Actually, what we really want during the Christmas season is to relax and slow down. But the hustle and bustle of Christmas often doesn't allow that. Less is more – that often doesn't seem to apply to this month.
Ultimately, however, it is up to us how we organise our time, how much we indulge in the pre-Christmas stress and shopping frenzy, and how we celebrate Christmas. This year, we would like to have a calm and relaxed pre-Christmas period and a wonderful and sustainable Christmas with our loved ones.
Today, we would like to share with you how we can achieve this with our simple and sustainable gift ideas and tips for a more sustainable Christmas.
Tips for sustainable gifts
- Ask yourself the right questions – Do I really need this?
- Less is more – sustainable gifting
- Give the gift of time – create memories together
- Sustainable packaging – save paper
- Donation (instead of) gifting – do good together
- Sustainable shopping – shop online and offline
- Use your own talent – make your own gifts
Do I really need this?
Before you give in to the Christmas shopping frenzy, you should ask yourself a simple question: Does the recipient really need it? Most of us have far too many things. So if you do buy something new, make sure you buy things that are durable or that you can either really use or even consume.
Dare to simplify – sustainable gifting
Many of us still remember it from our school days, and it is now becoming increasingly popular in large families: Secret Santa. Instead of buying 20 different gifts and being completely overwhelmed by the stress of finding ideas and buying presents, you could simply concentrate on one person and one present. The advantage of this is obvious: you can take more time throughout the process, pay more attention to the wishes and needs of the person and really find the right gift. The key to a sustainable and, above all, relaxed Christmas.
Sustainable Christmas – give the gift of time
Time – one of the most important resources, and we could all do with more of it. So why not give the gift of time together? Go out for breakfast, to the cinema, museum, concerts or just for a walk together. Get to know new places, restaurants and people together and create shared memories.
Sustainable packaging for Christmas gifts
On average, each person uses 60 kg of paper a year, in Germany even 250 kg! There are already so many ways to save a little at this point.
Why not wrap your Christmas presents this year in old newspaper, tea towels or homemade beeswax wrap? Not only is it good for the environment, but it can even be personalised, for example by using the sports section of the newspaper or circling individual letters to leave a secret message. Packaging such as tea towels, beeswax wraps, containers, glasses or baskets can be reused immediately after giving a gift and also look cool.
Donation (instead of) gift – Doing good together
We also think it's a great idea to make a donation in the name of the other person. Perhaps your counterpart already donates to a particular organisation or would like to help more? Just give a donation!
Sustainable shopping – online and offline
It doesn't always have to be Amazon. Just do a little browsing and you're bound to find many more sustainable alternatives, for example from regional companies that also sell their homemade products online. For example, do you know avocadostore.at, myproduct.at, unverschwendet.at or wienerseife.at?
You can get great products not only online. In the meantime, many cities already have some great second-hand shops. From fashion to unusual decorative items, there are simply no limits here.
DIY gifts – use your own talent!
Are you an excellent drawer, potter, cook or photographer, or have you discovered your love of upcycling? Use your hobbies and talents to give personal and original gifts.
Sustainable Verival gift ideas
It doesn't always have to be something new, because the most beautiful gifts are those that come from the heart anyway. Besides, homemade gifts offer many possibilities for personalising the gift and designing it to suit your taste. You can let your creativity run free – from the contents to the packaging.
We would like to share three simple gift ideas for breakfast lovers with you:
Recipe for homemade Christmas toppings – roasted Verival nuts
While in summer we like to refine our muesli, crunchy or porridge with fresh regional fruits, in winter we prefer something a little more Christmassy. Our Verival nuts are perfect as a topping!
- 200 g Verival nuts of your choice
- 200 g sugar
- 100 ml water
- 1 sachet of vanilla sugar and/or 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
It's so easy: bring the sugar and water to the boil in a pan, add a little cinnamon or vanilla. Add the nuts to the pan and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sugar becomes dry. Then turn the temperature down to medium and stir until the sugar starts to melt slightly and the almonds start to shine a little. Then pour the nuts onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and leave to cool.
Verival waffle or pancake mix in a jar
Admittedly, you can now buy many different types of baking mixes. However, making it yourself also offers you the opportunity to personalise the whole thing. For example, you can better adapt it to the recipient's diet: is he or she vegan? Do they want to avoid sugar? What does he/she like best? This recipe can be easily modified or supplemented for everyone. Discover our entire breakfast variety and find the right product for every taste.
- 100 g porridge of your choice (e.g. vegan or without added sugar)
- 50 g flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
To make the baking mix even more Christmassy, you can add a little cinnamon or vanilla sugar, for example. When using the baking mix, you only need to add about 100 ml of milk, plant-based drink or water.
You can find more recipe ideas for the Christmas season from the lovely Lena Fuchs, for example healthy raw desserts, on the Verival blog.
Verival gift sets
Do you know someone who loves our products but you can't decide which one you want to give them? With our Verival gift sets you are guaranteed to make the right choice. Now new: Our porridge gift sets including bowl!
How to make your Christmas sustainable
Driving home for christmas
For us, a sustainable Christmas starts with the journey home. Here, too, you can think about it and make a decision: train or car? We know that trains are particularly busy just before or during Christmas, but seat reservations cost little and you can use the time to relax, for example with a good book.
Sustainable Christmas – homemade decorations
Of course, you could change your Christmas tree every year to match the latest trend. But the more sustainable option would be to simply reuse the decorations from the previous year. What's more, there are many ways to make your own Christmas decorations. For example, you could make a garland or Christmas tree ornaments out of dried orange slices. And whatever happened to the once-popular straw stars? We think they deserve a comeback!
At many Christmas markets, the focus is on organic, regional and handmade specialities, as well as cool homemade design items. So here, too, you can find wonderful inspiration for Christmas decorations or Christmas gifts and maybe even pick up a thing or two.
Sustainability at Christmas dinner
We all know them only too well, those ostentatious family gatherings with vast amounts of food, where you end up lying on the couch with an uncomfortable feeling of fullness and an open trouser button. Especially during the contemplative Christmas season, you should perhaps take a step back and take a critical look at these scenarios. A nice meal with the family should not be associated with food waste and discomfort.
It would make more sense to think carefully about the quantities and, above all, what is served at Christmas. After all, the best things are usually close to home – why not conjure up a festive meal with delicacies from the region?
Whether it's Christmas decorations, Christmas dinner or gifts, we can all do our part for the environment during this time without sacrificing anything!
We wish you a peaceful and relaxing holiday season and a wonderful and sustainable Christmas!
