Give light. Christmas lights are symbols of the Light that came into the world with the birth of Christ. Enjoy them and use LEDs to take care of the world that Jesus lit up with his presence. LED lights use 1/10 as much energy as conventional holiday lights, and they last years longer.
Give a creature to love. Browse gifts.worldwildlife.org for the perfect gift choice for your children or grandchildren. The organization (WWF) offers adoption options for many amazing creatures, plus numerous cute plush animals to choose from. Give the gift and talk with your young person about loving all of God’s creatures.
Creation Justice ident
Give the story. When you shop online for gifts, check the “About” portion of the website before you buy. Find out what the company is or is not doing to care for creation and justice. Look for B Corp and other companies that give back 1% for the planet. Tell the story to the gift recipient too.
Give the past for the future. Ask parents and grandparents to give you an ornament that has been a part of your growing-up Christmas traditions. Pass along its story to your children. Or make your own tree ornaments representing something meaningful to you. Glue family photos to card stock and hang the picture on the tree. Create some new stories to tell each Christmas.
Give an awesome experience, perhaps a trip to a nature preserve or state or national park, a local museum, a concert. If you have young sports enthusiasts in your life, take them to a high school or local college basketball game. Give an adventure—an experience that can be shared, talked about, and remembered long after the usual “stuff” has been covered over in the landfill.
Give the gift of giving. Help a young person experience philanthropy directly. Give the funds and then together explore local non-profits related to environmental care or international ones such as Heifer International that are likely to connect with your young person. Talk about why you give and encourage them to remember God’s gift of love for people and planet.
Give gifts that last. Sustainability applies not only to the toys you give but also to the interest of the child. Toy companies like EarthHero and Green Toys provide cognitive, memory, mobility, and educational toys and games from materials like wood and recycled plastic—encouraging natural play in young ones that isn’t just staring at a screen. These toys tend to survive in good enough shape to pass along to another generation.
Give without waste. Parties and holiday meals can be merry without plastic and food waste going into the landfill. Choose reusable tableware and decorations. Use silicone bags or glass containers to send home with guests any extra food, and compost scraps. Give a gift to Earth.
Give to help others. The innkeeper gave shelter to the Holy Family and likely some food too. Who in your community is struggling with meeting basic needs? Volunteer at a local shelter or donate to a food drive. Seek out opportunities that help people and planet. Both are in need.
Give an art project. Fill a box with items like broken or mismatched jewelry, construction paper, colorful leaves, smooth rocks, pinecones, feathers, paints and brushes, an empty frame, glue, scissors—whatever might spark creativity. Give the gift to a specific person or to the family as a fun Christmas Day project.
Yes, One Person Can Make a Difference!
As a reader of the Tips, do you have a Tip to share from your own experience? Send your idea to tips.creationjustice@gmail.com.