Can Christmas be a sustainable celebration?

Christmas time is an opportunity to think of the significance of this celebration, before you head out into the shops or automatically order online. The profusion of commercial offers is certainly not in the spirit of Christmas and it would be better to go back to the values that originally presided over this year-end period. In addition, it is important to take into account the ecological aspect of Christmas excess, when it is possible to consume better, without depriving yourself.

The evolution of the meaning of Christmas

Christmas in the beginning is a Christian holiday which celebrates the birth of Jesus. Whether you are a believer or not, this date is at the origin of our Western civilization and marks the beginning of our calendar.

Over time, this religious holiday has become family. It is the privileged moment at the end of the year to come together, of all generations. It allows you to see family members who live far away and to forge common memories.

During the twentieth century, the place of the child became more and more important in the celebration of Christmas and the holiday became more "commercial". While at the beginning of the century, children were told that little Jesus had brought them a present (only one!) During the night, the task was then assigned to Santa Claus who arrived with his sleigh pulled by reindeer, carrying his basket overflowing with presents.

Christmas is also a cultural celebration. It persists in our traditions, with its folklore and customs, which contributes to the unity of our nation. It should not be erased for ideological reasons, but on the contrary safeguarded to preserve its magic and values.

The magic and values of Christmas

LThe Christmas decorations and lights, as well as the tree and the crib are the essentials that contribute to the magic of the holiday. The "Christmas spirit" that we are used to talking about has no precise definition, because each family accommodates it to their liking, but it is always a question of solidarity, sharing and generosity.

We also talk about a Christmas truce, a period during which everyone puts aside their resentments and quarrels, and offers their best profile to have a good time, in a serene atmosphere.

It is important to transmit these values to children who live in a partially digitalized world, in which it is not uncommon to insult or pillory someone who makes the mistake of standing out from others or of not thinking like everybody. Christmas is the time, or never, to broach the subject of tolerance and respect for others.

The usefulness ot not of COPs

The COP 26 which just ended in Glasgow did not end as such a success. This large gathering of delegations from all over the world knows only too well the conditionality: it would be necessary, it would be, perhaps ... To finally conclude that it will not be possible for them to meet the commitments.

Some large countries are not even moving anymore. In Glasgow, the seats reserved for Russia, China and Brazil remained hopelessly empty. Talking about global ecology without China, among others, makes no sense.

Faced with these half-measures, it is up to citizens to make individual decisions and put them into action to preserve our planet. Our consciousness and our ambitions diverge; some people experience this as deprivation, as frustration, while rethinking consumption is to instill a necessary impetus for our survival.

Rethink your consumption

The commercial drift of the consumer society is quite recent. One need only go back to the 1960s and 1970s to see that people lived much more soberly, without giving up on having a good time.

Eco-responsibility is not synonymous with deprivation but consists in avoiding overabundance and focusing on quality to really enjoy yourself.

Buying pleasure, but not buying for the sake of buying

We should not live under the guise of total abstinence, decline, or go back to times when comfort was only an option. It's just a matter of making sense of your purchases and reasoning with yourself.

Rather than buying unnecessary trinkets that quickly end up in a drawer or the trash, it's much more fun and satisfying to set aside your budget for quality items that will enchant you, while also bringing you benefits.

Let's make our local producers work

Our country is highly deindustrialised and many goods are no longer manufactured there. On the other hand, it is easy to find producers there for everything related to food.

Christmas is often synonymous with big meals which are the occasion to taste products such as oysters, seafood or poultry. You will find in France producers of the best quality who will garnish your table and delight you. As for the side vegetables, you are spoiled for choice.

It is not tolerable to bring in from Latin America, for example, meats which undergo chemical treatment and which come from animals raised in conditions that we would not endure at home. Saving a few cents does not justify impoverishing our country, while intoxicating us. We can also mention honey from China (in cargo) which does not contain a single molecule from bees, but is only synthetic molasses.

Ethical manufacturing and packaging

Manufactured products must also meet certain standards. The consumer has the power of boycott which he can use to punish the methods that do not satisfy him.

The use of chemicals must be reasoned. This concerns more particularly cosmetics which for some are exclusively composed of chemical derivatives. These products are harmful to the environment, but also to you.

As for packaging, the most exemplary companies deserve to be rewarded for their efforts. For example, today there are virtuous packaging, using expansive cotton wool, composed of recycled textile fibers to fill the voids in the package, made in local, 100% recycled and recyclable.

Druide boxes

For the Christmas holidays, Druide offers three boxes containing essential skin care products:

Druide can claim to have been an environmentalist even before environmental issues arose in public opinion. Its products were born in the village of Racine, in 1979, in the Quebec Appalachians.

The name of this small town seems predestined, because Druide only uses natural plants, and never substitutes from the petrochemical industry.

Druide's partner producers and its designers have a mission for Man, Nature and the Environment. You will not find products tested on animals and the cultivation of plants respects nature.

Druide takes care of its service right down to the design of its packaging, which is as sober as possible, as well as its packages; guaranteed recycled and recyclable.

So happy holidays to all!

Without deprivation but making the sure choice to fight against waste and to consume reasonably with respectful products for the earth, people and their working conditions and for animals.