Six ways to have a sustainable and delicious Christmas

Let your heart - and carbon footprint - be light with these ideas for sustainable Christmas gifts from Irish producers

Fri, 08 Dec, 2023 - 02:00

Caroline Hennessy

Planning to have yourself a merry little (green) Christmas in 2023?

We know that we need to be more sustainable but, at this time of the year, faced with endless lists and demands on our time, the best of intentions often go out the door.

According to MyWaste.ie, we produce up to 30% more waste than usual during the Christmas season.

That’s not just food and plastic and wrapping paper — it’s money that we’re throwing away at a time when we all need to keep a close eye on the bottom line.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Cut down on waste by getting the family involved in a Kris Kindle where they only have to buy for one person (and make sure to set a price limit), buy Irish and support small businesses by shopping locally.

Here are a few ideas for thoughtful gifts from Irish producers and makers that you can order or pick up in advance instead of panic-purchasing at the last minute.

Achill Island Sea Salt's Bestsellers Hamper

Best for: Anyone who loves cooking

Harvested by hand from the waters around Achill Island, Co Mayo, Achill Island Sea Salt has a delicate saline flavour and soft, flaky texture perfect for finishing dishes. With no added ingredients or preservatives, this pure Atlantic flavour enhances anything it comes in contact with. The company was started by Achill native Kieran, and Marjorie O’Malley in 2013. It recently gained Protected Designation of Origin recognition from the EU, which acknowledges its provenance and quality.

“Sea salt on top of anything looks nice,” says marketing manager and family member Maebh O’Malley, who credits the salted caramel trend with getting people to think of using salt with sweet dishes. They produce three varieties of salt — natural, smoked, and seaweed — available as a gift pack (€13) or as part of a box that includes packs of its irresistible Achill Island Sea Salt caramel fudge and nougat (€35). Individual jars of sea salt (from €4.75) are widely available in artisan shops like Sheridans for last-minute gifts.

achillislandseasalt.ie

Best for: Creative play with kids

Avoid the plastic pile on and instead gift friends with kids a chocolate truffle-making kit (€37.99) from Irish company Jiminy Eco Toys. “We approached Alison at [Clonakilty-based ethical chocolate company] Exploding Tree and asked if she could create an ethical truffle-making kit with us,” says Jiminy founder Sharon Keilthy. “We worked together on it, and this is the result.”

The organic, Fairtrade-certified chocolate comes in recyclable and compostable packaging. Just add cream — dairy or non-dairy — to enable kids (of all ages) to make up to 50 truffles.

jiminy.ie

Best for: Your favourite coffee fiend

We need a more environmentally friendly alternative to disposable coffee cups and these ceramic travel cups from Grounded Pottery fit the bill. Marjorie Cunningham and Emma Carmody are the mother-and-daughter team that makes hand-thrown, hand-decorated ceramics (€45-€50), taking inspiration from the sea and landscape near their studio in Ardfert, Co Kerry.

They started making the cups about three years ago, according to Carmody, because “we wanted to create an everyday, one-off item made using traditional pottery methods ... to give people a long-lasting, well-wearing unique item.”

The ceramic holds the heat, which is good for keeping your drink and hands warm on winter walks.

“Many of our customers are repeat buyers, either buying themselves a second travel mug for their workplace or home or buying gifts for people,” notes Carmody.

groundedpottery.ie and The Cottage in Ardfert, Co Kerry (V92VX31)

Best for: Anyone wanting an alternative to alcohol

Looking for a non-alcoholic beverage but fed up with artificially flavoured, over-sweetened soft drinks?

Gerry Scullion’s Louth-based King of Kefir has been fermenting a fabulous range of flavours since 2014. Scullion uses stevia leaf as a natural sweetener for his drinks, which come in four varieties: Lemongrass and ginger, cucumber, mint and thyme, and chilli and ginger.

Unfiltered, unpasteurised and fermented using water kefir grains, the end result is a refreshing, lightly carbonated drink. Anything that helps digestion at Christmas time is worth investigating, and these will add a range of gut-friendly probiotic cultures to your diet.

King of Kefir cans are available nationwide and mixed cases of 12 × 330ml cans (€33). The company also has a gut-friendly Christmas hamper (€30), which includes kefir and Irish-made treats from producers BiaSol and Homespun.

kingofkefir.ie

Best for: Those with a thirst for knowledge

The Common Knowledge Centre, based at Kilfenora in Co Clare, is a not-for-profit social enterprise teaching practical, sustainable skills like building, making, mending and growing.

Founded by Fionn Kidney, Spider Hickman, Erin McClure, and Harrison Gardner (presenter of RTÉ’s Build Your Own Home), the centre offers a wide range of workshops. These include an immersive five-day build school, a four-part seasonal permaculture weekend series or a two-day cook with confidence course with Ballymaloe and Ottolenghi-trained Ashley Gribben. Day-long courses include foraging and food making and willow basket weaving classes. Pay for classes or purchase vouchers in denominations of €50.

ourcommonknowledge.org

Best for: The vegan of the family

If your Kris Kindle recipient is a vegan, pick up a gift set of plant-based mayonnaise from Dublin-based Too Savage. Founder Conor Bacon has just released a wasabi mayo, using Irish-grown wasabi from Beotanics in Kilkenny, to join the Spicy Mayo, Curry Mayo, and Smoked Garlic Mayo already in the range. The Christmas Gift Sauce Set (€27.95) available online will ensure that nobody has to miss out on post-Christmas sandwiches.