Greener gifting

Green gifts?

Green gifts?

I love Christmas. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, putting Christmas decorations up, and making my great grandmother’s Christmas puddings. But I find Christmas stressful too. It’s difficult finding gifts I know my family will love, but which don’t make me feel bad because I know they have high carbon emissions.

That’s why I think this green re-imagining of the 12 Days of Christmas by the Women of Note choir is such a great idea. No one is about to give lords-a-leaping this Christmas, so why not take the opportunity to reflect on what a green Christmas might look like?

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We emailed around the CCF office and volunteers and got a few more ideas for different green versions of the 12 days of Christmas. Below is mine with liberal borrowings from the versions by Women of Note, Tom Bragg and Anne Miller.

On the first day of Christmas my green love shared with me,

12 PV’s humming

11 tech’s repairing

10 bees-a-keeping

9 wild flowers planting

8 children cycling

7 green bulbs dimming

6 wind farms waving

5 recycling bins

4 home-grown herbs

3 new friends

2 hand-made gloves

and a future that’s fossil fuel free!

Now that I think about it, the likelihood of someone being willing and able to gift 6 wind farms waving, or 8 children cycling is just as likely as being gifted maids-a-milking. Perhaps there’s room for improvement? How about a 12 days of Christmas with practical low-carbon gift giving ideas?

A 12 speed bicycle, 11 dancing lessons, 10 days off… I’d love to hear your suggestions!

If you need some inspiration, be sure to head down to Mill Road Winter Fair this Saturday 5th of December to catch Women of Note in song. They’ll be performing at the front of the Gwydir Street Car Park from 2.45-3.30pm. It’s sure to put you in good Christmas cheer.

Alana Sinclair

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