lifestyle
3 . Write a letter to Santa
• Why : To get things you or your kids will actually use and cut down on waste .
• How : My husband and I will ask each other for experiences ( tickets to a show , baby sitting , a fun moment with the gifter ). For the kids , I prepare an email to Santa AKA grandparents , aunts and uncles because they don ’ t want to give the kids something they already have like a Paw Patrol cap when it ’ s clearly a Batman phase .
• My low waste tip : Last year I specified that we ’ d be thrilled to receive second hand gifts when possible and that we ’ d love them to be gift wrapped creatively , using anything except first hand wrapping paper . It was a big hit and everyone loved it .
4 . Revisit gift wrapping
• Why : Gift wrapping materials are not recyclable and it ’ s a common mistake to throw them in the recycling bin , contributing to recycling contamination .
• How : You can use anything to wrap your gifts : newspapers , scarves , clothes , reused and decorated craft bags , fabric bags , kids ’ drawings . Replace plastic tape with paper tape and plastic ribbons with reused fabric ribbons or raffia .
• My 2020 trick : I bought a dinosaur colouring paper roll for my kids and I find it ’ s a good alternative to use as wrapping paper . Its first life is colouring paper and its second life is wrapping paper .
• Use as little paper tape as possible to leave as much colouring space as possible
• Adorn the package with raffia or a fabric ribbon
• Add a crayon in the packet so it can be used immediately
5 . Make your own decorations
• Why : To avoid single use decorations , personalise your home and make lasting and meaningful decor .
• How : My go to natural decorations are oranges , star anise and cinnamon sticks , pinecones , leaves and branches . White Gypsophila flowers make a beautiful snowy , airy decoration and stay beautiful even without water . You can also make Origami tree decorations . My kids enjoy hanging their decorated photos , homemade biscuits or dried and painted salt dough ornaments .
• My favourite decorations : Dried orange circles , which I hang on the tree or use in a potpourri arrangement with star anises and cinnamon sticks . They smell and look so Christmassy .
• Cut oranges in slices 0.5 cm thick ( so they don ’ t curl in the oven ).
• Place them on a baking tray and let them dry at 180C until they reach your preferred colour .
• They will continue drying on your tree but will not rot .
• Compost them after Christmas . 6 . Final Thoughts Be the change this Christmas . Show your family that things can be done differently while keeping the spirit of Christmas alive . Every year I am impressed by a family member who changed a habit or agrees to stick to the list . As a parent , I am so proud to be redefining this special time of the year for my little ones to make it more about the moment and the memories .
Dear Santa , here ’ s my list of presents made in Hong Kong , tested and approved !
• A second hand book from your personal bookshelf , because the best books are the one that you pass on ! Or from Rebooked , Hong Kong ' s first online store for second-hand children ' s books
www . rebooked-hk . com
• The Green Dragon children ’ s book series by Suzanne Younan , taking
place over islands , beaches and country parks of Hong Kong on the theme of pollution and convenience over sustainability .
www . dracoviridi . com
• A hand painted portrait of your loved ones by the lovely Lina Suarez , family illustrations , cards and pet portraits !—@
pictorescadesign
Winter 2020 71