Let's Talk Human Rights

By Sarah Richard '19

How to celebrate a Conscious Christmas!

Take a seat and cozy up with your favorite fair trade throw, hot chocolate, and gooey local goods as I break down three ways to have the best Conscious Christmas yet!

So what is Conscious Christmas? To be conscious at Christmas is to acknowledge that the choices you make this holiday season do not only affect those you are shopping for or gathered around a table with. Your consumer choices are a vote saying yes or no to ethical sourcing and treatment of our planet. Celebrating a Conscious Christmas is being mindful of our global family and common home. Let’s dive into just how you can celebrate a Conscious Christmas this year!

Gift Giving

The first thing people often think of when it comes to having an ethical Holiday is where Santa is shopping for all those gifts. The hierarchy of gift purchasing is one of my favorite tools to use. 

Check out Peace on Fifth, or other local artisan markets, for one-of-a-kind presents; you could also put together a crafted gift yourself! If you find yourself at the bottom of the hierarchy and have to purchase a gift, consider asking yourself these few questions I put together with the help of my fellow Fair Trade Flyers: 

Secret Santa and White Elephant can be a fun way to exchange gifts at large parties, but be cautious that your purchases are still practical. Ethical alternatives exist for every individual's interest; gift-giving can be a great way to educate the receiver about products and companies with a mission worth supporting.  

The Feast

Time to dig into something other than gifts to celebrate your Conscious Christmas. That’s right- food! 

How great is it to share a meal with your loved ones around the table? My rule of thumb when hosting family and friends is to put your money where your house is. That’s right! Support your local farmers and stick to foods that are in season. Check out 2nd Street Market, or another local farmers market, for Christmas dinner veggies and proteins. If baking isn’t your strong suit, don’t run to the pre-packaged pies shipped to the store last week; consider supporting one of your local bakers.

With all of that local food and scratch cooking, you may have been thinking of the mountain of dishes on the horizon. It may seem easier to use plasticware, especially when the whole family comes around. Take a small step by giving the gift of washing dishes to keep one more load of trash out of our landfills.  

Party Time

The lights are strung, punch is out, and the tunes are on - we are ready to party. 

It can be easy to get carried away with the enticing winter wonderland of plastic trees and sparkly, well, everything seemingly found in every shop this time of year. Consider sticking to natural decorations like pine wreaths and wooden trinkets. Christmas is a time of celebration and gratitude, so don’t let us forget about mother nature! Taking simple measures such as remembering to turn off your decorative lights before you go to bed or choosing to #scrapthewrap can really make a difference, four million tons of holiday gift wrap a year to be exact! 

I hope these three avenues inspire you to celebrate a conscious Christmas this year. If you are overwhelmed, not to worry, just start with one! Educating your friends and family through intentional acts will only magnify our message for everyone to celebrate a very Merry Conscious Christmas. 

Sarah Richard is a 5th Year Mechanical Engineering Student with a minor in Sustainability Energy and the Environment and a passion for social innovation around the effects of consumerism and treatment of both the Earth and all who dwell on it.