I have always thought Christmastime is the most magical time of the year.

As a child, I looked forward to baking gingerbread cookies with my parents and brother and setting out cookies and carrots for Santa and the reindeer.

On Christmas Eve, my dad would drag my little brother’s mattress into my bedroom so that he could sleep on my floor, and, although neither of us got very much sleep, we would spend the night together, anxiously awaiting Christmas Day.

It became even more exciting once my little sister was born, as we got to teach her about Christmas and other holidays and watch her excitement when my parents pulled out our boxes of ornaments.

However, my favourite part of Christmas is the joy that it brings to others.

I love being able to smile at people and see them smile back, or hearing somebody call, “Happy holidays!” at the grocery store.

There is a downside to Christmas, though.

Materialism leads to dissatisfaction

Overconsumption is at an all-time high during the season.

Overconsumption is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “The action or fact of consuming something in excess.”

Because there is such a focus on decorations around the holidays, it can be easy to over-buy garland and ornaments or purchase new figurines for a Christmas village every year.

“Overconsumption can lead to a mindset of dissatisfaction with what we have.”

While this is certainly fun, it can damage the environment as it can increase pollution, create waste and expend resources.

In addition to having negative impacts on the environment, I believe that overconsumption can lead to a mindset of dissatisfaction with what we have, and can cause us to constantly want more.

There are things we can do to reduce the increase in materialism at this time of year.

Instead of buying new or more decorations each year, if we really want to add to our houses, it would be beneficial to consider making things like paper snowflakes or garlands made from dried orange slices, or even wreaths made from leaves found outside.

In addition to some of these crafts being compostable, they are also fun to make as a group or a family.

Give an experience

Gift-giving is one of my favourite parts about the holidays, and I think that a lot of people feel similarly.

Oftentimes, when we think about gifts, we think about material objects.

However, giving an experience as a gift can also be an amazing present.

For example, taking a friend to see a movie together or going to a cooking class with a partner are some fun examples of non-material gifts.

I think spending time with the people we love whenever we can is very important, and the holidays are one of the best times to do this.

Other examples of more sustainable gifts are consumable things, like baked goods or nice-smelling soaps, both of which can be homemade, or a photo album.

Even a membership to a museum or a donation to a charity that the person admires could be wonderful gifts.

Gifts don’t have to be expensive or over-the-top, and they don’t have to be physical things we can hold.

Just making memories with the people we love is sometimes the best gift of all.

Mindful Christmas

The holiday season really can be the most magical time of the year, and we can make it even more magical by choosing more sustainable options.

Above all, the holidays, to me, are about joy and kindness, and about spending time with those we appreciate.

We don’t have to make big purchases or over-consume to enjoy this time of the year.

The best thing we can do for one another is to be mindful, not only for ourselves and others but for the environment and the world around us.

I believe that the holidays are the perfect time to start.