As the holiday season begins, there is often a lot of pressure to find the perfect gifts for everyone in your life. This becomes even more difficult when — with just one scroll through any social media platform — there are hundreds of influencers telling you, “Run, don’t walk to [insert store here]! You don’t want to miss this!” When November rolls around, suddenly the world seems to be filled with deals that are “the best gifts to get your family” and decorations you “can’t live without!” Even just one trip to the grocery store has turned my head towards holiday-themed throw blankets I definitely don’t need. 

This celebration of overconsumption (or simply put, the idea of consuming more than we really need) is one of the biggest issues our environment faces today. Consumer spending is up a staggering 400% from 1970 to now, meaning more products are being made. Resource extraction, production, transportation of goods and end of life — all of these stages in the life cycle of products have immense impacts on the planet, including greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation and biodiversity loss. Overconsumption has been fueled by a “You NEED this!” marketing style, especially during consumer-driven holidays like Christmas. 

But it doesn’t have to be this way. This year, when it comes time to get gifts for family and friends or decorate your house for the holidays, don’t fall prey to these marketing gimmicks. Sometimes, the most meaningful gifts are the homemade ones — anything from handwritten cards to baked goods. And when you do buy something, remember to be mindful of all the steps that item went through before it landed in your shopping cart. 

This holiday season, I will be making homemade gifts for my friends and family, and I hope you will join me.