Christmas has a way of creeping up on us.
The decorations appear, the sales begin, and before long we’re surrounded by messages telling us we need just one more thing. More presents. More decorations. More food. More everything.
But I wonder what Christmas would look like if we measured it a little differently.
Would our children remember the mountain of presents under the tree?
Or the afternoon spent baking together, making homemade decorations, building a bird feeder from scrap timber, or searching our reuse store for quirky gifts with a story behind them?
At Wāhi Tukurua, we see the other side of Christmas too. The unwanted gifts, the toys that lose their appeal by Boxing Day, and the items that arrive at our gates months later, still in near-new condition.
It makes me think that perhaps the greatest gift we can give isn’t another “thing”.
It’s an example.
An example that happiness doesn’t always come wrapped in shiny paper. That repairing, reusing and creating can be just as rewarding as buying. That experiences often outlast possessions.
Christmas is a wonderful time for generosity, but generosity doesn’t have to mean consumption.
This year, perhaps we could give something else alongside the presents. A family tradition. A shared project. An afternoon spent making rather than buying.
Because the memories we create together are, I believe, worth far more than the things we unwrap.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s a gift our planet would appreciate too.
Words by Kat Neilson-Jones Volunteer – Wāhi Tukurua
