Adopting a more sustainable lifestyle is a wonderful goal, and the holiday season offers unique opportunities to put it into practice.

Make your feast plant-based
Plant-based diets offer numerous health benefits, such as a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. They can also be more cost-effective compared to diets rich in animal products. Additionally, swapping animal foods for plant-based alternatives is generally much more environmentally sustainable.

Invest in long-lasting decorations
Purchasing higher-quality items ensures they last longer, helping you save money in the long run and reducing waste. Additionally, the higher price tag may encourage you to think more carefully about whether you truly want a particular decoration, leading to more thoughtful purchasing decisions.

Shop pre-owned
Shopping at a local thrift store helps support your community's economy. Additionally, consignment shops carefully select high-quality items like clothing, shoes, handbags, and more, often featuring designer brands in excellent condition for a fraction of the cost.

Buy climate neutral
If buying secondhand is not an option, consider selecting gifts with a certified climate neutral label. This guarantees that brands have measured their carbon emissions, offset them, and committed to plans for reducing their environmental impact.

Combine your online orders
Making several online purchases often means that Santa’s sleigh (or the courier truck) delivers more than just gifts. From cardboard boxes to packing peanuts, online shopping generates a lot of waste. Reduce this excess by combining your purchases into as few large orders as possible.

Give the gift of experiences
Sometimes, small gifts of quality time, like a coupon book for coffee dates with your mom, can be more meaningful than another bath set or scented candle. Consider these non-stuff gifts:

• Tickets to a concert, play, museum, sporting event, or Enchanted Kingdom amusement park
• Gifts of service, such as mowing a lawn, providing a home-cooked meal, or running errands
• Gifts of time, like a movie night, park date, or game night
• Learning and performing a special song, writing a poem or thank-you letter, or creating a piece of art
• Gift of Health with Mercury Drug Gift Certificates

Get creative with wrapping paper
For an eco-friendlier (and budget-friendly) alternative, try wrapping gifts in reusable household items you already have, such as tea towels, scarves, or cookie tins. For a recyclable or compostable choice, consider using magazine or newspaper pages. You can also save brown paper grocery bags, then add your own artistic touch with markers or stickers—this is a great way to involve kids in the wrapping process.

Try a tree alternative
Look around your home for items that can double as a zero-waste “tree.” Consider decorating a houseplant, wrapping a bookshelf or ladder with greenery, or even drawing a tree on a large chalkboard. Another option is to keep a potted fir tree in your backyard, using it year after year for each holiday season.