Arts
A gift of love for Mother Earth too
Reducing the carbon footprint you leave on the world has become an important and vital issue that each one of us needs to be conscious of. In our bid to minimise the wastage, here are some ideas on how to be sustainable with your Christmas gifts.
Keep it simple!
Minimalism is in right now. The pomp, the fanfare, the whole ten yards of painstakingly wrapped gifts is quite old school. However if you are a person who likes going the extra mile, we have a few suggestions to jazz up your gifts.
Most wrapping paper with all of its pretty designs is unfortunately not recyclable especially if it has a different texture, glitter or is metallic. In come the alternatives: Use paper that is anyway going to be recycled eventually. Newspapers (yes even the one you are reading right now) give quite an interesting look for wrapping gifts. So do calender paper, brown paper bags and old sheet music you may not be using anymore.
Tie the gift up with a piece of twine and get creative -make a bow, create rosettes out of newspaper or make it a family event by painting and drawing on the paper. Go wild and personalise your Christmas gifts for your family and friends.
Another great alternative for wrapping paper would be recycled paper and the ever famous local elephant dung paper is an option if you want a more rustic look.
Additionally a protip (from my grandmother) – Don’t be hasty when you unwrap your gifts; if you can carefully peel away the many layers of sellotape off the wrapping paper, it can be re-used for next year or for a birthday gift! Trust us on this one, saved wrapping paper has come in quite handy for last-minute presents.
Stationery stores such as Richard & Co make all their products from recycled paper so if you are insistent on wrapping paper, go to stores such as these. The elephant dung paper can be found at outlets such as Paradise Road and Barefoot and if you are willing to go the distance, get it from the source at Pinnawala.
Cane baskets and fabric folds. Pix by Iffath Razick and Farah Majid
A gift within a gift
Since we are trying to reduce waste as much as possible, why not make the package your gift comes in, another item that can be used. Glass jars filled with tiny trinkets, sweets, stationery, spice mixes and more, can be reused later for storage or even double up as a pen-holder.
You can find mason jars at any department store and if you are trying to be money-conscious, save your old jam jars and mayonnaise bottles after you’re done using them. The labels can be removed, lids can be painted over and jazzed up providing you cute little jars to gift of goodies.
If you are willing to use some extra effort (and money), the Weweldeniya area has many cane weavers who make little cane baskets that can be handy to put gifts like cookies and sweets in. Larger baskets can be used for bigger gifts too. Your local pola may be a place to pick up these baskets.
Mix and match with fabric
It is highly likely that you have old fabric lying around your house, maybe scraps of material that you’ve hoarded for some reason, or old clothes that can’t really be worn by anyone, or even an unused curtain or saree that you don’t quite have a use for anymore.
You can wrap your Christmas gifts with these fabrics. If you are lucky and have bits of lace and satin lying about to adorn it, they make a beautifully presented gift.
There are even Instagram stores such as @simplyecosrilanka who do lovely tea stamped calico fabrics to wrap your gifts in.
Christmas is known as the season of giving. This Christmas why not give your loved ones a gift from your heart without having taken too much from the Earth.
Christmas bags from Simply Eco Sri Lanka. Pix by Rosaine Wijesuriya
