First off, don’t get us wrong, we love the Holidays at Used.ca! It is such a great way to get involved with our communities, to spread happiness, to get merry with our family and friends and of course, to share gifts. But, when you think about Christmas and break it down in terms of cost and the waste it creates, it could even turn Buddy the Elf slightly Grinchy! Get this: the average Canadian spends close to $800 on Christmas gifts each year, for a national total of $16 billion! The waste created from wrapping these gifts equals about 545,000 tonnes of paper. If just three gifts per person were wrapped in reusable material, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 hockey rinks*.

At Used.ca our approach to the season is to make room for Christmas. Essentially the idea is that for every item you wish to buy, find one in your home that you no longer use to sell. Not only do you make some money at a time of year when it’s much needed, but you contribute to the second-hand economy. Electronics, toys, smartphones and furniture are great examples of items that maintain their value and are usually kept and sold in great condition. These items often don’t come in their original packaging, but you can get crafty with the wrapping and follow these tips for alternatives to wrapping paper.

Homemade gifts can be meaningful and a great way to flex your creativity at Christmastime. Check out our Used.ca Christmas Pinterest board for some great ideas and inspiration.

Another great idea to eliminate excess waste is to donate to a charity in lieu of Christmas gifts. Offer an electronic card to your nearest and dearest and let them know which charity you contributed to this year. If you love to send cards, recycle last year’s received cards with the help of some crafty supplies. An easy way to donate and make room for Christmas at the same time is to sell some of your items and donate the money to your favourite local charity. Make sure you note that this is what your plan is in your ad!

Additional Holiday green ideas:

• Gift experiences rather than physical items. Local gift cards support local businesses and give your loved ones a memorable experience
• Decorate with green DIY decor
• Host a book swap in lieu of Secret Santa and swap used books that you’ve read and loved
• Have a cookie exchange with friends and gain a variety of baked goods with little waste

What will you do this year to make room for Christmas?

*Stats pulled from: Nanaimo Regional District. Holiday Waste Reduction: http://www.rdn.bc.ca/cms.asp?wpID=177