Merry Mindful Christmas
How to have an eco-friendly, mindful holiday season
With the holiday season upon us, we wanted to share some fun DIY ways you can bring some festive cheer into your home while being mindful and eco-friendly at the same time!
With many of us caring more about our well-being, the planet we live on, and also our pockets, here are a few ways you can have fun making gifts and treats with the family, while being kind to our planet and your finances too!
This year has been a challenging one for us all, so any chance to try something new, get creative, and have fun at home is needed for us all.
We hope you enjoy the tips below, and feel inspired to go and make your own Christmas a more eco and creative one!
Make your own Mulled Apple Juice
Why not try making your own mulled apple juice this year? It is fun to make, and can be enjoyed by the whole family. Follow this recipe from the BBC below then once you’ve made it, sit down together for some colouring, reading or even just a cuddle.
Ingredients:
1l apple juice
strips of orange peel
1 cinnamon stick , plus extra to garnish, if you like
3 cloves
sugar or honey, to taste
Method
Simmer the apple juice with the strips of orange peel, cinnamon stick and cloves for about 5-10 mins until all the flavours have infused. Sweeten to taste.
Serve each drink with a little orange peel and a piece of cinnamon stick, if you like.
Make your own decorations
We wanted to be more eco-friendly this Christmas, and one way to do this is by making your own Christmas tree decorations! The materials we used for this can also be made into bunting, and gift decor too instead of using bows. This can be a fun activity for the family, and you can even use dried apple, cinnamon sticks, rosemary and anything else that gives that lovely festive feel and smell to your home.
What you will need:
Dried orange slices
Pine cones
String or ribbon (we used hessian string)
Method:
It’s quite simple! Just grab each orange slice and make a small hole in it with a pencil or something similar, cut your string to size then loop it through and tie a knot.
The same goes for your pine cones, but with these you can wrap the string around the top so it falls into the grooves of the pine cone, tie a knot and attach to your tree.
Make your own banana oat energy balls
Needing that quick boost of energy which is also a healthier treat? Then look no further! This yummy recipe from Recipe Diaries will show you how to satisfy your hunger and that need for something sweet.
2 ripe banana
2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon of flax seeds
Instructions:
Mash up the bananas in a large mixing bowl.
Stir in the rolled oats, almond butter, honey, miniature chocolate chips and cinnamon.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and roll into a 1-inch ball. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
Refrigerate for 2 hours, allowing the oats enough time to soften.
Store the energy bites in the refrigerator.
Be mindful of what you buy
Make sure you don’t buy too much plastic this year! Lots of plastic, wrappers and rubbish go into landfills over the Christmas period, an extra 30% more than normal. Try creating gifts by making candles, chocolates, and gift cards to reduce your footprint and also help recycle materials you already have.
If you don’t have the time to make gifts or cards, then try as best you can to purchase more eco friendly gifts, from small and local businesses too.
We all need to support each other at this time, so let’s make this Christmas a merry and mindful one!
We are here for you, for them.
Mindful Activity Packs For More Inspiration
“Build Connections and Make The World Go Round”
We were inspired by the story of Kaavan, who was called “The world’s loneliest elephant.” After hearing about his situation, Kaavan was rescued by Four Paws and Cher, and relocated to a sanctuary in Cambodia for a better life with 600 other elephants! It’s an incredible story about compassion and connection
“Invite Warmth and Comfort”
Take a moment to pause with this visualisation. Imagine you are sitting by a cosy fireplace. You snuggle up in your favourite jumper or blanket…You feel the warmth of the fire on your face.. The orange and yellow glows of the fire are so peaceful.. And you can hear the soft sounds of crackling wood. You feel calm and safe here.
“You Are Not Alone”
Remember that we are all the same. We are all made of the same materials, we experience the same feelings, go through pain, struggles and anger, but we all too easily think we are alone in this. We are not alone. We are here together. Remind yourself of this when you struggle.
