ECOGREEN CHRISTMAS IDEAS FOR GIFTS

Do you really want to save the planet and the lives of your children and grandchildren?
Then buy gifts that don't destroy nature.
Make the right choice.

Here are 10 supportive and sustainable gift ideas:

Books printed on recycled paper, notebooks and diaries made from recycled paper.

Gift voucher from an NGO or a non-profit organization.

Gift certificate from WWF, Greenpeace or SeaShepherd.

Give a tree.

Fair trade products.

Cosmetics not tested on animals
Sustainable and natural clothing.

Today more than ever it is important to choose consciously because our choices as consumers are the only possible tool to be able to really change things. Unfortunately we tend to forget it (me first of all) and let ourselves be carried away by compulsive buying, but we must learn more and more to ask ourselves questions when we buy goods or services, because only in this way can we hope to leave those who will come after us with a better world.

Almost all of us, however, these days find ourselves asking for a few more sacrifices from our wallets for gifts, decorations, lunches and dinners with family and friends.
It is undeniable. On the other hand, we all think it is very important to make our loved ones happy and spend time with them, so we don’t want to give it up, but at the same time we shouldn’t be willing to give up even limiting waste, especially in a period of emergency and economic difficulty. like what we are experiencing.
Therefore, in the search for a compromise, unfortunately it is often the environment that pays the price, which becomes the aspect of our expendable Christmas. That’s why we decided to give you some tips to save a few euros without giving up the magic of Christmas and without having a negative impact on our planet!

Zero waste Christmas decorations.
For the decorations, we choose decorations in glass, wood, fabric, paper, cork, or colored sales paste, perhaps to be made with the children (no plastic). 
Another solution is dried fruit, marzipan or chains of popcorn which, after Christmas, we can put on the terrace to refresh the cold and hungry birds. 
The only fundamental ingredient is your imagination, let your imagination run wild! With recycled paper, recycled objects or simple twigs you can create wonderful Christmas decorations. From tree ornaments to centerpieces to wreaths.
You can use:

– balls made with beads recycled from old clothing,
– pine cones collected in the woods with cones of silver paper inside to make them sparkle,
– bows cut out of fabrics no longer used
– glass angels to hang on the door or on the Christmas tree instead of the usual plastic ones
– papier-mâché rosettes at the entrance
– solar-powered outdoor lights and bulbs

ADVENT

December is the month of Advent, but what is Advent? Although in the Latin language the word "advent" means "coming", the most common meaning indicates waiting, that is, the liturgical season that is placed before Christmas. In addition to the fir with silver threads, the crib, the illuminated cave, the songs, the echo of the bagpipes and the gifts that are exchanged, Advent is also characterized by the presence of the calendar, where no girls are shown at the door next to it, but many boxes that begin to be opened by children from 1 December.
The first Advent calendar appeared in Germany in the nineteenth century, when the mother of little Gerhard Lang made one consisting of 24 sweets, some in the shape of stars, fixed on a sheet of cardboard. When Lang became an adult, he opened a printing office and produced what became the Advent calendar, with a colorful image for each day of Advent. In addition to knowing what Advent is, you need to know that curiosities are linked to it.

Not everyone is aware, for example, that during the Second World War, Advent calendars were not marketed because paper had to be saved. On the Sundays of Advent it is forbidden to celebrate funeral masses. As regards the beginning of the liturgical period, there are controversies. It is assumed that the Advent season starts from December 1st, in reality it should coincide with the Sunday closest to November 30th. The priests during the various celebrations change the color of the tunic from time to time. During the first two weeks it is purple and blue, on the third Sunday of Advent it is pink, up to white, in preparation for the birth of Christ.
Advent is therefore the period that precedes Christmas in the Christian liturgy and marks the beginning of a new liturgical year of the Western ecclesiastical year. But often for children it is only the period between them and the day when Santa Claus will arrive.


Two types of traditions are widespread: the Roman Advent and the Ambrosian Advent. Roman Advent, the most popular one, lasts 4 Sundays, the four Sundays preceding Christmas. Every Sunday the Gospel readings have precise characteristics and refer to the coming of the Lord at the end of time (I Sunday), to John the Baptist (II and III Sunday), to the immediate background of the birth of the Lord (IV Sunday).

First of all, therefore, if we want to make children understand the true meaning of Advent and wait for the arrival of Christmas with them, we must explain the religious meaning of this period. In order to teach children that waiting for Christmas is not just about waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. Also, if you are religious, you know that this period should be dedicated to prayer and not to shopping. In fact, in the past this period was very important in fact every Sunday of Advent has its own precise meaning:

First Sunday theme: Be careful, stay awake
symbol: an alarm clock
It is the moment of attention, of being awake. Of waking up from sleep: one cannot be found asleep when the lord arrives. The guiding symbol will be the "alarm clock", a sound, a reminder. During the week we need to have our eyes open, be able to notice the needs of the people around us in order to be ready to respond to them.

Second Sunday theme: Prepare the way, straighten the paths.
symbol: a stone
Our gaze, more attentive and aware, discovers that every day is a journey, studded with many opportunities to say "yes", to be sent, sent. But we can also answer with the stones of "no". The guiding symbol will be a stone.

Third Sunday theme: The earth produces vegetation
symbol: a bulb of narcissus
The journey is long and often tiring. In order not to lose courage, one must look at the goal, hope for it to be reached, and foretaste the joy of arrival.

Fourth Sunday theme: Mom awaits the baby
symbol: the heart
On the fourth Sunday of Advent, our attention is turned to the one who first waited for Jesus: his mother, Mary. In fact, Mary is the central figure of the season of Advent, because no one has ever waited and never will wait for Jesus with greater faith and love. A heart-shaped cookie can be eaten as a sign of fraternal communion or it can be hung on the Christmas tree!

The Advent season is a time of hope and humility. If we meditate on Sacred Scripture, we will see how humility is the indispensable requisite for disposing to welcome and listen to God.
Humility means seeing ourselves as we are, without filters, according to truth. Noting our littleness, we will open ourselves to the greatness of God. Mary is a simple and humble girl and she remains so even after becoming the mother of Jesus. Mary never puts herself in front of Jesus but lets her son spread the word of God to everyone. She falls behind because she understands the importance of her son's mission on earth. She does not cry out, she does not adorn herself with jewels, she does not allow herself to be served by anyone, she stays there like everyone else and listens to those precious words understanding the importance of those divine teachings.