So today I have (almost) finished my Christmas shopping, a bit later than usual this year and even now I am doubting many of my choices. Every year, despite the increase in lovely gifts in the shops, it is getting harder and harder to find things to buy.
I blame the lagom project for this.
I’m sure you have guessed (or think you have guessed), the content of this article, a reluctance to buy from unethical high street stores and a distaste of the unnecessary, unrecyclable packaging on so many products. In part it is that.
There is also the question of what to buy. Everyone these days has so much, we can go out and buy almost anything we want or need. A lovely packaged present is obviously appreciated but then goes into the pile of other lovely packaged products. I know this is what happens, even when the present is genuinely loved by the recipient and well thought out by the buyer. So unethically sold, over packaged and adding to the excess of life is the story of most Christmas presents.
Being aware of all this, but still feeling the need to buy presents for family and friends I began to look online for some solutions to the dilemma. I found somewhere a recommended buying triangle for eco friendly gift giving.
The top of the triangle (the most eco friendly) was to give gift vouchers, so I have done this and bought love2shop vouchers for my nephews and niece, they can then spend them in unethical stores and buy overpackaged toys- but at least they will be exactly what they want.
The second level was to buy second hand- this is a tricky one as not everyone on my list would appreciate a second hand present. My children might even begin to question why Father Christmas has had to resort to buying in charity shops (actually they wouldn’t as they are a bit too old for that). You are also limited only to second hand things, so you can not always buy exactly what you want. I have managed to buy several second hand gifts, I think they might go the same way as brand new presents, added to pile of lovely presents, but at least they have been condemned to that pile twice and not just once! It has also helped save money.
The third level was to give something edible, that way it isn’t adding to the clutter of the house and the amount of things in the world. However, a lot of edible comes in plastic and so adds to general waste. Other than that I have bought edible gifts for many on my list, mainly people who I know wouldn’t appreciate second hand and I don’t have a clue what to get them.
The fourth level was to buy local and handmade- the article suggested visiting a Christmas market. These are the ones that drive me crazy. The increase in Christmas markets really confuses me. It is lovely that so many people are able to make beautiful, saleable things at home, and I accept that to make a viable business they need a platform to sell these things from. However, where I get confused is whether or not they are needed. I went to a Christmas market at the weekend, and I did buy one thing, an extra stocking present for my son. But I do find that the beautiful things you see at Christmas markets draw you into buying things you don’t need and just get consigned to the clutter pile when Christmas is over.
The next level was to make something.( I would have put this higher up if I was designing the triangle.) I have made presents for some people this year. I am not sure how well they will be received so they are for people I won’t see at Christmas so they can write polite thank you letters or texts and I will never know their reactions!
And then finally, the last resort was buying new on the high street. This is how I have done most of my shopping, because I knew exactly what several of my gift receivers wanted. It is very hard to find second hand or locally made corn-on-the-cob holders (my sister in law’s request) or a small size cool bag (my mother in law’s request) or that orange tiger from Ikea and a wireless speaker (my daughter’s request). I bought these people exactly what they wanted and yet thinking about these presents makes me feel more guilty than all the others I have bought.
I don’t know what the solution is – I do know I have agonised this year to find the right balance between buying things people want and buying things more ethically/ environmentally. Next year I will try harder.
Now the next dilemma is how to wrap them.
Anyway , hope your shopping is easier than mine!