We can aim for an authentic, ethical Christmas in many ways, some relatively easy, others a little more challenging.

By Dr Jennifer Jones

Scientist and nature writer 

Human impact on the environment has been in the news recently, with the 30th Conference of the Parties on climate change (commonly abbreviated to COP) being held in Brazil, and other reports on animals becoming extinct. Such news can leave us feeling impotent and even scared for the future of our planet and its inhabitants. The good news is that we can help, and Christmas is a good time to try.

Corporate Christmas seems to come earlier each year, with shops displaying their Yuletide goodies as early as October. This year, major stores started their Christmas adverts the first weekend in November. The overwhelming implication is that Christmas is about materialism.

For Christians, the Christmas message is one of joy, celebrating God made man and coming among us: Christ, the Prince of Peace. It can be all too easy to be hijacked by big business to convince us of our festive “needs”. At the same time, we see reports from around the world of war, famine, refugees, and environmental disasters. How do we reconcile this with a message of peace to all peoples? Pope Francis spoke many times of the ways that Christmas was celebrated. On Christmas Eve 2018, he lamented that “An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when paradoxically a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive.”

​

In his 2024 Christmas message, he spoke of a Jubilee year as a time of reconciliation, a time to remember that Jesus is the Door of Peace. With the frenetic words that the media throw us at Christmas, it is easy to lose sight of this. In our helplessness, it can seem impossible to send a message of peace.

We can aim for an authentic, ethical Christmas in many ways, some relatively easy, others a little more challenging. Our actions may need a changed mindset, but it can be done. Let’s focus on three elements of our Christmas celebrations: cards and presents, food, and energy use. Some people have stopped sending cards; if you do still send them, there are more sustainable options. Recycle cards from previous years to make your own: release the creative you - you have a whole year to plan this. If you buy cards, check if the paper used is recycled or has the FSC logo, FSC meaning Forest Stewardship Council.

Then there’s wrapping paper. According to the Sustainability Team at Bournemouth University, British consumers use 227,000 miles of wrapping paper each year. Some companies now work with Fair Trade groups to produce, for example, used sari material suitable for wrapping presents. Or, visit a charity shop and see if they have headscarves or lengths of material for sale. These will make beautiful, special wrappings for the recipients of your presents. You can even mention the 227,000 miles of wrapping paper!

Then there is the food. Firstly, plan carefully: do you really need six varieties of cheese, or ten chocolate oranges? Food waste at Christmas is disgraceful. In 2022 the Soil Association reported that two million turkeys, five million puddings and seventy four million mince pies were discarded over the Christmas period. That is not only waste generated, but represents a loss of resources and wasted energy. Why not ditch the turkey meal and all the trimmings and opt for a meat-free Christmas: that would reduce your Christmas carbon footprint.

Finally, energy use. When we buy our Christmas food, we can check the air miles that different produce carry. We could aim, if possible, to buy the same goods locally produced. Light is a feature of the season: those long dark days need some relief. But let’s pause a minute: do we really need to have lights all over the house, inside and out? Not only do they add to our energy bills, but they are not good for the environment. LED lights use up to 80% less energy: good for the wallet and resulting in lower emissions of climate changing carbon.

Light pollution can impact insects, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. The charity Buglife has launched its Nurture the Night Shift project, encouraging everyone to turn off external lights as much as possible. These different actions should be relatively easy to achieve, but let’s not forget that peace is the message of Christmas and, for some, Christmas will be anything but peaceful. Some people will be alone, not surrounded by family and friends; others may spend the festive period in hospital; while others may be homeless. Suffering does not disappear at Christmas. Another way to mark the birth of Christ is to donate a special gift: our time. Some people volunteer for soup kitchens or visit the sick.

I wish a happy and peaceful Christmas to all our readers. In these final weeks of the Jubilee Year, let’s reflect on the words of Pope Francis last year: the message of the eternal Word of salvation is: “I love you; I forgive you; come back to me, the door of my heart is open for you!”