Everyday Eco-Habits for the Holiday Season
“To me, a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass
is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug”
Happy Holidays!
I cannot believe we are already in the last month of 2025 and the holiday season has arrived once again. Let’s use this holiday season to focus on all that really matters and adopt some Everyday Eco-Habits to make this holiday season a meaningful and sustainable one.
I love holiday celebrations, but I am mindful that the season can be a wasteful, consumption-focused time of the year (Stanford University found that Americans discard approximately 25% more garbage between Thanksgiving and the New Year than any other time of the year!). But it does not have to be that way - indeed, it requires just a little intentionality and effort to not only live in a more eco-friendly way, but also slash your spending during the next couple of months. So let’s come together to reduce holiday waste by adopting some Everyday Eco-Habits!
Here are a few ideas to make gift-giving a lot more sustainable:
Consolidate online orders and in-person shopping trips to lessen carbon emissions from transportation and shipping.
Use recycled or reusable wrapping paper. Newspaper and paper bags that are already laying around the house are low cost, sustainable alternatives to plastic paper that gets thrown out after one use.
Buy gifts locally instead of shipping items from across the globe.
Make homemade gifts. Check out Martha Stewart’s list of genius DIY gifts here!
Opt for donations or experiences instead of material gifts. Some of my favorite gifts I have ever received have been nonmaterial ones like a massage, concert, or an outdoor activity with loved ones! Similarly, donating to someone’s favorite organization can produce a lot more impact than something you pick up at the mall. Monetary cost is not the only metric for generosity this holiday season!
Even if you don’t plan on giving many gifts this year, you can still adopt a few Everyday Eco-Habits to make sure you’re living sustainably this holiday season. Here are some of my favorite:
Use reusable mugs for hot drinks. Many coffee shops allow you to bring your own mug instead of having your drink served in a single-use plastic cup.
Eat seasonally and locally. This incredible seasonal food chart allows you to view what produce is in season during each month of the year! In December, root vegetables, apples, and citrus are all in their prime growing months.
Decorate using eco-conscious materials like flowers and foliage, and focus on using reusable decorations that can be used year after year instead of purchasing single-use options.
Become more energy efficient by closing windows and doors to seal in heat, lower your home’s temperature when you’re gone, and limit your heater usage. Especially in Southern California, we can rely on adding a few extra thermal layers to our wardrobe instead of racking up our energy bill this winter.
Cook a plant-based meal for your holiday dinner. Check out this comprehensive list of vegan holiday recipes from The First Mess for some inspiration.
Instead of hitting the mall or overdoing the online shopping, opt for a sustainable activity like a walk in nature - not only will you reduce waste, but it will boost your mood immediately.
Holidays should center around joy, gratitude, and spending time with loved ones. This year, let’s put material gifts on the backburner and adopt these super simple Everyday Eco-Habits that can make such a difference in creating a more sustainable world for all.
By adopting Everyday Eco-Habits this holiday season,
YOU are creating small Everyday Eco-Habits
that will collectively have a huge impact on our shared Earth.
Let us know what actions you’ve pledged to take and send us pictures of you in action or tag me on my Instagram or Facebook @kim_ecohabits. And for more information, be sure to sign up for my monthly newsletter which delivers Eco-Tips like these right to your inbox.