Thanksgiving marks the beginning of a holiday season full of family, friends, and food. But it’s also the beginning of an enormous consumer spending season. Black Friday sales are renowned for amazing deals on everything from TVs to home improvement tools. It’s easy to get caught up in a lot of habits that generate a lot of packaging and strain your finances. Decide carefully if the financial savings are worth it for something you may never use. Better yet, try incorporating these low-waste traditions to make the season more about reuse.
Four traditions to make Thanksgiving more about reuse, and less about consumption
Family or group clothing and toy swaps
Did grandma give your kids cute clothing that they quickly outgrew? Did someone in your family receive a board game that was fun when the kids were younger, but now only collects dust? Family gatherings like Thanksgiving can be a great time to arrange clothing and toy swaps that can keep items out of the trash and extend their useful life.
These swaps can be extra rewarding for the original gift giver, seeing someone new enjoy a gift that already brought fun and enjoyment to the original recipient. This can also create an opportunity for nostalgia and valuable storytelling. Discussing the thought and care that originally went into a gift helps keep them out of the trash or the back of your closet.
Appreciate past gifts and cherished items
At this time of year, it’s easy to focus on all the gifts you might soon receive. Instead, make Thanksgiving a time to be grateful for everything you have and love. When gathering with family and friends, take a moment to give thanks for past gifts and cherished heirlooms or other beloved items. Give special consideration to items that have been in your family for generations or have been hand-crafted with care. These items can make for great conversation. Making a conscious effort to remember what we already have and reminding ourselves why we like those items can take our minds away from all of the doorbuster deals and slashed prices.
Establish gift-giving guidelines
With the gift-buying season ramping up, Thanksgiving can be the perfect time to establish guidelines and agreements for gift-giving. These guidelines can make the holiday season more fun and help prevent unused gifts. You could agree that all gifts will feature food. Or you could require that all gifts be gently used items. Gifts could be personal services offered by the gift-giver, like pet sitting or free childcare. Or you could give the gift of planned experiences like an outdoor adventure at a state park (November 29 is Free Park Day in Minnesota).
Repair or repurpose items with friends and family
It can be tempting to throw out old items rather than getting them repaired. The temptation can be especially strong around the holidays when sale prices are so extreme. That makes Thanksgiving the perfect time to talk about the value of preventing waste and opting to repair rather than replace. Do you have a relative who’s especially handy or crafty? Maybe they can help the children in your family repair broken items. Or you could plan a trip to a Fix-It Clinic and learn new repair skills together. The little ones in your family will always remember the holidays, so this tradition will ensure that they remember this valuable lesson as well.
Find an upcoming Fix-It Clinics near you.
Giving thanks and reducing waste is a perfect fit for the holiday season. Consider adding these tips to your family’s Thanksgiving to make reuse a tradition.