinecones, natural potpourri, recycled and reusable gift-wrapping papers, e-cards, reusable utensils and LED lights can reduce waste while adding charm.
It takes one tree to produce 3,000 Christmas cards. A single tree is only enough for 176 people to send cards. Over one billion discarded Christmas cards worldwide equate to 33 million trees.
Americans spend approximately $2 billion annually on Christmas cards, accounting for 25% of all greeting card sales
- Choosing thoughtful gifts such as experience packages, handmade & homegrown gift items, eco-friendly decor products, and wrapping gifts in reusable and compostable material such as fabric, newspapers, or reusable bags helps cut down on single-use materials.
If every American family reused materials to wrap a minimum of three presents, enough paper could be saved to cover 45,000 football fields.
Australians use over 150,000 km of wrapping paper during the festive season. This is nearly enough to wrap around Earth’s equator four times.
- For Christmas trees, using a potted tree that can be replanted, handcrafting trees from reclaimed wood or reusing an artificial tree for many years is a greener choice.
- Planning meals carefully to avoid food waste, supporting local farmers for ingredients, and using reusable dishware further contribute to sustainability.
By integrating these practices, we can enjoy the festivities while protecting the planet.
As an initiative to make festival celebration which usually last for just few days, Scrapshala offers a unique festive products line that promotes an eco-friendly and safe way to celebrate. Some of the best-selling reusable and handmade Christmas and home décor products by Scrapshala, headquartered in the oldest living city of the world, Banaras are:
Christmas Ornaments Pack made up of reclaimed natural wood
Forest Tree Set made up of reclaimed natural wood
Christmas Tree Hangings made up of reclaimed mango wood
Apart from these, Scrapshala also offers multiple innovative and conversation-starting products for Secret Santa gifting.
Celebrating Christmas sustainably has several benefits for the environment.
Here are some key ways it helps:
- Reduced waste generation
- Lower carbon footprint
- Conservation of resources
- Increased awareness about festive waste generation and its impact
- Support for sustainable businesses to produce eco-friendly goods
By making thoughtful choices, sustainable Christmas celebrations can become a meaningful way to enjoy traditions while protecting the planet.
Sustainable celebrations also embrace a simpler, more mindful approach, reducing over-consumption, over-discard and focusing on meaningful experiences rather than excessive materialism. These small but impactful choices not only protect the planet but also inspire others to celebrate the season in ways that are kinder to nature, ensuring a greener future for all.
https://evreka.co/blog/coping-with-christmas-waste/
