Christmas Tradition Ideas | Start a New Tradition this year


Whether you’re celebrating Christmas Eve dinner or a Christmas Day meal, if you’re thinking of starting a new tradition this Christmas and need a little inspo, you’ll find some truly great ideas listed below.


We’re talking about a variety of different traditions you can start this Christmas season that align with your sustainable lifestyle and celebrate your values (like your love for the outdoors). Each of these ideas
is simple & fun and may so revolutionize your world you take it with you into your daily routine in the new year.

 

A New Tradition: Bring the outdoors in

 


Bring the outdoors in with bold colors and nature inspired pottery. Pair a Tawa Threads table runner with a set of Becca Bee Pottery mugs to create a stunning, vibrant table setting that lets you enjoy the bounty of nature even indoors. Tawa Threads beautiful runners reflect the contours & silhouettes of the land you love to wander. Tawa Threads is committed to inclusivity, donating to organizations that work with underrepresented communities to break down boundaries to the outdoors.


If you’re nervous about spending so much on a runner you’ll only use once a year, don’t worry, even after Christmas has passed, you can use your Tawa Threads table runner as a wall tapestry or accessorize your outfit:

  • Wear as a scarf (these 100% cotton vibrant prints make beautiful scarves)
  • a swimsuit cover-up (in the heat of summer)
  • or a head wrap

Becca Bee Pottery makes some of the most gorgeous mugs and planters.  They’re all hand-thrown in Portland by an avid outdoors girl (and gardener), and the scenes on these pieces reflect Becca’s love of the outdoors.  Custom order your own set to get it by Christmas.

And, if you’re looking for something yummy to serve up in those mugs, pick up a hot toddy mix by Trail Toddy.  Yes, these hot toddy mixes may be meant for the trail, but that’s no reason not to enjoy them at home too.  Each of the blends is a mixture of organic ingredients packed into 100% biodegradable pouches and just waiting to be paired with a cup of hot water and shot of your favorite liquor.  Start a new Christmas tradition this year with one of four incredible flavor mixes.

If you feel like a cold brew during your Christmas festivities, reach for one of Moss Tangle’s hand burned bottle openers to crack open that brew.  Moss Tangle Art also has beautiful cutting boards that you may find you just can’t bear to use for chopping veggies because they’re truly works of art.  You can also take a wood burning class with Moss Tangle to learn how to make your own Christmas ornaments and cork trivets.

Christmas Day Tradition: Running in the Outdoors

If you love getting outside and being active on Christmas day, this list can help make your experience in a winter wonderland even more magical.

Start your day in one of Nuu-Muu’s dresses.  Multi-functional, intended for all types of bodies and any environment (lounging, traveling, running, hiking, even biking), quick drying, breathable, oh, yeah, and these dresses don’t show sweat.  Nuu-Muu is also thinking ahead by including a pocket in some of their designs (sheer brilliance).  These exercise dresses elevate the day.  The dresses are sewn in the US, and Nuu-Muu is a member of both 1% for the Planet and The Conservation Alliance.

Keep your hands warm with these wind and water resistant run mitts by White Paws Run Mitts.  These mitts hold a hand warmer and you can peel back the outer flap so your fingers can quickly tap to the next song on your phone without having to completely remove your mitten.  White Paws Run Mitts also sells face gaiters to help protect your face from the cold.  

Whether you’re running or out and about town with your four-legged friend and really need both hands, Wag Theory has you covered with a hands free dog leash.  These leashes are well-designed:  complete with an accessory ring for your keys or bag holder, and they’re also waterproof (just as you’d expect from a brand founded in the Pacific Northwest).

Christmas Day Tradition: Exploring trails

If taking to the trails on Christmas day (whether to enjoy a bit of solitude or take advantage of fresh snow on ski trails) is something you do every year or something new you’re planning for this season, this set of gear may become essential for you.

Let’s start with You may be thinking: finally!  Sequoia Clothing is your answer for well-designed robust pants that fit right and are made for tall women.  Sequoia is brand new, and the co-founders are already prototyping some of their designs with a few lucky product testers.

To avoid hunger pangs on the trail (and definitely to avoid hangry episodes), pack one of Fernweh Food Company’s vegan, gluten-free meals with you.  Each meal can be cooked right in its 100% compostable bag, just add hot water.  If you’re hitting the trail early, take along Fernweh Food Co’s Breakfast Bowl.  Celebrate Christmas on the trail with a meal of Southwest Stew or Mushroom Pot Pie (complete with gluten free dumplings).

If you’re planning on being on the trail all day (or, let’s face it, if it’s a bit of a drive and you can’t function without a morning cup of joe), pack a Kula Cloth with you.  What’s a Kula Cloth?  It is a game changer for peeing in the wild.  A real Leave No Trace option for drying yourself after you pee.  It has a waterproof side to keep your hands dry and a super absorptive anti-microbial side to dry you after you go.  With a double snap to keep the cloth folded in half and firmly attached to your pack or belt loop during your hike, and such pristine dryness you’ll likely consider swapping out toilet paper at home (seriously, how did I not know about Kula Cloth during the great toilet paper shortage of 2020)?

Blanket your coffee tumbler, steel pint cup, or water bottle with Merino love.  The sleeves allow you to pick up wool softness rather than cold, hard steel on a chilly day.  Merino wool is naturally anti-microbial, and these sleeves are machine washable.  Citizen Burro offers their sleeves in a range of sizes including sizes that fit baby bottles and sippy cups.  Citizen Burro is dedicated to raising awareness (and cash) to promote carbon farming and supports carbon farming initiatives to mitigate climate change. 

If your hands get chapped on the trail, reach for Rain Organica’s Meadowfoam + Fog Rollerball, a blend of botanical oils rich in essential fatty acids to help repair chapped skin while keeping your palms slip free.  The rollerball is easy to pack, fitting right into your pocket.  And, if you need a little extra sun protection while you’re outdoors, take along the pocket size Marine Layer Antioxidant Spritz to keep your skin dosed with antioxidants throughout the day.

And, if you run into any snags along the way, keep a few repair patches offered by Sisu Magazine/Coalition Snow at the ready.

Christmas Day Tradition:  Afterglow… new Self-Care Rituals

At the end of your day, reach for Redbudsuds 4-in-1 shower bar in a bag.  This bar lathers as your shampoo+conditioner+soap+shave bar in an exfoliating recyclable bag that doubles as a storage bag for your soap.  The all-natural bars are made in Ohio, fragranced only with essential oils, and come in plastic free packaging,  Redbudsuds is also a member of 1% for the Planet.  (A little known fact… the Hydration Station Shower Bar already has a cult following of wavy haired girls who’ve said goodbye to plastic in the shower.)

If you need some extra treatment for tired, cold, & stiff muscles, treat yourself to a restoring bath with Rain Organica’s all natural Halcyon bath soak.  Lavender & chamomile buds lend a light fragrance to a blend of licorice & marshmallow root, Epsom and Himalayan salts to relax your body and your mind. 

Pair your bath with Run Wild & Be, a collection of poems & stories by Syd Zester about outdoor spaces and endurance running.  If you enjoy Syd’s writing, definitely consider a subscription to Sisu Magazine where you can experience more writers like her in each issue.  As you step out of your bath, towel off with a Mungo Itawuli Bath Sheet designed & woven in South Africa and featured in Issue 2 of Sisu Magazine (yet another reason to consider subscribing).

I hope this article helps you create some amazing new Christmas traditions and elevates some of your current traditions.  By purchasing from any of the companies highlighted in this post, you’re supporting passionate small businesses who are doing good in the world.  We’ve only just touched the surface of how these companies are impacting equality outdoors and sustainability, and if you want to learn more, sign up for our newsletter for your free gift guide.