Episode Summary: In this holiday special episode of CarbonSessions, hosts Leekei, Kristina, and Jenn delve into the intricate relationship between holiday celebrations and environmental impact. 

Holiday celebrations and their global spread especially in today’s consumer-driven societies contribute to the planet’s strain. They went on to discuss the enormous surge in holiday-related consumption.

According to the National Retail Federation, in the US, holiday sales grew from USD 400 billion in 2003 to over 900 billion in 2023 . The hosts discuss the environmental implications of holiday decorations, the energy consumption of festive lights, and the surge in gift-giving, leading to increased waste.

Kristina, Jenn and Leekei explore alternative ways to celebrate, focusing on minimizing waste and maximizing experiences. 

They share personal stories and fun ideas, like using election pamphlets for gift wrapping and creating memorable experiences rather than giving material gifts. The episode also touches on the importance of local and traditional foods during holidays, as opposed to imported, expensive items.

The hosts concluded on the essence of holidays as a time for community and connection, and the importance of aligning our celebrations with our environmental values.

https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/2023-holiday-reach-record-spending-levels

https://www.greenchoices.org/

For more information on the project and to order your copy of the Carbon Almanac (one of Amazon best-selling books of the year!), visit thecarbonalmanac.org

Want to join in the conversation?

Visit thecarbonalmanac.org/podcasts and send us a voice message on this episode or any other climate-related ideas and perspectives.

Don’t Take Our Word For It, Look It Up!

----- 

Featuring Carbon Almanac Contributors Leekei Tang, Jenn Swanson and Kristina Horning.

Leekei is a fashion business founder, a business coach, an international development expert and podcaster from Paris, France. 

From Langley in British Columbia, Canada, Jenn is a Minister, Coach, Writer and community Connector, helping people help themselves. 

Kristina has a background in architecture and engineering. Currently in Prague (that it is where she is originally from) and her base is US

----- 

The CarbonSessions Podcast is produced and edited by Leekei Tang, Steve Heatherington and Rob Slater.

Hi, I'm Christina.

2

I'm from Prague.

3

Hi, I'm Jen, and I'm from Canada.

4

Hi, I'm Oladunji, and I'm from Nigeria.

5

Hello, I'm Liki, and I live in Paris.

6

Hi, I'm Brian, and I'm from New York.

7

Welcome to Carbon Sessions.

8

A podcast with Carbon Conversations

for every day with everyone

9

from everywhere in the world.

10

In our conversations, we share ideas,

perspectives, questions, and things we

11

can actually do to make a difference.

12

So don't be shy and join our Carbon

Sessions because it's not too late.

13

Hi I'm Liki.

14

Hi I'm Christina.

15

Hi I'm Jen.

16

And what are we talking about today?

17

We're gonna talk about Christmas and

consumption and holidays in general.

18

Yeah, because there are lots of holidays.

19

Christmas is approaching, but I've

tried to list down all the holidays

20

that we have here in Europe.

21

We have Christmas and then comes New

Year's Eve, and then Valentine's, and then

22

Easter, and then there's the big summer

holiday, and there's also Halloween,

23

and then Christmas, and all over again.

24

And I was thinking of, you know,

some very international cities that

25

have embraced the Western culture.

26

and combine the holidays

with traditional culture.

27

So if I just take cities like Hong Kong

or Singapore, on top of all this holiday,

28

they also have Chinese year, Dragon

Boat Festival, and Full Moon Festival.

29

And then we can look at India,

probably they have Diwali,

30

Hanukkah, and all these holidays.

31

This is marvelous, lots of celebration,

but how does it do to our planet?

32

This is what we're going

to discuss today, right?

33

Yes.

34

Absolutely.

35

I was just looking at

some articles on that.

36

I've been really, uh, working on

decluttering and minimizing stuff.

37

I'm not there yet by any means, but

working on it and watching a lot

38

of videos and things about that.

39

And decor is one of the things that

people spend a lot of money on at.

40

You know, places like dollar stores

and craft stores, that was one thing

41

that some of the people that I've been

watching have talked about, a place you

42

can minimize, because, you know, the

second, not even Halloween isn't even

43

over and Halloween is a huge decoration

kind of thing around here where I live.

44

Halloween isn't even over and there's

Christmas stuff in the stores.

45

Nevermind, in Canada we have

Thanksgiving early, I know the U.

46

S.

47

just had Thanksgiving a month before

Christmas, so, um, so there's all of

48

that decoration, you know, pretend

leaves, and plastic everything, and

49

those big things that go on the lawns

that you have to have the generator

50

with The, the air running through.

51

And then I noticed the other day

driving down the street, uh, we've got

52

a house at the, at the end of our street

that one of my kids says is on crack.

53

I mean, the house has every

single surface covered in

54

lights and they're not just lit.

55

They flash at you.

56

And one of our kids said,

I'm offended by that house.

57

Whenever I drive by, it's shouting at

me because it's flashing and it's just.

58

I think of the energy consumption,

nevermind all the plastic.

59

And then, then the other day,

on Remembrance Day, we have

60

Remembrance Day for the veterans

on November 11th, uh, here.

61

And I noticed a tree, an outside

tree, decorated with Christmas lights,

62

except that they were going from top to

bottom, and they formed a Canadian flag.

63

And then it said underneath,

lest we forget, in lights.

64

And I thought, oh, so now we

have Remembrance Day decorations?

65

Apart from poppies?

66

It's just, like, what?

67

That's my rant, sorry.

68

But I love Christmas.

69

I really, really love Christmas.

70

Of course.

71

Yeah.

72

Of course.

73

Me too.

74

Yeah, I love Christmas,

especially when I was a student.

75

My part time job was working at

Disneyland, and my favorite season

76

at Disneyland was Christmas because

Christmas is all over, you know.

77

It has the, the, the very nice

decoration, it has the song, the smell.

78

I love Christmas.

79

All about Christmas.

80

But the problem with Christmas Is that,

okay, I just came across some stats the

81

other day, some stats published by the

National Retail Federation in the U.

82

S.

83

And this stat shows that between 2003

84

S.

85

for the holiday season.

86

It was over 400 billion dollars to 2023.

87

Up to, ooh, more than double, 900, 900

towards a thousand billion dollars.

88

That's insane, isn't it?

89

So I guess it's not that

everything goes to the decoration.

90

I guess that's, you know, there's more

than decoration and light consumption.

91

What else do we have?

92

Yeah, I think that the presents,

the huge amounts of presents.

93

And in Czech Republic, there

is not only all these holidays.

94

for giving presents, but they

also not only birthdays, but

95

they also have name days.

96

So everybody has at least two days

a year for presents plus Christmas.

97

That is huge.

98

And the houses are tiny.

99

We don't have space for more stuff.

100

The huge amounts of things and plastic

and the cover of the present, because

101

usually it's not just the toy, but

it's the plastic that covers the toy.

102

Plus the box that covers

the plastic covered toy.

103

Plus the wrap that is mostly plastic.

104

It's not paper even

though it's paper wrap.

105

That's mostly plastic.

106

Plus plastic.

107

It's overwhelming.

108

It doesn't have to be, though.

109

No, but It doesn't have to be.

110

But still, it's nice to give

and receive presents, isn't it?

111

It is.

112

For me, for many, many years,

when I realized there is no more

113

stuff I can fit in my house, I

ask everybody for the presents.

114

It has to be food or drink, something.

115

It can be spoiled, also.

116

Something has to be eaten.

117

Or composted and it's so much nicer or

flowers, but yeah, it's so much nicer

118

to do that because I think it lifts the

pressure of people, even though in Japan,

119

they always have, when they go somewhere,

in Czech also, when people visit each

120

other, they always bring presents.

121

When they visit each other

houses, but that time they usually

122

bring something to eat, drink,

flowers or something like that.

123

Yeah.

124

I mean, bringing a present to visit

someone is one thing, but I'm talking

125

about the pressure of buying the best

gift, you know, the most expensive,

126

the biggest gift for Christmas.

127

It just insane.

128

You know, as you said, you see all

this stuff in the shops a month before

129

Christmas, even two months before

Christmas, you receive all this catalogs.

130

Not anymore because we don't do paper

catalogs anymore, but we receive all

131

this email telling you Oh, you should

buy this and you have all this ad on

132

televisions as well and on the radio and

everywhere Pressuring you to buy stuff for

133

loved ones to make them happy and I just

think it this is insane Well, and we're

134

recording this on Black Friday in the U.

135

S., and it has spilled over into Canada.

136

Yeah.

137

And, and it's not just a day,

it's a week, you know, we're

138

getting bombarded with stuff.

139

But we, in our family, we

eliminated this pressure and this

140

problem many, many years ago.

141

Um, I probably told you this already.

142

Did I talk about this already?

143

I think you did, but I think it's worth

sharing because it's very interesting.

144

Yeah.

145

Yeah.

146

So.

147

We have Christmas, a party, Christmas

gathering with all of our kids and

148

our bonus kids, our, our kids friends

and everybody who's family but not

149

necessarily blood related, um, about a

week before Christmas so that everyone

150

can come because everybody's got in

laws and outlaws and, you know, has to

151

be in five different places at once.

152

So we pick a date, we

tell everybody in advance.

153

everybody comes and we have a game

and the game is that everybody

154

has to bring something from their

home that they don't want anymore.

155

It, it cannot be bought.

156

It has to be something they want to

give away and it has to be wrapped and

157

we put all the gifts under the tree

and somebody starts and you open a gift

158

and then the next person can either

steal that gift or they can open a new

159

gift and there's this really ugly, um,

hilarious cookie jar that looks like a

160

skeleton that keeps coming back because

somebody keeps it for the next year and

161

we find this horrible skeleton again.

162

It's really funny.

163

So we have lots of fun and

games and sometimes the stuff is

164

really good and sometimes it's

awful, but it's, it's very funny.

165

And so that's the game and that's

the gift that you have to bring.

166

And then the other thing we do so

that we don't buy gifts for each

167

other in our side of the family is

We have been sending three girls

168

to school every year in Guatemala.

169

So there's a village in Guatemala and,

uh, one of the girls has graduated now.

170

The other one had to drop out because

of family issues and the third one is in

171

university and she's becoming a doctor.

172

So she's the one we're

still contributing to.

173

And so people just put money in an

envelope with the word Guatemala on it.

174

We don't know who gave how much.

175

It's like a, into a basket.

176

And then whatever we get, we send

to the organization that we're

177

working with, who's a person that

we know who actually goes there.

178

And we know that we've done something for

the world and we don't need more stuff.

179

So it ends up being really easy.

180

We do do stockings for our kids,

but what we've done lately, as

181

Christina said, they all have to be.

182

consumable.

183

So my thinking this year, and hopefully

nobody's listening to this, is I'm going

184

to make those mason jars with soup mix.

185

Ooh, I love those.

186

You know, um, because they're,

they're adults, right?

187

So we'll put different soups in those

and they can make food for themselves.

188

And it's usually special condiments

they would never buy because they're

189

expensive or whatever, but it's,

it's consumables that we give away.

190

It's just, it's not going to

be the big fancy whatever.

191

We just don't play that game.

192

You don't have to.

193

Yeah.

194

And there is another

thing around holidays.

195

It's traveling.

196

Yes, that's a big, yeah, that's a big one.

197

And I, I found a few a website.

198

They're talking about

holidays and climate change.

199

One is greenchoices.

200

org and the other one is the conversation.

201

com.

202

And if anybody who's

listening is interested.

203

You can even look there and get a

carbon calculator or 15 question

204

quiz, so you can check yourself.

205

So I think that's interesting.

206

Yeah.

207

It's great.

208

I think it's great to meet your loved

ones for holiday, but yeah, I'm sure that

209

there are better options, greener options.

210

Yeah.

211

Yeah.

212

And also the Zoom.

213

I know it's awful, but if, uh, if somebody

cannot make it there, uh, financially

214

or health wise, cause in the winter,

you never know you get sick and stuff.

215

And you don't want to fly

with some contagious diseases.

216

So then, uh, there is an option, which

was not out there a few years ago.

217

Yeah.

218

Yeah.

219

Can, can I share a Christmas

gift story with you?

220

Uh, I'm just thinking of, um,

of my nephew who's turning, who

221

will be turning 20 in tomorrow.

222

No, in two days.

223

In two days, and I remember, so it

was 11 years ago now, and he was

224

turning nine, and he has a younger

brother who was six at that time,

225

and No, that was not for Christmas.

226

That was for his holiday, uh, for his, uh,

birthday, but his birthday is in November.

227

So it's almost the same, the same date.

228

And his brother's birthday is in October.

229

So I invited them to my house, uh, to

celebrate their birthday, both of them.

230

And I was really busy at that time,

11 years ago, but still I wanted to,

231

you know, to invite them to celebrate

their birthday and I bought them a gift.

232

And so I didn't really

have time to look at.

233

I just.

234

I took some random boxes of Playmobil,

you know, because it was, it's a, um,

235

you know, from six to 10, I thought,

okay, one is six, the other one is nine.

236

So six to 10.

237

So I took two different ones,

of course, not the same one.

238

So I bought them, you know,

for, for the set for both of

239

them, I bought them one each.

240

And so I gave it to my older nephew who

was nine and he opened it and he looked

241

at it and say, Oh, it's six to ten.

242

It's for babies.

243

You know, it's for babies.

244

Oh, and so I was a little bit

offended and then his younger

245

brother who wanted to look cool

opened his gift and see the seven.

246

He's like, no, it's for babies.

247

I don't want that.

248

So they refused my gifts.

249

Both of them.

250

I was Not happy at all, because

those skills are so, so, so spoiled.

251

And because of them, I

stopped buying gifts for kids.

252

Because of them, because both of them.

253

So I need to tell him this story

before his birthday in two days.

254

But, um, But then, you know, the, the year

after I thought, okay, I can do better.

255

Okay.

256

I don't have to buy him gifts.

257

And so what I did is I, I had

a box full of, you know, this

258

Paris ticket of, for the Metro.

259

He, he used to love, and he still loved

the Metro and trends and everything.

260

So for his 10 year birthday,

I had the box full of.

261

Of train tickets, of metro tickets,

of old cars, the old ones, the new

262

ones from the different cities.

263

And so I gave it to him, and I

didn't, but it took me a long time

264

to collect all those, but it was

like a very, very, very good gift.

265

And even there was one that was

very special, I put it in the frame,

266

and he was really, really happy.

267

Isn't that fun?

268

It's so fun, yeah, yeah.

269

That's great.

270

And they're also gifts of experience.

271

Yeah.

272

Instead of giving stuff stuff.

273

We can take them out and, uh, do something

with them, run around, throw a frisbee.

274

When our, um, two youngest were

coming up to their birthdays, and I

275

can't remember what birthday it was.

276

They might've been 12, like each,

they're two years apart, but the

277

youngest two, but, um, When they hit 12

or 13, I can't remember, we decided to

278

do a scavenger hunt birthday present.

279

And so we got into the car and they were

given a map, like an old fashioned map.

280

And they were given clue number one

out of an envelope and it was a rhyme.

281

And they had to read the clue

and then figure out where on

282

the map we were supposed to go

and then we would drive there.

283

And this took all day.

284

Oh, that's awesome.

285

And one of them, the theme

was the Wizard of Oz.

286

And it was all of these

places that we had to end up.

287

And we even picked up our son at

the Broadway Skytrain station,

288

and the clue was something about

a monkey flying in on Broadway.

289

So you know, thinking of a play and

calling him a monkey, and he was

290

actually coming back from working

up north by plane, and he met us

291

at the Broadway station, and he

jumped out at her and scared her.

292

And she's standing there going,

well, what do I look for?

293

And then he jumped out because he,

you know, he was also an actor.

294

So it was kind of fun.

295

Anyway, we all ended up at the theater to

see Wicked, which of course is the story

296

of the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz.

297

So all of the clues all day.

298

Took us to that.

299

And the other daughter, hers, uh, was,

uh, Billy Elliot, the, uh, the show.

300

So, you know, we started off by going

to a British shop and buying chips

301

in the British shop and then going

to, you know, all these things that

302

had to do with ballet and Britain.

303

And we ended up to see Billy

Elliot, but those were birthday

304

experiences they will never forget.

305

Right.

306

Yeah.

307

Yeah, there's one, there's something

I did for my brother that he, he will

308

never, I mean, he will not forget

because he hasn't used it yet, but I

309

made him a special advent calendar.

310

You know, those are, because

he told me he needs to, um, to

311

work on his core on his apps.

312

My brother is very fit, but he

wants to be more have better abs.

313

And so for, I think it was two or

three years ago, maybe two years ago.

314

Yeah, it was, I was during COVID.

315

So two or three years ago,

I did, um, advent calendar.

316

And so I bought one from, uh, from

the previous year at church and

317

there was empty with prayers and

all that, but then I cut them.

318

Um, I took like some, um, like

your new exercise of four apps.

319

And so every day you get, you

pick, you pick an exercise.

320

So you have some exercise to accomplish.

321

And after that, you've got some tricks

and the trick were, uh, some nuts, not

322

chocolate nuts, but that's so creative,

but not that I put In this, you know,

323

small boxes of smarties, so the first one

he thought, wow, I'm going to have some

324

chocolate, but then he realized that,

oh no, it's nuts and, and so, and he's,

325

this thing is I had a lot of fun doing

it, making the thing, but I think he

326

has not, I mean, last time I asked him,

he said, no, I haven't touched it yet.

327

I mean, he has, I think day one,

two, and then I think he gave it,

328

but it was so fun to make this.

329

And this I think he will not forget.

330

That's good.

331

Yeah, that's a lot of work too.

332

Yeah, but it lasts very long.

333

But it's fun.

334

Yeah, and it's fun to make.

335

Yeah, it's very fun to make, yeah.

336

Yeah, so we talk a lot

about gifts and, uh,

337

but there's one thing we haven't

discussed, which is food, food,

338

um, I think at holidays we tend to.

339

eat a lot.

340

Yeah.

341

I discovered something.

342

I was told about something by a

woman recently, and then I went

343

out and got it and tried it.

344

And it was really cool.

345

It's an app that we

have called flash food.

346

I don't know.

347

It's local.

348

I don't know if you have such a thing.

349

But what it is, is you can look at So

if you look at two particular stores

350

in your area, at all the food that's

going to outdate that they can't sell

351

past a certain date, and they've got a

refrigerator, a freezer, and a shelf.

352

The refrigerator has all sorts of

salads and prepared foods and stuff.

353

The freezer has stuff that's

frozen, obviously, and then

354

the shelf has baked goods.

355

And you look on Flash Food, and you

can buy whatever you want to buy and

356

then you go and you just pick it up at

the store and it's food that outdates

357

today or yesterday or tomorrow but

it's food they can't keep on their

358

shelf and it ends up being half price.

359

So Like but it's good like we we went

and we got I can't remember what it

360

was a steak and egg salad That was

normally 15 for 7 and it was big

361

and it fed two of us for dinner and

I thought wow That's kind of neat.

362

So I sent my husband down

there and he's he's down there.

363

He's going what about this?

364

What about that?

365

Yeah but but it was It was really,

anyway, I don't think it has much to do

366

with the holidays, but, um, well, well,

I think it does connect to the holidays

367

because I just heard about Thanksgiving

in the U S that when people, whatever

368

they don't eat the leftovers, they

can carry it to the kitchens, uh, to

369

churches or other kitchens that serve.

370

People in need.

371

I thought that's a good idea.

372

Very good idea.

373

Yeah, but what I was suggesting

that is that we tend to eat too

374

much food or to have too much

food on on the table for holidays.

375

This is something that we've been told

that we should have, like, you know,

376

lots of different foods and the, the

The fattest, the biggest, um, the most

377

expensive ones like from across the world

and um, like the food that is impossible

378

because it's a special occasion.

379

This is, um, there's

something I've noticed.

380

I mean that I, that I don't do too

much of it, but uh, when you go and

381

shop at grocery stores or, uh, traiteur

in France, um, you got a lot of this.

382

Oh, you have the, the, the thing

that is very, very special because.

383

there's this culture of because it's a

holiday because it's very special you

384

need to have lots of very expensive good

food and when it's for it to be very

385

expensive has to fly from across the

world interesting i i've never thought

386

of having to have expensive food oh um

we have like certain things that are

387

traditional um traditional foods but

not that They're particularly expensive,

388

that's, that's not my experience.

389

What's your traditional food?

390

We usually, I mean, we get a turkey

from a farm and that's expensive because

391

it's free run and has had a life.

392

So we go and we buy a turkey and

they're close to a hundred dollars for

393

a free run turkey that isn't fed full

of antibiotics and all that stuff.

394

And then we usually have, I don't

know, kind of, you know, potatoes,

395

mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes.

396

or yams and roasted Brussels sprouts and

I make a cranberry chutney and I make

397

pumpkin pie with pumpkins that we grew

or we had earlier and baking so it's not

398

it's kind of normal like regular food but

it's not necessarily fancy or expensive.

399

Yeah that's the same in Czech that I

thought every family has the same food

400

but I found out not but it's pretty

similar to all of us so we have breaded

401

fish, potato salad, Mashed potatoes,

and somebody has it on New Year's,

402

somebody has it during 20, December 24th.

403

It's a lentil soup, that means

a lot of money for next year.

404

And so, it's all, all the

traditions are very local.

405

And the expensive food are more for the

gifts, but as the food, food, it stays in.

406

Yeah.

407

What, what about you, Leké?

408

What do you have for Christmas?

409

That is so interesting because over

here we have foie gras, which is

410

something that is, that is, I don't

eat it because this is very personal.

411

I mean, if you love foie gras, that's

fine, but I don't think we need to make.

412

Animals suffer because, to make them

sick because of that, but so, but

413

foie gras is a must have on the table.

414

Um, there's also very often some seafood,

like, you know, seafood platters.

415

And I remember there was one year, I mean,

there was one year, I think it's still

416

going on, this, all these snow crabs from,

I don't know, from Canada or from Alaska.

417

It's, it's just silly, you know,

why do we need that, you know?

418

Oh, that's interesting.

419

Yes.

420

So, yeah, for us, even the carp that is

served as a fish is, uh, grown in the

421

local ponds or local lakes, and they

bring it in these huge tubs into the city.

422

And you can see them swimming in there

and you pick one and they'll kill it

423

for you and then you'll cook it at home.

424

So it's a very, very local.

425

All the holiday food is very local.

426

That is very interesting.

427

The cranberries that I was given a gift

of a bag of fresh cranberries from, uh,

428

the local cranberry farm from somebody.

429

Um, and that will be the

cranberry sauce for the.

430

Turkey.

431

Yeah, we don't, uh, we do do like

a roasted, um, orange glazed tofu

432

because we have vegetarians and

vegans in our family as well.

433

So we have, we have some

alternatives to the turkey, but

434

yeah, it's all pretty local, plain.

435

I mean, it's good, but

it's not super fancy.

436

There's also something that I'm not

a big fan of, because I'm, I'm, I'm

437

not a big fan of truffle, but there's,

there's for Christmas, there's

438

truffle brie, you know, expanse, yes.

439

It's like truffles expanse.

440

That would be good.

441

I like that, but I think

it's too strong, but it just.

442

It's like, you know, it's, it seems like,

you know, for, for Christmas or for the

443

holiday, you have to eat expensive stuff.

444

That's um, that's a kind of

culture that we have here.

445

French thing.

446

But the truffles are local

for you, aren't they?

447

Um, yes.

448

France has very high, like

delicious, amazing, fancy food.

449

But it doesn't come cheap.

450

Right.

451

Right.

452

But it's Aren't they hard to find?

453

They're hard to find, but they're

grown in local woods and stuff.

454

Yeah, I guess so.

455

Yeah, but it's just, it's just, you

know, this pressure of, I'm just trying

456

to, you know, to, I'm trying to refer to

this pressure of having expensive stuff.

457

Interesting.

458

Yeah.

459

For Christmas.

460

And there's also a lot of meat,

like, you know, turkey or roast.

461

Yeah, I think it's, um, I guess it's

part of the culture because, um, it's

462

Culture in France is around the table.

463

Yeah.

464

Yeah.

465

Oh.

466

Hmm.

467

Yeah.

468

Interesting.

469

How, so how can we do it better?

470

Well, one thing that Christina said

about wrapping gifts, we recycle a

471

lot of things and, but I'm, I'm coming

to the end of the gift bags that have

472

been given to me to, to repurpose.

473

But, but sometimes a nice thing to do

is a new tea towel as the wrapping,

474

you know, something that they could

use that we could open, you know, or a

475

t shirt or something, whatever you're,

you're wanting to give that you could

476

wrap it in that could then be used.

477

Once upon a time, I sewed all of

those cloth Christmas bags with the

478

drawstrings, but they've all disappeared.

479

So I don't know where they ended up.

480

People kept them, I guess.

481

Um, but.

482

That was a fun project, but I just

don't have time to do that right now.

483

But to sew the cloth gift bags

that can then be reused again.

484

So our wrapping, like it's such a

waste to rip open the paper and, I

485

mean it's fun, but it's such a waste.

486

You know what I use for my

wrapping for, for Christmas?

487

On election years, you know, there's

a lot of elections in France, so we

488

received it because there's two rounds.

489

For the first round, you receive a lot

of, a lot of, um, what you call it,

490

manifesto pamphlet of, with the program

of what each candidate intends to do.

491

And then, so you have, for the first round

of election, you have maybe 15 candidates.

492

So like, Very big sheet of paper,

so I keep them and then the second

493

round you have only two, but still

there's a lot of paper, so I keep

494

them and I use them for wrap my gifts.

495

I thought it's very fun because,

because there's a face because usually

496

very nice, very nice picture of the

candidate, so it makes everybody

497

loves and, um, and it's my signature.

498

Yeah, so that's great.

499

When the newspaper, everybody

was getting newspapers.

500

Yeah.

501

We used to wrap gifts in the section with

the colors or pictures in the newspaper.

502

Yeah.

503

Yeah, that's a good idea.

504

Yeah.

505

So, yeah.

506

So, we have gift exchange, um, we have

rafts, or wrapping, um, we have bird

507

transportation, uh, decoration is, we

haven't found a solution for decoration.

508

Well, you can, you can

do natural decorations.

509

You can make wreaths with natural things.

510

Or just less.

511

Dry apples.

512

Yeah.

513

Uh, gilded nuts, leaves,

berries, I think those are so

514

beautiful and they last long too.

515

And they're compostable and you

can make them again next year.

516

Yeah.

517

And also for the present, having

experiences instead of having things, I

518

think it's more fun and more memorable.

519

Even my daughter's one year.

520

They made a radio show on, uh, they

recorded radio show when they were little.

521

And gave it to us.

522

It was such a great present.

523

That's cute.

524

My uh, my daughter has asked me, I asked

what my grandson would like for Christmas.

525

She has a very minimalist home and she

rotates the toys and she's very careful

526

about not having too many things.

527

And she's asked for a

Sony Walkman for him.

528

That is so vintage.

529

A cassette player.

530

But an old one, like you can't,

they don't make them anymore.

531

Well, I'm, I'm on the hunt now.

532

That's my hunting.

533

Do you need tapes?

534

I have tapes.

535

Yeah.

536

Cassette tapes.

537

Because cassette tapes are

easy to put in and take out.

538

And they got one once for their niece.

539

still uses it to this day and

you can find the cassettes of

540

children's songs in thrift stores.

541

So cool.

542

And so she, she has headphones,

a big headphone set for him,

543

but she needs the machine.

544

So I have to go around and look at

all the secondhand shops and see if

545

I can find one that's in good working

order and then get some cassettes.

546

But it's kind of fun.

547

So that's my.

548

My hunt for him rather than

a big toy wrapped in plastic.

549

I always ask, what, what

do you want me to get?

550

Oh, that's so that, so

that it's something useful.

551

Yeah.

552

Oh, that sounds fantastic.

553

I just got another idea for overeating.

554

When, because when we have the

dinner and before or after.

555

We keep eating the cookies,

and in Czech there is a big

556

culture of Christmas cookies.

557

They're delicious, very addictive, and so

instead of staying at home and watching

558

things or something, to go out for

half an hour, for an hour, for a walk.

559

with the family and everybody

and that will kind of move us

560

away from the table a little bit.

561

It also helps your digestion.

562

It promotes your digestion.

563

It's supposed to be very good

to have a walk after dinner.

564

Yeah.

565

Yeah.

566

Yeah.

567

Okay.

568

Yeah.

569

We solved it.

570

That's it, it's done.

571

As, as a pastor, I spend a lot

of time thinking of the other

572

Christmas and, and working on, on the

experience of, of the other Christmas.

573

So it's almost reversed to me

where all of the hoopla of.

574

The buying and the consumerism is, you

know, sort of less than standing in a,

575

in a church at the end of the night with

everybody holding a candle, singing Silent

576

Night, like that to me is Christmas.

577

That is Christmas.

578

It's community, right?

579

Yes.

580

It's community.

581

So whatever way you have community and you

bring people together, that's all of us.

582

Yeah.

583

That's beautiful.

584

Yeah.

585

Midnight Mass.

586

It's even people who do not go to church.

587

Yeah, in the middle of the mountains

going to the church, such a romantic.

588

Pictures.

589

Beautiful.

590

Yeah.

591

Yeah.

592

Yeah.

593

Okay.

594

Bye.

595

Merry Christmas.

596

Merry Christmas.

597

Happy Holidays.

598

You've been listening to Carbon

Sessions, a podcast with carbon

599

conversations for every day with

everyone from everywhere in the world.

600

We'd love you to join the Carbon

Sessions so you too can share your

601

perspectives from wherever you are.

602

This is a great way for our community

to learn from your ideas and

603

experiences, connect, and take action.

604

If you want to add your voice to the

conversation, go to thecarbonalmanac.

605

org slash podcast.

606

And sign up to be part

of a future episode.

607

This podcast is also part of

the Carbon Almanac Network.

608

For more information, to sign up for

the emails, to join the movement,

609

and to order your copy of the Carbon

Almanac, go to thecarbonalmanac.

610

org.

611

Be sure to subscribe and join

us here again, as together

612

we can change the world.