Holiday traditions can bring warmth and joy to many, but they also can bring something far less cheerful: significant environmental degradation. From excessive amounts of single-use packaging, wrapping paper and plastic to mounds of discarded Christmas trees, the season creates a substantial amount of waste. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in the U.S. alone, household garbage increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, creating an extra million tons of waste yearly.
Fueled by overconsumption, holiday traditions play a large role in environmental degradation. It is time to reexamine these practices and adopt more sustainable alternatives that still allow us to cherish and enjoy the holidays without the cost of harming our planet.
The holiday season often brings comfort and the familiarity of traditions passed through generations, providing a break from the stress of everyday life to celebrate and cherish those close to you. Covering decorative trees with ornaments, enjoying a large dinner with family and wrapping a vast array of gifts are all common traditions this season. Yet, these traditions can cause more harm than good.

The environmental costs of the holidays are staggering. On Thanksgiving alone, Americans waste 312 pounds of food, enough to feed over 38 million food-insecure people over seven times, ultimately ending up in landfills. According to the U.S. EPA, an estimated 58 percent of fugitive methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills are from landfilled food waste. This greenhouse gas, which is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. EPA, traps heat in our atmosphere, warming the planet. Holiday lights consume 6.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually in the U.S., enough to power 800,000 homes for a year (U.S. Department of Energy). 25–30 million real Christmas trees are purchased annually, yet many end up in landfills instead of being composted.
On the other hand, while reusable, artificial trees can take up to 500 years to fully decompose. Personally, I have driven down the street after the holiday season and seen trash cans knocked over, mounds of wrapping paper waste littering the streets. These well-known traditions of big Thanksgiving meals, holiday lights and Christmas trees, paired with an overuse of non-recyclable wrapping paper and single-use packaging and decorations, significantly strain natural resources and fill our landfills, contributing largely to environmental degradation.
Many may argue that the social and economic benefits of the holiday season and its traditions outweigh the negative environmental costs. It can be pointed out that these cherished traditions can bring loved ones together. Purchasing decorations and gifts may support small businesses and cause a spike in profit. As well as that, many place the blame for the environmental price of the holidays on large corporations rather than their individual selves. While all these points are arguable, they do not address the core of this issue: many of our dear traditions are unsustainable, and it is up to us to make slight adjustments to retain our traditions and decrease their harmful effects on the environment.
For example, reducing food waste requires an easy switch in our holiday routines. Storing leftovers properly or preparing less food reduces waste produced every year. Switching to Light-emitting Diode (LED) holiday lights can cut energy consumption by 75 percent (U.S. Department of Energy). Switching to eco-friendly wrapping paper such as fabric wraps and newspaper does not cause a spike in the amount of landfill while retaining the magic feeling of unwrapping presents.
While skeptics may question whether individual change will make a difference, we must start somewhere in our journey to address climate change. While personal actions will not solve the climate crisis, they are a starting point, which is better than not changing our behavior at all. Moreover, these simple efforts motivate larger movements in the future, such as more sustainable policies and practices in the industry.
It is time to act now. As we prepare for the holidays, we must reframe our perspective. The essence of the holidays is not wrapping material goods; it lies in spending time with loved ones. By practicing sustainability this season, we can stay true to the spirit of meaningful celebrations. Small steps such as reducing waste and choosing a different form of wrapping paper, along with a large change in mindset, can turn the season into a celebration of meaningful connection and sustainability rather than consumption. By doing so, we are ensuring that holiday traditions are cherished for years to come.