Sustainable footwear that last over time

Winter boots

I’ve stayed away from the January sales as part of my aim this year to not shop much. But I’ve got a list (within my conscious consumption guide for 2019) of things I want to add to my wardrobe so I keep an eye for these things and the aim is to stick to the list and avoid impulse purchases.

Winter boots have been on the list since last winter (or actually pretty much since I returned to Sweden and realised I needed to update my footwear to survive the cold Swedish winters). As per my guide to consume consciously (and less), I’ve been looking for a well-made, quality shoe in a classic design that would last over time, rather than a ‘trendy’ one that wouldn’t. Also, as per my guide, I’ve looked for second hand options but haven’t been successful (not my size, not the right fit, not classic enough, too worn etc).

So when these classic brown boots from Swedish brand Kavat popped up in the Adisgladis sale, I went for it as I felt it was a good sustainable footwear match.

sustainable footwear

The boots have been consciously made without chemicals and Kavat is a brand with good sustainability, social and environmental credentials. Sustainable footwear and good quality shoes that can last a life-time is what the company aims for includes good tips on how to look after your shoes on its website. So I’ll look after them well and hopefully won’t have to buy another pair of winter boots for a very long time.

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Saying hello to the year of JOMO

JOMO slow living

An increasing number of spottings of the word / acronym / concept of JOMO is hopefully not just a trend. But a sign of a new time. A time where we’re less stressed about chasing the latest hype or doing more than our wallet and health can afford.

If you’re new to the concept, JOMO is short for Joy Of Missing Out. A response to the popular hashtag of recent years, FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). FOMO has represented the activity filled era of mass consumption we’ve been in for quite some time as it reflects the stress many of us feel of always wanting to be on trend. Having the latest fashion, the latest phone. Going to the most hip bars and restaurants. Hitting the latest food and health trends.

FOMO has also been walking hand in hand with YOLO (You Only Live Once). The concept of doing things, taking a chance, being adventurous – because you only live once and time may be running out.

Inspiring or stressful?

FOMO is to most probably only stressful. But I do understand the sentiment behind YOLO. Because I do believe that we only live once so we shouldn’t hesitate on doing things, because who knows if we’ll have time to do them later. But to use that as an excuse to force ourselves to do things sort of defeats the purpose. Because surely, if we’re only doing things, or buying things, because we think we should, then when will we appreciate them? Shouldn’t our highest possible level of appreciation be our key motivation, especially as we only live once and we don’t know how long we’ll get to stay in this life?

Changing ways

JOMO is popping up as a response to this stress of feeling like you need to be doing everything, now. That there is no time to wait, and subsequently, not much time to look forward to something.

But isn’t the wait, the longing for something, the excitement of planning and looking forward to something, half the joy?

Winter wonderland

JOMO is the joy of missing out, completely or at the moment. Because not jumping on every trend immediately, doesn’t mean we don’t get to experience. It may just mean we get a chance to save up some money, to get excited about what’s to come, or maybe to think it over and realise it isn’t actually something we want and that we’re better off without it.

A time of slower living

I’m hoping JOMO won’t just be a 2019 trend. Despite the title of this post, I’m hoping it’s not just the year of JOMO, but the era of JOMO that’s ahead of us.

Where we can appreciate what we have, understand what we like, explore what we want, and take the time to take it slow.

This is probably easier with age. I don’t feel I have to be everywhere all the time, and I also don’t have the same energy to be. I’m more comfortable with what I enjoy doing and I don’t feel the urge to try all the latest trends.

Accepting the joy of missing out is a different kind of adventure. It’s potentially not the bungy-jumping, fast and furious kind of adventure, but it’s one of inner adventure. Where you learn to ignore trends and instead listen to what you like, and what you want.

Some may argue that slow and green living is also just a trend, but even if it is, I believe it’s one that can transfer into something more long-lasting. A way of living, more joyfully, over time.

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A plan to consume less and more consciously in 2019

interior design

One of my key goals for the new year is to consume less. Especially when it comes to consuming stuff / things / clothes. Both as an effort to live more environmentally friendly as well as to save money and spend it more wisely.

Over the last few years, I’ve become much more conscious of what I do buy and shopping for the sake of it doesn’t give me much pleasure any more. Buying fast fashion or something else that doesn’t feel sustainable makes me too uncomfortable.

2018 was ok from a conscious consumption perspective, but as we were decorating the flat and settling in to life in Stockholm, we did buy quite a lot of stuff. A lot of it was second hand but still.

Auditing and clearing out

To consume less, in general, I believe that being clear with what you have, and therefore may need, is key. Starting with a home clear-out or a wardrobe audit helps you with this, and will give you the answers you need to be able to set up a plan for the new year. What do you not need any more? What do you feel is missing from your home / wardrobe / life? Are you doing anything in particular in 2019 where you need specific equipment (like travels, sports or DIY)?

Once you have these answers you can start listing things you will need (or really, really want) during the year and this will be your shopping list during 2019. Your main challenge will then be to stick to it, but it will help you to get an overview of what you’re aiming to consume and to avoid impulse purchases or unnecessary things that you just end up buying because there’s a sale on.

To make your 2019 consumption more sustainable and with an added conscious layer, you can also set up guidance as to what kind of purchases you can make. Maybe you only buy second hand items this year. Or you avoid plastic. Or maybe you focus on investment pieces of high quality that you know will last a long time. The more rules the better, but try to ensure they’re also realistic, so that they don’t feel like too much work. Taking small steps and making changes that fit with your own living situation, rather than trying to do too much at once, is usually a better way to create a conscious lifestyle that lasts.

My shopping guide this year

The general idea with 2019 is to shop less and save more money. This also means being more conscious of how I consume (bring lunch box to work etc), and ensure I’m spending my money on the right things. I’ve set up the following goals for the upcoming year:

Buy second hand. If I need anything new, especially clothes and interior design, I will aim to buy second hand.

Buy sustainable options. Where I can’t find a good second hand option, I will go for a sustainable, long-lasting option of good environmentally-friendly quality. Ideally from a small, ethical, independent shop as I want to support those who are doing something different to change the way we consume and to change how we look at economic growth.

Support craftsmanship. As I explore slow living and conscious consumption, buying things that have taken time and creativity is increasingly important to me. Things that have been created by hand, by someone who has worked under good conditions and who has created something I can treasure for a long time. I’m happy with how the flat is looking at the moment but I would like to have more art. Paintings or beautiful ceramics. And I will focus on local artists.

Fashion purchasing list. I did a wardrobe audit in the autumn where I identified my likes and dislikes. And I also identified pieces I feel my wardrobe is missing. So I created a list and this is the list I will continue to stick to. It includes: winter boots; blouses in colours/patterns; navy suit trousers/chinos; checked/tartan suit trousers; non-slim jeans, high-waist, straight legs; long-sleeved fitted jumpers (not boring, basic ones but ones with a slightly more luxurious feel); knitted jumpers that are appropriate to wear over shirts at work during winter; a floaty, patterned midi dress that I can wear at work all year (with layers underneath during winter); kimono or casual blazer; fancy shorts that are appropriate for work during summer months.

Homeware purchasing list. We’re pretty much done decorating the flat but some things are still missing and I’m aiming to stick to this ‘wish list’ during the year (but if I don’t find things I like then I’ll just keep the list for next year): art; large basket for the bedroom; armchairs; small lamp(s) for window(s); kitchenware; curtains (to keep my boyfriend happy as he’s not happy with our curtain-less windows).

Beauty purchasing list. I’m currently working on decreasing what I have and my aim is to only have a small number of products that I like and use. These should ideally be organic, natural products made in Sweden or nearby if possible. I will buy to replace things I’ve used up but will decrease the number of products.

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Setting goals rather than rules for the new year

year planner

A new year means different things to all of us. Some may feel that time moves too quickly and some see it as the most inspiring moment to start over. However you feel about it, reflecting on the year that’s passed as a means to look forward to the next one, is most definitely a good thing if you focus on the positive bits. You may have learnt from things that didn’t go very well, but don’t dwell on the past. Remember the highlights and start building from there.

To me, a new year usually brings excitement about what’s to come. I love start filling in a new diary, and I like the idea of being able to set a theme for the year. Whether that’s for the new year to be the year of change, the year of fun, the year of calming down and doing less, or the year of just being you.

My 2018 reflections have given me quite a clear plan on where I want to go in 2019 and I’m setting up goals rather than resolutions. Not rules that I must follow to avoid punishment, but ideas for how to make 2019 bigger and better than 2018.

Because 2018 has been a good year, and one of settling in and trying to figure out what I’m doing following big changes in 2017. It was about settling in to the new flat, my job, and Sweden. And about developing my conscious journey. I now feel quite clear on where I’m going and 2018’s climate reports gave us clear indications on what we need to be doing on a global scale. I’m hoping that 2019 will be the year of action and stepping up with what was started in 2018, not just for me personally, but worldwide.

Guidance, not rules

In this increasingly polarised world I’m often struggling with the unnecessary anger and complaining people are throwing at each other. Social media most definitely has a role in this as it’s so much easier to just throw a comment out there rather than standing up for it by speaking to someone in real life. And this often leads to criticism rather than encouragement. Accusing someone of doing something bad rather than celebrating something good.

New Year’s resolutions or whatever you want to call them should stem from the positive. Not focusing on the bad you may be doing or setting strict rules. But being used to guide you to be even better and encourage you to continue the things that make you happy. Not feeling guilty about not being perfect but being happy with the steps you are taking on your own journey.

Goals for a better me and a better planet

I feel I made some good progress on my conscious journey last year and I want to continue building on this over the next year. To be more mindful of how my actions affect the environment as well as my own happiness. As a guide, I’ve listed a few things I want to focus on in 2019.

Consume less. I bought way less during the second half of 2018 than the first half (mainly because of us decorating the flat over the first few months) and I want to continue this. Only buying things I definitely need, or if something needs replacing. I read somewhere that 2019 should be less about recycling and more about reducing and I definitely agree.

Consume consciously. When buying anything, I will aim to buy second hand if possible and if not, then another sustainable option, ideally from a small, independent shop. During one of last year’s wardrobe audits I created a list of things I feel my wardrobe is missing and I will stick to this list if buying anything. And I have started on a similar list for things other than clothes to ensure I only buy things I actually need or feel I need to add to the flat – like more art for example – rather than impulse buying unnecessary things. If it’s not on the list, I don’t buy it.

Plan outfits. This was a goal for 2018 but I failed. Barely planned a single outfit all year. So I’m giving myself another chance. To save time in the mornings but mainly to avoid only wearing whatever I find first and instead get excited about the clothes I have. Be more creative and do more fun style challenges to make the most of my wardrobe (and to avoid feeling like I need to buy new things). This also includes continuing to looking after my clothes and using the steamer I got as a Christmas present to prepare clothes to be worn.

Be money-wise. As I plan to buy less stuff, my aim is to use my money more wisely and to save more and invest in good things. There are some really interesting investment initiatives like Trine (solar) and Agrikaab (small-scale farming) where no huge investments are needed so good for us with only a tiny bit of money we can invest (but a will to do something good in the world on a small budget).

Self care. This is also related to money as I’m hoping to (when shopping less) be able to spend more on things that make me happy, like going out for a nice meal or enjoying some culture, or having semi-regular massages. But it’s also about those things that don’t require any money at all, like outdoor walks, taking a bath, or relaxing at home with a book. Which leads to my next point…

Decrease screen time. I started thinking about this quite a bit in 2018 as my boyfriend and I are both terrible at shutting off the laptop to stop working or leaving the phone in the evening. But I will work much harder on this in 2019. Leaving the phone on a shelf in our hallway in the evenings, having digital detox weekends (ideally once a month), and increasing screen-free activities. More exercise, more walks, and be more creative with screen-less activities at home rather than reverting to a screen.

Read and learn. With less screen time I’m hoping to be able to read more books, especially to continue learning more about things I’m interested in. Like sustainability, anthropology, slow living. One practical (and sustainable and money-saving) step will be to join the library so that I can borrow rather than buy books. I will also explore more creative ways of learning, like joining a study group.

Write more. I love writing and always have but this year I want to make a conscious effort of making more of my writing. Creative writing, opinionated writing. I don’t have a definite plan for this but a first step will be to explore journalling.

Vegetarian cooking. I’ve mainly been eating vegetarian food for years now but I want to be more creative with what I cook and eat. Getting better at cooking from new recipes, and also making extra food so I can bring a lunch box in to work the next day. Trying more vegan options is also an aim for this year. As is getting better at knowing what vegetables are in season. And to make more use of food waste innovations like Karma and Matsmart that help you get hold of food that would otherwise go to waste.

I feel positive about the new year and I’m excited about continuing with the above as well as exploring new ways of living more consciously. What will you be doing in 2019?

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Looking back at a year of slower living

end of year

I knew that 2018 would be a year of figuring things out. I had made some huge changes in 2017 moving back to Sweden after 13 years in London so 2018 was going to have to be a year of settling in. Finding my place. Trying to figure things out. I set myself a few New Year’s resolutions and I’ve done ok with achieving them.

I’ve most definitely progressed on my conscious journey, especially in the sense where I’ve moved towards it being more about slow living and appreciating what I have, rather than consumption (even if it’s sustainable and ethical). I’ve moved towards buying less and had at least one month when I didn’t buy anything. And I’ve bought more second hand than ever before – both clothes and things for the home. But as I spent at least the first five months of the year decorating the flat, I did buy quite a few things so hopefully, now when we’re happy with how our home is looking, we won’t need to buy much more for the flat and can decrease consumption significantly in 2019.

A slow fashion challenge

Over the year I’ve been (mostly) following Swedish slow fashion blogger Johanna Nilsson’s Slow Fashion Challenge. I’ve done various wardrobe audits, have reviewed my likes and dislikes, and have explored clothes care and sustainable fabrics. And I’ve mainly bought second hand clothing. All in all, I’ve followed the goals I set myself at the beginning of the challenge and am aiming to continue on this path but buying even less. One aspect of this will be to continue making the most of what I have. I did a maximised (non)-capsule wardrobe challenge in September and a super fun style challenge in October – both all about being creative with what you have and getting excited about the things you may have forgotten about at the back of your wardrobe.

A more conscious way of living

2018 has also been the year when I’ve increased my efforts of living a more conscious lifestyle. But it’s also been the year when I’ve had to compromise and consider someone else in a different way as it’s been my first full year of living with a partner. I’ve won some fights but have also had to respect that I can’t force someone else to be making the exact same changes that I’m making to my own life. I’m on my own conscious journey but I’m also on a joint one with my partner where we’re having to find things that work for us both.

In terms of lifestyle changes I’m moving towards eating more vegan food. I’ve been eating a lot of vegetarian food for a long time but this year, I’ve made a conscious effort of also eating vegan food. This has been helped immensely by the fact that there’s a vegan restaurant in the building where I work so when I haven’t brought lunch in, I’ve often opted for something vegan from there. And I want to continue eating more vegan food, as an effort to save the planet as well as my wallet.

I’ve also opted for train or ferry travel instead of domestic flights on most trips within Sweden this year and had some beautiful holidays on the island of Gotland and on the High Coast. I’m aiming to continue travel by train in 2019. Decreasing international flights has been much harder as most of my friends don’t live in the same country as me and my boyfriend’s favourite hobby is to travel to countries far away he hasn’t been to yet. Making our travels more sustainable is therefore something we’ll continue working on.

The small and the big

It’s been a year of settling in. Getting to know myself in this new place, new job, new life. And getting to know what’s around me. Through my work I’ve been more involved and interested in ethical and sustainable business and I will continue learning and writing on this topic, both from a business perspective as well as a consumer perspective. I’ve been getting to know the Swedish sustainability scene more – who does what, what magazines and website are there, what innovative companies and brands are there, what inspiring writers and bloggers are there. I’m slowly learning about Sweden again and am looking forward to continue learning.

At the same time, I’m also trying to keep my foot in the global world. There are a lot of exciting initiatives happening in Sweden when it comes to sustainability, but we also consume as if we had four planets and the latest right-wing budget in Parliament includes huge cuts to environmental efforts. So the climate fight continues here as well as globally. Because small national efforts can encourage change but huge global efforts are needed for true change.

Figuring out my own role in this will continue in 2019. I learned about the concept of Ikigai this year, exploring the intersection of what you’re good at and what you love doing as a means to find the meaning of life. And to find happiness, which is something I believe we need more of in this world that’s becoming more polarised each day.

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6 books I’ve enjoyed in 2018

Books

A year of great and interesting learnings. A year of worrying politics and fake news. But a year of insights that will most definitely lead to action, as a momentum is building around a more conscious and sustainable way of living. These insights have come from the news, from individuals and people on Instagram, and from books.

When it comes to films and TV series I’m definitely someone who prefers documentaries or something ‘based on a true story’. This is also true for the books I read. I read fiction every now and then, but I’m increasingly reading more non-fiction and I guess it comes down to me always wanting to learn something new and I get greater satisfaction in this sense from interesting non-fiction than fiction.

2018’s reading list

I’ve read fairly different kinds of books this year but the ones I’ve enjoyed the most have been related to something I’ve experienced during the year, or something I’ve been doing with work, or something I’ve become more interested in over the year. I’ve mixed Swedish and English this year, but some of the books I’ve read in Swedish were originally written in English.

Böcker

The hare with amber eyes (Swedish: Haren med bärnstensögon) – Edmund de Waal

Written by artist de Waal about the collection of miniature sculptures that has been in his family for over a century. The book is also a very moving family history about a wealthy Jewish dynasty that lost everything during the Second World War and these family tragedies are so important to remember. To remember how badly people have been treated over time and to not let it continue. ‘The hare with amber eyes’ is also a story of treasuring the things we keep over time and pass down through generations. Making them last, letting them tell a story of family, hardship, art and dedication.

Ikigai – Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles

I hadn’t heard about the concept of Ikigai before but as I was researching slow living and doing things that make you happy, it came up. I was intrigued right away so felt like I had to buy it right away to find out more. Ikigai is a Japanese concept that’s about ‘the happiness of being busy’ and about finding the intersection of what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing. It’s a great read for anyone wanting to take their career to the next level, doing something meaningful, but it’s also been a useful read as part of my conscious journey. An exploration of slow living, doing things you enjoy and that make you happy.

Alla människors lika värde – Göran Burén 

As part of my job this year I’ve been working with conflict transformation and with social entrepreneurs working in conflict areas. One such entrepreneur was a truly inspiring young woman from Gaza who is trying to run businesses and re-build a society that’s still in the middle of a conflict. Through her I got to see first hand how hard people are working to create change but how difficult it is. It is of course a very complicated conflict but reading about it helps us, if not to understand it, then at least to understand how complex it is. This book went way back through the conflict, and from a Swedish perspective it’s looking at how difficult it is to follow something like this from afar and to ‘take sides’. These conflicts may not be directly taking place in our own countries but they affect all of us. Through politics or people and through the stories of families and friends.

Books

Stay with me (Swedish: Stanna hos mig) – Ayobami Adebayo

I went to Nigeria in the beginning of the year and it was a trip that really made an impression on me. So many people with great entrepreneurial ideas and a passion to create social change but a lot of struggles and hardship. 200 million people trying to survive poverty and a culture that’s not always working in their favour. This book touches on the, in our eyes potentially, old-fashioned family traditions affecting gender stereotypes and roles. It’s a very moving story of a young woman struggling to get pregnant with her husband, which means, in her community and family, she’s not seen as a real woman. I found it really interesting, both from a Nigerian culture perspective as well as from the perspective of womanhood. What does it mean, what’s expected of us and what does it do to us and those around us.

Factfulness – Hans Rosling with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund

In the prime time of fake news, filter bubbles and polarisation, this is of course a very important book. And it’s indeed a very informative read. Writing it was the last thing Hans Rosling did before he sadly passed away in February 2017, and after a lifetime dedicated to science, and in recent years statistics through Gapminder, he saw it as an important mission to share his learnings in this book. Throughout the various chapters he shows us how the world has developed and that it’s not as bad as many call it out to be. Less people are dying from diseases and more people are able to live decent lives. I don’t necessarily believe in simplifying things too much, especially not when it comes to climate change because I see it as a huge threat, but to meet our challenges and find realistic solutions we also need to be clear with facts and take a holistic approach. I also can’t help questioning the complex aspects of ‘the world is getting better’. Yes it’s of course better that less people are living in extreme poverty, but the growth of the middle class is a different issue. What does a better living standard do to us? Does it make us happier or are we also seeing an increase in mental health issues? And what does it do to our planet? We know that well-developed countries like Sweden are consuming as if we had several Planet Earth to use, so for an increasing amount of people to start living like this, we’d see increased issues for the planet. These are very difficult questions, and we don’t get any answers in Rosling’s book but reading it gives us a good ground to stand on, to then continue discussing these issues, and hopefully find sustainable solutions.

Vi är vad vi köper (Eng. translation: We are what we buy) – Jacob Östberg and Katarina Graffman

As I’ve been travelling down this path of conscious consumption and slow living, I’ve been getting more and more interested in the culture around consumption. Not just about how much we buy, but how we buy and how we can change the way we consume, in order to save the planet. In 2018, I’ve been reading a fair bit on the topic and this book was a great read to explore what affects our consumption patterns. The book explores how our peers and location affect our consumption. How our things define who we are, but also how, by owning a certain thing, we can act in a certain way. It was also an interesting read in terms of conscious consumption and what will make us shift into a more sustainable way of consuming. I’m aiming to read more on this topic in 2019 to explore further what we as people, and I, as someone who writes on the topic, can do to make it in to an even bigger movement. So if you’ve got any tips on other books I should be reading then please do send them my way!

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A Christmas tour of my home

Christmas stars

As most of you will know by now, I’m not much for the commercialised aspects of Christmas (or any other holiday for that matter). But I do love the Christmas spirit, the candles, the good food and treats you can eat with family and friends. And I like the idea of, this one time every year, bringing out your treasure box of Christmas decorations and decorate your home in the name of holiday joy.

I used to love it during my childhood but during my years in London I didn’t actually decorate much. I always lived in flat shares, I was never at home much, and I would always travel to Sweden for Christmas. So I wouldn’t spend much money or time on it, apart from some extra candles and a few minor decorations I’d collected or been given.

Midcentury Christmas lights

Moving to Sweden last year and spending my first December in my own home actually meant quite a lot to me. It meant I could start building something new together with my partner, but it also meant we had to start from scratch in terms of Christmas decorations. Although my mum gave me some stuff from my childhood, like a star lamp for the kitchen window and some wooden Santa creatures I made in primary school.

A Christmas style

When it comes to decorations, there are obviously many different styles to choose from but to keep it simple and avoid trends and consumption, finding your own Christmas style is key. For me, as with my interior design style in general, there’s a bit of midcentury, a bit of craftsmanship, a bit of Scandinavian simplicity, and a bit of fun. It’s rather old-fashioned but I don’t mind a bit of kitsch here and there.

Angel candle holder

It’s only my second Christmas in a home of my own, so I’m taking it slowly. I haven’t bought loads of stuff and I want to continue developing my Christmas style over time. Only buying things I really like and that can be added to my Christmas collection that I bring out each year, rather than following new trends every year.

My small but growing Christmas collection

I’ve mainly bought second hand and vintage stuff, and some new electric lights. The colour scheme is mainly red, brass and gold but with a few more colourful additions. Christmas is mainly about lights and candles for me though, so I’m mainly just using the candle holders I use all year but I might put green candles in some of them, and of course make a point of lighting them more often than I would other times of the year. And I try to bring in natural materials, like flowers, or Christmassy table cloths (most of them I’ve found at my grandparents’).

Christmas decorations

I wasn’t able to find an advent candle holder (for four candles that you light each Sunday before Christmas) that I liked last year so I made one, but this year I bought one second hand – a vintage brass one with a bit of a different look to the more traditional ones you find with hearts or stars.

Advent candle holder

For last year’s candle holder that I made I used some tiny baubles but I didn’t use them this year and as we don’t have a tree I wasn’t sure if to use them this year, but then decided to hang them on the side of our book shelves – a way to be creative with what you have instead of buying something new.

Mini baubles

We got slightly carried away buying some indoor lights that were a bit much together with the rest of our mainly second hand, midcentury lighting, but decided they would make the entrance a bit more fun – and the wallpaper is crazy enough to sort of swallow some of the craziness of the lights.

Indoor lights

Not loads of decorations but enough to make it feel a bit Christmassy, to add a bit of fun, and to bring in light, lots of light into the flat this very dark time of the year.

 

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A conscious edit: Christmas decorations

Christmas decorations

Traditional, kitsch, natural, colourful, old-fashioned, or mystical. Christmas decorations are usually rather different depending on whose house you’re at. And they tend to be quite a mismatch of styles because of the fact that some have been around since our childhood (or maybe even our parents’ childhood), and some are brand new. They also tend to vary because of the fact that we’re encouraged to buy new ones each year depending on whatever the Christmas decorations trend is. And we often do.

But surely, once we’ve bought some decorations, we can just bring them out each year, we don’t always have to buy new ones?

It seems that it’s not always that easy. Buying something new gives us that joy and thrill and as we’re in the middle of the big season of commercialised holidays, it’s easy to get sucked in. To the latest trends, to create that gorgeous holiday atmosphere we saw in the ad for the Christmas party we’re hosting in a couple of weeks.

Conscious decorations

There are more conscious ways of doing this though. Firstly, as with fashion and interior design, try to ignore the annual trends and find your Christmas style. Find what you like when it comes to Christmas decorations and stick to it over time. Maybe buy one item each Christmas that adds to your collection of decorations and over time you’ll have this treasure box that you get to bring out each year and dress your home. A collection of things that mean something and that you’ll be happy to bring out every year.

When you do buy something, try to find it second hand, in a charity shop, a flea market or on a site like eBay. Buying second hand isn’t just better for the planet but when it comes to Christmas decorations it can definitely be preferred in terms of quality as old, classic items are more likely to last over time than newer, plastic ones. If you do buy something new, look for something of good quality that’s been made by hand – Christmas markets are usually good for locally produced craftsmanship.

Handmade Christmas decorations

Making your own

Another way of adding to your collection is of course by making something yourself. Homemade decorations add a bit of fun to a home at Christmas and are a good way of bringing in natural materials. Like citrus or popcorn garlands, or my most recent favourite feature – the fabric wrapped Christmas present.

Making your own decorations is also a perfect reason to get some friends together and get into the Christmas spirit. Gather some friends, drink some mulled wine, eat some gingerbread cookies with blue cheese on, and bring whatever colourful paper and string you all have and get creative! Here are a few articles from other sites with tips on DIY decorations:

5 easy and ethical decorations to make

45+ DIY Christmas decorations that are a joy to make

32 homemade eco-friendly Christmas decorations that look stunning

 

 

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Less Christmas stress and more holiday joy

Christmas

It’s that time of the year again. Filled with joy and cosy gatherings of friends and family, parties, loads of good food and all those things that come with Christmas.

But Christmas is also filled with stress and anxiety for many because of pressure to be cheerful all the time, to buy loads of things you can’t afford and to be the perfect host or hostess at said family gatherings. Some don’t celebrate it, and of course, for many, Christmas is an awful time of the year because of problems in the family, not enough money in the bank account, or for reasons like loneliness.

Money matters but my wish this holiday, and all other years, is that the spirit of Christmas and the joy it brings, isn’t brought by money and consumption. That it’s brought through candlelight, carols, arts and crafts, spending time with the people you love, or people you don’t know who may be spending the holidays on their own (google charities that you can donate to or donate your time as a volunteer at local community centres that will often host Christmas gatherings for those in need).

To buy or not to buy?

As I mentioned in my previous post on the commercialisation of the holiday season, Christmas is to many and most about consumption. Buying food, or ingredients to all those things you’re told you should be baking and making. Buying decorations to follow the latest trends in how to create the perfect Christmas atmosphere at home. And buying presents, a lot of presents to most people you know or barely know.

But why and for whom are we doing this? If your favourite thing in the world is to bake and Christmas baking gives you the most tremendous joy because it’s yummy and it means you can treat your friends to baked goods, then by all means, go ahead and make the most of it. But if we do it because we feel it’s expected of us but actually, it just stresses us out and make us wish for January to come quicker than we can say gingerbread, then maybe it’s not for us.

Decorating your home for Christmas may be a nice way to light up this dark time of the year, but if you feel stressed about buying new decorations because you feel the ones you have may not be very trendy anymore then try to think of them all as classics. They’re often a bit kitsch anyway so don’t take it too seriously – Christmas decorations trends come and go but the things you like are the ones that last. And if you’re not spending Christmas at home so don’t really see the point of spending time decorating, then don’t. There’s plenty of blinking lights and glittery baubles out there already.

Can we find other ways to treat our loved ones this Christmas?

When it comes to Christmas consumption, the presents we’re all buying each other are of course the big elephant in the room. Because we know, as people on this planet, we need to change the way we consume in order to save it. But yet, the US Christmas sales are predicted to surpass $1 trillion for the first time ever this Christmas. There’s an increasing amount of people in the world with increasing amounts of money, but surely that can’t be the only reason we’re seeing these numbers?

So, we’re reading the climate change reports, and we know consumption is a great source of worry, but we’re still shopping like never before.

Over the last few years, as I’ve been embracing a more conscious way of living and have been doing a lot more reading on consumption, I’ve not just come to question the amount of (unnecessary?) stuff we buy, but also the role of consumption in our society and in our relationships with other people. Because why is it that, to show someone we care, we buy them a load of stuff? What does that actually say about us, about them or about our relationship?

Maybe something completely different would actually show them how much they truly mean to us? Something we’ve made ourselves, or something that means we get to spend more time together, like the gift of going out for a nice meal together. Or maybe that thing we have in our home or in our wardrobe that we know they’ve always loved – maybe this Christmas, we wrap it up in a cloth or recycled newspaper, and give it to them as a present. Because once we start thinking about gifting as something different than the retail ads show us, we realise that not shopping that way is not really a sacrifice, and that actually, the possibilities are endless.

I’ll leave you with these words by journalist and author George Monbiot:

“Bake them a cake, write them a poem, give them a kiss, tell them a joke, but for god’s sake stop trashing the planet to tell someone you care. All it shows is that you don’t”

 

 

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The season of commercialised holidays is here

Church

As the autumn darkness hits us, we’re also hit by a stream of (I would argue) questionable and very much commercialised holidays. I remember the day when the Christmas gear-up started at the first of Advent, as shops in my town centre revealed the Christmas display in their shop windows. It was of course to encourage us to come inside to shop Christmas presents (and anything else) but it was done in quite an exciting and jolly way (at least for a Christmas loving kid like me). And it felt ok to start this four weeks ahead of Christmas.

But then came the change in retail strategy where Christmas promotion started earlier and earlier, with bigger campaigns and more ads. The back-lash was of course the annual outcry of a general public questioning why the Christmas craze was starting at an earlier date each year. However, I haven’t heard these complaints as much in recent years, not in England (where I was living since 2004) and not in Sweden (where I’ve been living since last year), and my take on it is that Christmas doesn’t come as early anymore because this lead-up time has been filled with a string of new retail occasions.

Take Halloween, that wasn’t even celebrated when I was a kid in Sweden but has just in my lifetime turned Sweden (and many other countries) into American replicas with trick or treating, fancy dress, a lot of sweets, and horror movie styled decorations. The decorations are really not my style so I would never let them enter my house, I don’t have kids, and I don’t like fancy dress, so it’s easy to see why Halloween wouldn’t be on my holidays-I-love list. Also, I much prefer the more traditional holiday of All Saints’ Day (that falls around the same time) where we remember the dead and where the only commercialised aspect would be the candle you buy to put on a loved one’s grave.

The pure consumption ‘holidays’

We’ve literally just come out the other side of Halloween and then we’re hit with a new retail star that is Singles’ Day. I hadn’t heard about this one before and initially thought it was a joke. That single people should, on 11/11, head out and shop to treat themselves because they’re single. I’m of course not against single people, or anyone else for that matter, treating themselves, but why is it that consumption is always seen as the answer to any troubles and by ‘treating ourselves’ we mean ‘buy something’?

Singles’ Day is apparently a Chinese initiative but reached Sweden this year and there were definitely some retailers taking advantage of this by offering discounts and deals. However, the big retail holiday is of course Black Friday that’s coming up later this month. And even though we’re seeing an increase in initiatives against Black Friday and its consumption hype, the Black Friday sales seem to increase and every year is a record-breaking year.

There is of course another layer of complexity on these sales, because for everyone with less money in the bank, they’re rather welcomed and present an opportunity to buy those things you’ve been meaning to buy but just haven’t been able to afford. And from a slow fashion, or conscious consumption, perspective, if there’s something you’ve set your eyes on, that you’ve been trying on and that you’ve been wanting to buy for a long time, then saving some dollars by buying it with a discount wouldn’t be the worst thing.

So what is the real issue here?

The problem is when the campaigns, deals and discounts encourage us to buy all those extra things we don’t actually need.

To put the growth of Black Friday in perspective, we should also consider that Overshoot Day – the day when we’ve used up the planet’s resources for the year – takes place earlier every year. This year it fell as early as on 1 August.

Nationalmuseum

We’ve got the facts about climate change now. We know we need to change, all of us, and one of the most straightforward ways to do so, is to change our consumption patterns. So maybe this holiday season is when we start doing things differently? When we don’t explore all the Black Friday deals just to see what else we could buy. Maybe it’s the season when we look at some of the other initiatives instead, like White Monday that’s growing here in Sweden, where we’re encouraged to buy second hand or use repair services to fix some of our broken items instead of buying new.

Last Sunday wasn’t just Singles’ Day in Sweden, it was also Father’s Day, and we’re told by ads and campaigns that we should show our love and appreciation to our fathers by buying them something. But what if we start questioning this and realise that actually, what our Dad probably really wants is to hang out and spend some time together. That’s what my sister and I did – we took our Dad out to the newly renovated Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and then we had a nice lunch together.

And when we come closer to Christmas, maybe we don’t buy any new decorations this year and instead make the most of the stuff we already have? And maybe we encourage our families to buy less presents, or none at all and instead we treat our loved ones with experiences like a nice meal at a restaurant, a spa visit or a show at a theatre?

 

 

 

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