Green Christmas

Loughc

KKV summed it up way better than I ever could.

Ironicname

Loughc wrote:

KKV summed it up way better than I ever could.

It's mostly about being "seen" to care about the environment rather than actually giving a ****.

iamwhoiam

We have Lego , Duplo , Playmobil and dolls here in my house for grandchildren. They were my kids toys and kept since 1980’s . Not all plastic is throwaway and lasts for generations .

I do agree about single use plastic though . Lego and Playmobil come in multiple little plastic bags which could easily be changed to paper bags .

bee06

Maybe I’ll just keep my mouth shut and hope for the best. It seems to be a controversial subject.

freshpopcorn

Loughc wrote: »

KKV summed it up way better than I ever could.

Personay I think a big reason why there is a lot of waste regariding Christmas decorations is because some people buy into fads.
One year they'd have a silver Christmad and a gold Christmas the next year.
We have stuff bought from Lidl, penneys, pound shops and some more expensive stuff and it's all last for years once you don't leave it fall.
We have two Christmad trees one is our main one and the second one was bought because we needed a smaller tree when my grandmother was alive because she needed more room.
The living room is full of colours and we sort of themed the tree in the hall.
Both the threes are old tough.
It's the same thing with our lights. They only get replaced when they break.
I don't know do people forgot they have decorations, loose them or do they change everything from year to year.

meeeeh

While I think Lego is great the amount we got for our son through the years is way excessive. But he loves it and it's still preferable to something he wouldn't play with. I got mine quite a lot of wooden toys, majority excluding Lego and drawing materials for our daughter but it only works till they start making Santa list.

For me what adults do and think they have to do is more damaging to the environment than some kids presents. I'm not a Grinch but I think sometimes people completely loose the run of themselves with buying more and more stuff just for the 'nice festive feeling'. If you don't eat cheese platter or brandy butter during the year it's safe to assume it won't all be eaten over Christmas. Even earlier someone mentioned reusing their three Christmas jumpers. Who needs three Christmas jumpers? Or giving them to charity? It's just pretense, what are charities going to do with acrylic jumper sold for 10 Euro new? Who here ever bought their Christmas jumper in charity shop? In comparison decent suit (wool) that might not be worn often can be sold again or even recycled.. And just to add seasonal spirit we can do without plastic skeletons and plastic rop gravestones in October and I'm sure we could survive without Santa climbing up the side of the house in December.

freshpopcorn

meeeeh wrote: »

For me what adults do and think they have to do is more damaging to the environment than some kids presents. I'm not a Grinch but I think sometimes people completely loose the run of themselves with buying more and more stuff just for the 'nice festive feeling'. If you don't eat cheese platter or brandy butter during the year it's safe to assume it won't all be eaten over Christmas. Even earlier someone mentioned reusing their three Christmas jumpers. Who needs three Christmas jumpers? Or giving them to charity? It's just pretense, what are charities going to do with acrylic jumper sold for 10 Euro new? Who here ever bought their Christmas jumper in charity shop? In comparison decent suit (wool) that might not be worn often can be sold again or even recycled..

I'd buy brandy butter/cream because it goes with mince pies and desserts during the Christmas season.
I wouldn't buy a lot of salads or summer desserts during the Winter season tough.
I don't buy wintery foods in generally tough during the Summer season.
I think lots of people might buy a bit of cheese for themselves or guests at Christmas because it's generally a period where people have visitors and it's nice to have something nice in.
Christmas is a special occasion so it's to have something a bit special in.
Lot's of work places wear Christmas jumpers over the Christmas season. So unless you wear the same one again and again for a few weeks. You'll need more than one.
Well I have heard of people buying Christmas jumpers in charity shops for a fee euro.
I stand buy what I said about suits. Most guys I know rarely wear suits and when they do they nearly have to get a new one because there current one is looking dated and they would have being good quality suits when purchased.

Toto Wolfcastle

bee06 wrote: »

Maybe I’ll just keep my mouth shut and hope for the best. It seems to be a controversial subject.

Ah no, you should do what you feel is best for your own situation. You could test it out with a couple of relatives to begin with. Honestly, people love a little guidance from parents!

freshpopcorn

bee06 wrote: »

Maybe I’ll just keep my mouth shut and hope for the best. It seems to be a controversial subject.

Just to note I'm just saying bot to ask for certain things but becareful how you word it. If your friends with people tough ye may have similar views on subjects.

Posy

bee06 wrote: »

Maybe I’ll just keep my mouth shut and hope for the best. It seems to be a controversial subject.

Definitely don't!
Like if your child likes lego, a simple "sure, anything lego related and (s)he'll be delighted" would be enough. No harm in lego, if they are still playing with it when they're ten and above.

As KVV said, you are trying to avoid things your child doesn't want or isn't interested in, that will end up in a bin or charity shop window.

You're not necessarily saying only get my child a wooden toy that you have crafted yourself, you are just pointing out that they love jigsaws or Mr Men books and so on.
It's about combating excess waste, than anything else, really.

I'd hate to spend my money on a fancy set of steak knives only to be told that your two year old won't be allowed to play with them. :pac:

Toto Wolfcastle

Posy wrote: »

I'd hate to spend my money on a fancy set of steak knives only to be told that your two year old won't be allowed to play with them. :pac:

Health and safety gone mad. :mad:

Posy

Snowflake generation.

meeeeh

meeeeh wrote: »

While I think Lego is great the amount we got for our son through the years is way excessive. But he loves it and it's still preferable to something he wouldn't play with. I got mine quite a lot of wooden toys, majority excluding Lego and drawing materials for our daughter but it only works till they start making Santa list.

For me what adults do and think they have to do is more damaging to the environment than some kids presents. I'm not a Grinch but I think sometimes people completely loose the run of themselves with buying more and more stuff just for the 'nice festive feeling'. If you don't eat cheese platter or brandy butter during the year it's safe to assume it won't all be eaten over Christmas. Even earlier someone mentioned reusing their three Christmas jumpers. Who needs three Christmas jumpers? Or giving them to charity? It's just pretense, what are charities going to do with acrylic jumper sold for 10 Euro new? Who here ever bought their Christmas jumper in charity shop? In comparison decent suit (wool) that might not be worn often can be sold again or even recycled.. And just to add seasonal spirit we can do without plastic skeletons and plastic rop gravestones in October and I'm sure we could survive without Santa climbing up the side of the house in December.

Spot on Meeeeh , I agree with everything in your post

Posy

This thread is verging towards an anti-Christmas sentiment at the moment.
Please, folks, remember the forum you are in. If you want to have a serious discussion about climate change and other environmental issues, there are other places on Boards where that can be facilitated.

mirrorwall14

The biggest green push I’m making for christmas is banning entirely the buying of magazines (with toys attached), sweets (with toys in them) and all the day to day rubbish people buy my kids from Halloween to Christmas. No gifts. Want to get him something? Get a pack of buttons or a drink or bring them to the playground. The main way to reduce rubbish in my house is not the one big gift they get at Christmas, but the small bitty junk that builds up over the head.

I’m also looking at reusable crackers. I might be mad and I love a cracker but my god the waste last year was horrifying and the gifts are complete tat. I think I’ll fill my own this year with one sweet or something!

Lord Spence

Posy wrote: »

This thread is verging towards an anti-Christmas sentiment at the moment.
Please, folks, remember the forum you are in. If you want to have a serious discussion about climate change and other environmental issues, there are other places on Boards where that can be facilitated.

Well said, it looks like some misery humbugs found a crack in the Christmas forum wall and are trying to take full advantage. Myself, I'm looking forward to buying 5 new Christmas jumpers, giant santas for display , tacky multicoloured Christmas lights all over my house and a massive cheese board platter ðŸ˜... Merry Christmas ya filthy animals

CheerLouth

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I’m also looking at reusable crackers. I might be mad and I love a cracker but my god the waste last year was horrifying and the gifts are complete tat. I think I’ll fill my own this year with one sweet or something!

I'm also thinking of this - or making my own.

The one thing that we are doing this year is not buying my nieces presents. Myself and my sister have decided to bunce together to get an annual zoo pass - it'll be 90 euro each but that way both families will have a ticket and we can go whenever we like

And just a note on the jumpers - someone mentioned it should be easy to get someone to make one seeing as how knitting and crocheting are coming back; most people don't want to pay the price for a homemade jumper. The wool alone could cost up to 20euro & then there are the many many hours that go into making a jumper by hand.

TRS30

CheerLouth wrote: »

I'm also thinking of this - or making my own.

The one thing that we are doing this year is not buying my nieces presents. Myself and my sister have decided to bunce together to get an annual zoo pass - it'll be 90 euro each but that way both families will have a ticket and we can go whenever we like

And just a note on the jumpers - someone mentioned it should be easy to get someone to make one seeing as how knitting and crocheting are coming back; most people don't want to pay the price for a homemade jumper. The wool alone could cost up to 20euro & then there are the many many hours that go into making a jumper by hand.

Great idea for the zoo pass, think we (wife & I) are going to ask for that as a group present from family.

CheerLouth

TRS30 wrote: »

Great idea for the zoo pass, think we (wife & I) are going to ask for that as a group present from family.

It's a great present & you can use it in Fota too if you are ever down that way!

freshpopcorn

Good enough selection of wooden toys available at Lidl from Monday 21st October!

https://www.lidl.ie/en/c/christmas-toys/c985/w2

TRS30

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Good enough selection of wooden toys available at Lidl from Monday 21st October!

https://www.lidl.ie/en/c/christmas-toys/c985/w2

I find their wooden toys excellent.

meeeeh

Posy wrote: »

This thread is verging towards an anti-Christmas sentiment at the moment.
Please, folks, remember the forum you are in. If you want to have a serious discussion about climate change and other environmental issues, there are other places on Boards where that can be facilitated.

Christmas is time we spend with family and I love it. It's time off, I love making home decorations, cook and eat certain foods and I'm certainly not anti Christmas. But I'm sorry if pointing out the high human cost of disposable tat kills you Christmas buzz. Beautiful decorations can be made from dried orange or lemon slices, branches that can be picked sprayed in different colors and put into the vase to hang some exquisite Christmas decorations which are bought and kept for years. One of the presents kids always get for Christmas from grandparents is tickets for panto. We usually go to Gaiety on 26th of December and kids love it.

That has nothing to do with anti Christmas sentiment unless you consider Christmas an ultimate celebration in consumerism. Then you can label me anti Christmas.

Posy

I am just trying to ensure that this thread (and this forum) doesn't get too serious, as it's not that kind of place.
I agree, for example, that the clothing industry is a major global polluter with more than dubious working practices. I'm just pointing out that this is not the ideal forum for discussing it.

Of course, people can be eye wateringly wasteful. I wince at excessive consumerism, because to me, that is not what Christmas is all about. But this is our 'safe space' and if you can't get excited here about the prospect of a foot long chocolate eclair, where can you?!

Ideas for a greener Christmas is a great idea for a thread, and non-judgmental, practical ways of putting that into practice are more than welcome.

Toto Wolfcastle

Here's a list of vintage Christmas jumpers (or ones made from recycled vintage clothing) for those who are interested!

https://www.image.ie/fashion/vintage-christmas-jumpers-161365

DvB

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

Here's a list of vintage Christmas jumpers (or ones made from recycled vintage clothing) for those who are interested!

https://www.image.ie/fashion/vintage-christmas-jumpers-161365

Love the nordic style ones, have been looking for a red/white one for a few years now but havent been able to find one anywhere.

Remember having one as a kid in the 80's & being a fan of all things retro would love to get another one now...

pigtail33

The Conscious Christmas Store is opening in Dublin next Wednesday, Oct 30th

https://lovindublin.com/news/an-eco-friendly-christmas-shop-is-coming-to-dublin

"The Conscious Christmas Store will be brought to us by sustainable brands The Kind and Jiminy, making it easier to reduce our environmental impact and shop guilt-free this festive season."

Graces7

goat2 wrote: »

Funnily enough, I do own a tree with the past 20 yrs and think that by using this every year I do help save the planet, I call it re using it, has saved me a bomb also, as Ido see fresh trees are very expensive, and I am not complaining but , It seems to be a pure waste of ten good yrs of growth to cut down a fine plant just for the sake of one week, and then trying to compost it, would rather let it there growing cleaning the air as it does so, and my tree cost me 20 all those yrs ago

I used to love real trees. Even after Siamese cats arrived... lol.. then I bought a small artificial one for my stall at Christmas craft fairs, but that got lost on one of my sadly too many moves. And this dwelling is tiny and I have five cats! And cannot get to buy a tree anyways..

Last winter I came across a metal Christmas tree in a charity shop. It has candle holders on the branches. Sounds ghastly, but I put it on the big gatepost and dress it will tinsel and a star. It looks elegant... Would love a real tree but....

each to their own.. I also make an evergreen garland for the gate and inside, a Nativity Crib to keep me focussed.

Graces7

[QUOTE=Posy;111516645]I am just trying to ensure that this thread (and this forum) doesn't get too serious, as it's not that kind of place.
I agree, for example, that the clothing industry is a major global polluter with more than dubious working practices. I'm just pointing out that this is not the ideal forum for discussing it.

Of course, people can be eye wateringly wasteful. I wince at excessive consumerism, because to me, that is not what Christmas is all about. But this is our 'safe space' and if you can't get excited here about the prospect of a foot long chocolate eclair, where can you?!

************************************************

OH MY! Yes please!:D

I bought an artificial tree about 30 years ago. I bought lights and baubles, tinsel etc at the same time. I’m still using the same stuff bar replacement lights. I think that’s pretty green! I only buy presents for my children. Having struggled for years to keep them fed and sheltered, I was not going to waste precious money on people who have more.

screamer

Sorry guys, this thread is and never was to be anti-Christmas. I’m just trying to ask for some ideas to be a bit greener this Christmas.thanks for the ideas so far, keep em coming