Waste(less)

December is here, and as we all know that means hundreds and hundreds of Christmas decorations flying from store shelves into everyone's homes. It would be hypocritical of me to pretend like this didn't excite me, I love Christmas and honestly, by October I'm more than ready to decorate every room in my house, although I do stop myself and wait at least until December 1st. Having said that, it does pain me to watch the amount of plastic thrown around this time of the year, not only in presents but also when it comes to decorations. Granted I've been guilty of this, except for a few glass and wooden pieces, most of my baubles are plastic, but those come from a time when I didn't know better, they've lasted me for decades, some of them are older than me, and I'll continue to use them until they break, but I won't be supporting the plastic consumption anymore. Having said that, and hoping you're on the same train as me, what can we do to replace what we know for something sustainable that'll last us for a long time? Keep reading and find out...

'Tis the season for hot chocolate!

There, I've said it, go on and drink your body weight in hot chocolate and warm cider and mulled wine. Buuuut, instead of spending your money on Starbucks to satisfy that craving, make it yourself. It will make your house smell beautiful and you'll feel like you earn it even more.

I'm sure you all know how to make delicious hot chocolate but I thought you could give my way a try. For it you will need

For the Traveller

For the traveller in your life, there are plenty of choices to pick from. Backpacks are always a must and there are two that I would personally love to get. This Fjallraven Re-Kanken is everything we all love in a Kanken but better, and I particularly love it in the Slate colour. This Kanken is a special edition made out of polyester recycled from eleven plastic bottles, it's dyed with SpinDye which really reduces the amount of water, energy and chemicals used. The same old design, because why change something that doesn't need changing, but with both a recycled and recyclable perspective, saving natural resources and making it able to be recycled after the many years of use she'll get you through. Having a Kanken myself, although a classic one, I can vouch for their quality and honestly, the number of times I use it, whether it is just for a walk around, go grocery shopping, or spend a weekend away, it's more than paid for.

I also love this rucksack by Global Wake Cup, their WAKEbag Rucksack is a beautiful, vegan and ethically sourced rucksack, made to look like a brown paper bag. It's 100% waterproof, washable and it fits a laptop, water bottle, coffee cup and lunch. The straps are made of cotton and are fully adjustable, whether for a kid or an adult. And to make it all even better, 10% of the profits go to the Marine Conservation Society.

Wash bags are always great options too, and I love the ones Seamster Vintage on Etsy makes, especially this ditsy floral* one, they're handmade out of vintage upcycled fabrics, what more could you ask for? I also love this one from CIREonEtsy in a pink with white triangle pattern*, made with organic and fair-trade cotton, dyed naturally with avocado and waxed with beeswax and paraffin wax. 

If they're into journaling, why not get them a new travel journal? You're always bound to finish yours so having a few extras is never a bad thing. I love kraft paper, and there are plenty of options out there, but if you want to go with a trustworthy brand, go with Moleskine, I love their Cahier Kraft Brown Journal, they're the perfect size for travellers and have a small pocket for holding anything you might want to add to the journal. I also adore this handcrafted notebook cover* to go with it. If leather isn't your thing, another option would be a notebook pouch or a book wallet to keep their prized possessions safe, I particularly love this pink waxed canvas book wallet* and this light grey notebook pouch*.

Always On The Go

For the one always on the go you can and should give them something that will make their lives easier. Maybe start with their lunches, a cutlery pouch is always a necessity, I can't tell you how much I wished I had one when I was in university. There are plenty out there and really it's up to your own personal taste or what you think the other person would like best, but these two by Madebytyng are some of my favourites, the Mustard Cutlery Pouch* is beautiful yet simple, and so is this Linen Cutlery Wrap* one. LEKKO Life Goods also make beautiful products, like this Linen Cutlery Wrap* and to complete the gift, why not this Linen Lunch Bag* or this Zero Waste Bento Bag*? They're inspired by Japanese design, they're light and beautiful and perfect to keep your snacks safe in your bag. 

Moving on to drinkware, the options are plenty. I love this Live Vessel Honey Bee Travel Mug in Smokey Quartz, absolutely gorgeous, but if a tea infuser is more your friend's style, why not go with the newest 24 Bottles' product? They've just released their Infuser Bottle which is such a great product. On the subject of 24 Bottles, whether you go for their Clima Bottle or Urban Bottle, you'll be making a great decision. I personally love my Urban one but, if I were to buy one now, I may have gone with the Clima one as it can hold hot or cold drinks and keep them that way, but it's really up to what you think would be best for the person you're buying for. There are also plenty of colours and prints to choose from so you're bound to find something perfect. And, if they already have a Clima bottle, you could also buy them an Infuser Lid, the perfect extra little thing.

Tea & Coffee Lover

Whether you have a coffee addict or a tea lover in your life, here are a few options for you. If he's a tea lover start with a beautiful mug such as this Hand-thrown Ceramic* one by LibbyBallardCeramics, add some reusable tea bags like these ones from Mind The Trash, or these handmade ones* from MadebyTyng or go with the ceramic route, here are three of my favourite options: Handmade Ceramic Tea Strainer* by Wild Harvest Botanicals, or Handmade Tea Strainer* by SalviaCeramics, or even this Porcelain Teacup with Lid and Strainer* by RebeccaMakesInBklyn. Add some of their favourite tea and you'll be their favourite person.

For the coffee addict, switch the tea bags for a few coffee filters*, the tea strainer for an amazing and handmade coffee dripper, like this one* by TandemCeramics, a beautiful handmade coffee spoon* and, of course, their favourite coffee. 

Green Friend

For your green friend buy them something we all need and won't always buy for ourselves. Such as this Joseph Joseph compost bin, throw in some compostable bags and odour filter refills and you're making someone and the environment very happy.

To help with their daily shopping, gift them a few vegetable bags, or you can make them yourself if you're handy. Reusable Silicone Food Bags are also amazing and helpful for a waste-free kitchen, and a shopping bag is also a great option, like this Re-Sack Canvas Bag, the Re-Sack String Bag or even the Re-Sack Shopping Bag. 

And lastly, to make their kitchen even greener and keep them entertained, YogurtNest will be their best friend. YogurtNest is a Portuguese brand that makes a very special, and beautiful, yogurt maker. Here are some things about it: it allows you to produce according to what you need, from small jars to 3.5 litres; you can reuse your own glass jars instead of having to buy specific ones; you can use whichever milk you want and you'll know all the ingredients that went into making your yogurt; you can use it to make cheese, dips, cheesecakes and you can make all of it from the comfort of your own home or even from the road and, to top it all, you need zero electricity to make your yogurt, once you place it in its' nest you'll only need six hours and you're done. 

How to Have a Low Waste Christmas

Shop locally when you can, many of the brands I mentioned above can actually be found in many local stores and if you can't find them in physical stores, pick them up from stores that are committed to waste-free shipping, such as Pegada Verde, Mind The Trash and Package Free Shop.

Use recyclable and/or recycled wrapping options. ReThink Gift Wraps* sells beautiful reusable gift wrap*, all made out of cotton, hand-stamped with hand-carved stamps, what more could you need? If you'd like to reuse what you already own use newspaper, kraft paper or butcher paper, making sure they're biodegradable, use some biodegradable twine and decorate with something beautiful such as pinecones, dried flowers and greenery, all compostable. 

Re-gift, and by that, I don't mean you should give someone else a gift you've previously received and hated. Give them something you loved but no longer use, for instance, this year I'm gifting my mother-in-law my old collection of Agatha Christie books, she loves them and I no longer read them so why keep them around when there's someone else who would love them.

Make it yourself, I know first-hand how expensive gift giving can be, especially because both my brothers, mum, boyfriend and best friend all have their birthdays within a month before Christmas, but it really doesn't have to be this way. Make your own gifts which will make it even better, bake them some delicious cookies or a nice cake, why not try my Christmas Chocolate Cookies, my Gingerbread Cookies or even my Spice Scented Holiday Cake. If you'd rather give them the chance of baking them themselves simply place all the ingredients in a jar and wrap a tag with the recipe around it. 

Buy experiences, maybe a ticket to a play they're dying to see, or a concert they can't wait to go to, a wine tour to taste all their favourite wines, lessons for something they really want to learn, the options are endless...

So there we go, these are just some ideas and some tips on how to make this Christmas as green and waste-free as possible, feel free to share your own ideas and inspire everyone to do the same in the comments down below, I'd love to know your tip & tricks.

I've never been one to enjoy wine, not even mulled wine. I keep asking my parents if that's an acquired taste that comes with age, but age keeps coming and my taste for wine won't budge. Cider, on the other hand, is right up my street, and as soon as the cold weather rolls around I try to make warm cider as many times as possible, and why wouldn't I? It's delicious, warming and comforting for the soul and I just can't say no to it.

My whole family is very much into reading, and there isn't one Christmas that goes by without us all buying each other at least one book, and this year it's no different, apart from the fact that I bought all books either secondhand or from a very old bookshop in my street that has been selling the same books since the 60s, so I feel as though I've been pretty good at not being a part of the ridiculous consumerist traditions with my Christmas shopping so far. Besides books, all they've asked for were "socks from the store next to your house", "cookies and tea" and "please bring us Portuguese coffee and cheese" because both my brothers live abroad and can't get access to these things easily, and I'm more than happy to oblige as all these items either come from local businesses or I can get them at my favourite bulk store, Granel da Rainha.

Along with what's already on their Christmas wishlist, I thought I'd make a few things myself, things I'd also love to receive, which are easy to make, easy to transport as we're all spending Christmas in Norway and quite sustainable to produce as well.

Hand Warmers

Even though I live in Portugal, which is quite sunny even in winter, the cold can really get to us, especially now that I'm getting my Masters and get home at 11pm every day. And if I'm cold, I can only imagine my brothers and their girlfriends who live in some of the coldest areas of France and Norway. So, my immediate thought was, why not make everyone some hand warmers? They're easy to make, easy to carry around, easy  to get warmed up and can be kept for years.

To make each hand warmer you will need:

Now that we got that loooong list out of the way, you'll need to place the squares on top of each other, with the right sides facing each other, and stitch around the square, leaving a small opening on the side. Turn the fabric right side out and stuff it with dry rice until it feels full. Now, simply close the opening and keep on repeating the method to make those hand warmers for the whole family.

To use you simply pop them in the microwave for 1 minutes and get them inside your coat pockets, these should keep your hands toasty warm for about 20 or so minutes, depending on how cold it is outside. If you don't have a microwave, you can warm them up in an oven at 190ºC for 10 minutes or so.

Candles

I'm very lucky for many reasons, but one of them is the fact that I get easy access to beeswax whenever I want. One of my boyfriend's dad's hobbies is beekeeping, and he's been doing it for so long that he's gathered quite a bit of beeswax, which is great for my next DIY. If you can't get beeswax as easily, you can try to find a local beekeeper and buy it from him or buy it online, as long as you make sure you're buying from someone responsible. According to this "beeswax candles are naturally dripless and smokeless, and they tend to have a longer burn time than candles made from other waxes. Beeswax also burns clean and purifies the air at the same time! In addition to supporting sustainable beekeeping, the consumption of beeswax candles is also good for the air we breathe. Unlike paraffin candles, which are made with a petroleum-based wax, beeswax candles have a completely clean non-toxic burn and produce negative ions when burning."

To make 3 candles (250ml each) you'll need

• 500 grams beeswax
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoons essential oils (I particularly enjoy the sound of this little set)
• Glass jars to hold the candles
• Wicks, (I usually use simple cotton ones such as these, but I've always wanted to try these crackling wood wicks)
• Jars to set your candles in

Arrange your jars on a piece of newspaper in a steady place, such as your kitchen counter. Then, stick each wick into the centre of each jar, you can do this by using some wick stickers or simply glue them down with a hot glue gun. Use a clothes pin to keep the wick straight so that once the candle is finished it'll burn evenly.

Make a double boiler, by this I mean fill a pot halfway with water and place a heat resistant bowl that fits on top, but make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer and add your beeswax to the bowl, stirring occasionally as it melts, making sure to use either a disposable wooden chopstick or something you'll only ever use to make candles, as this will never again be free of wax.

Once the beeswax has completely melted, add the coconut oil and stir until all is melted and combined. Once that's done, remove the bowl from the heat, and whisk in your chosen essential oil and quickly, but steadily, transfer the mixture into a container with a pouring spout, making sure to use a spatula to scrape your bowl as clean as possible. 

Making sure to not pour any wax on the clothes pin, fill each jar, but not all the way up, and let it set for two days at room temperature, keeping the wick straight the whole time with the clothes pin. Once everything is set, trim the wick to about half a centimetre and you're done. 

You can leave the jar as is, or you can decorate it a bit, personally I would add something related to the scent so if you're doing a sweet orange candle, maybe thread a few slices of dried orange around the top of the jar, if the scent is pine go with a few pine needles. You can also add a few other bits to the thread that once the candle is gone can be used as a decoration, such as these little jingle bells or these bigger silver ones, also available in gold, or even these cute little wooden snowflakes.

For a faster, but still good alternative, why not buy some beeswax sheets, a long piece of cotton wick which you can cut into the right size, such as this one, and simply roll the sheets into candlesticks, making sure to warm up the sheets with your hands as not to break them, and rolling them tightly in place. If you have all the good intention to do this but not the time, you can also gift your loved ones with a DIY kit so they can make it themselves, prepared by yourself with all the items you bought already, or you can actually buy ready-made kits like this one or this beautiful one.

Chai Latte Mix

Whether you prefer your chai in a powder form or all natural, this is the recipe for you, I based it on one of my favourite teas, but used bulk bought ingredients and added more of my favourites to tweak the mixture to fit my taste. I'll definitely be making this one for a few people in my family.

For 100 grams of tea you'll need:

• 50 grams of Assam tea (or your favourite black tea)
• 10 grams of Rooibos
• 10 grams of cinnamon sticks (around 5 sticks)
• 10 grams of cardamom pods
• 5 grams of dry ginger
• 5 grams of fennel seeds
• 5 grams of cloves
• 5 grams of black peppercorns

Then, all you need to do is place everything, apart from the tea, in a mortar and pestle and gently grind all the ingredients into smaller bits. If you prefer a powder mix you can grind it all into a fine powder instead, but I like to see all the bits and pieces. Then, mix it all up with the black tea and the rooibos and place in a nice jar that will keep everything dry.

Tea Bag Cookies

To go along with my Chai, and to feed all the cookie monsters in my family, I thought I'd try this idea I've been seeing on Pinterest for years, cookies in the shape of a tea bag, which fits perfectly with the tea obsessed family I come from. I decided to go with shortbread because, ever since I started baking Jammy Dodger's for my boyfriend's birthday, I've fallen in love with them, but I feel as though my gingerbread cookies would be a good option too, you can find the recipe here.

For the shortbread you'll need:

• 250 grams softened unsalted butter (I use lactose free one and it works perfectly)
• 120 grams icing sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 350 grams plain flour
• 20 grams cornflour

Beat the butter and icing sugar together until fluffy and pale, which should take around 3 minutes. Add the yolk and beat to combine. 

Wrapping

If you're wondering how to wrap all this, my new favourite way to wrap is by using the furoshiki method, which I've mentioned before. There are quite a few ways to do this, and you can find a very helpful article about it here, but if you don't know what it is, furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping technique, based on the philosophy of reusing something simple, a cloth, and use it in different ways. I use this method everyday to wrap pieces of fruit when I'm in class, but there are many other different uses.