What Is a Green Holiday?

When I think about the upcoming holidays I feel, honestly, a bit of stress. The holiday season, by its very nature, brings with it a more harried pace. The quest to find the perfect gift for each person on my list adds an extra bit of angst. And, you don’t have to spend much time with Annie Leonard’s Story of Stuff (http://www.storyofstuff.com/) to wonder if there is a way to put a little green back in the holidays. What I’m talking about is getting back to basics and thinking outside of the Macy’s gift box. What do the holidays mean to you? Is it about receiving more gifts and running around trying to find the perfect t-shirt for your brother who already has a drawer full? Does your dad really need another tie? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against gift giving in principle. Giving gifts has been part of most holiday traditions for many years. It’s the practice and custom of giving someone someTHING that they don’t really need or want that makes me want to escape to the woods of Vermont for the season. Recent studies show that most people store memories of special events, not memories of tangible objects or things. I happen to agree with that theory, because I’ve experienced it myself. Let me give you an example. I have a wonderful older sister who has an amazing talent to find just the right gift. To be honest, I envy that about her, along with her cooking ability! My son adores her and has very special memories from all of the times we’ve spent with her and her family. Back when her kids were little, she had one very hectic holiday season and, as it turned out, she didn’t have time to frost her holiday cookies. Everyone showed up for the evening’s festivities and there were lots of other treats to share, but to be honest, we were all looking forward to her frosted sugar cookies. While we were whining (adults and children), my sister laid out a plastic table cloth, five dozen sugar cookies and containers of various sprinkles and toppings. She mixed up several colors of frosting and laid out some butter knives. Then she said: “If you want cookies, you’re going to have to frost them.” After that, chaos ensued as the adults and kids fought for seats around the table. For the next several hours, we laughed and frosted and talked together. Someone would get up to take a break and someone else would sit down and get started. And that’s what it’s all about. Both kids and adults remember that to this day. I can attest that they don’t remember the gifts that year, but they remember the cookie decorating. And, the cookie party tradition lived on in my family for many happy years. Yes, let’s be green for the holidays and recycle our wrapping paper and mulch our trees. But let’s also see if we can reinvigorate some family traditions. Or perhaps invent a few of our own if there aren’t any to revive. Ones that we will remember for many years to come. Make some cider, go caroling, bake some cookies and share them with your family and friends. Build a gingerbread house, from scratch rather than from a box. But most importantly, let’s share some special time with our family and friends. I’ll take that over another cashmere sweater any day.