3 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2020 // how my zero waste & vegan Christmas actually went

[@naomihad]

I love how supportive and willing your family and Jens’ family is with the zero waste gift wrapping!!

[@Gittemary]

I am also over the moon grateful that people around me are so willing to change 💚🌿

[@nicolapepi1590]

My Xmas has been so simple... as usual we made a Xmas tree of drifted woods and ceramic decorations with candles instead of electric lighting... I received no gifts at all 🤣 but for my stepdaughter I found a nice book and a wooden toy

[@autumngentry5328]

My Christmas wasn't exactly sustainable but I'm just starting my journey. I did ask for my gifts to be wrapped in recycled paper/old paper bags, with minimal tape, and most of them were! I've wanted to start composting my food scraps and I got my very own composter (I found some worms who would love to live in there too 🤣)!

[@HeyLauryn]

I like getting a physical gift or two from people on Christmas, but I have gotten my immediate family to the point where if they aren't sure what to get me they either buy my gift cards to earth hero or other e-gift cards. I'm trying to get them away from giving me amazon gift cards but it's slowly happening. A family member even called me on Christmas and was telling me about how they wanted to buy something green but they weren't sure what. So it is very sweet. Also for a lot of my friends I've purchased second hand books from a local shop as my go to affordable gift. And while not all my gifts are sustainable, I make sure to buy things people will use or enjoy. And I've gotten into the habit of reusing gift bags and tissue paper to give gifts as well.

[@vina221]

I managed to get gifts from my family thats were either from small local businesses or sustainable brands which was great and everyone used brown paper for my gifts. Still struggling to buy sustainable/ ethical gifts for my family because we normally create wishlists for each other. This was the first uear there was a vegan main instead of prepping on separate plate which was really nice to see tok

[@marycharlebois6627]

It is easy for us to adopt a lifestyle that is low waste, vegan, and sustainable... but it is such a thrill (hard to find the right word) when our family and friends also jump in and honour that lifestyle... especially at Christmas when traditions can be hard to part with. Thanks for posting this so quickly and updating us on all the merriment that you shared with your family. PS - I don’t know anything about D&D... but YOWZERS that is a sweet birthday gift that you had made for Jens. Pretty sure he’s gonna do a cartwheel when he opens it.

[@LibbyWithnall]

We didn't use any wrapping paper this year. We have stockings for smaller items and my 20yr old crocheted baskets for everyone (5 of us) to put larger gifts in. I just covered the top with reused tissue paper or who gives a crap toilet paper wrappers. My 20 yr old took all the little boxes, etc, that things came in to reuse or recycle. Sadly my Mum is all about how gifts look so mostly everything from her was wrapped in unrecyclable gift wrap. Next year I'll try to remind her to at least use boxes or gift bags where possible since they can be reused. We all picked our own gifts from her so at least they were from sustainable brands and things we actually wanted :-). Thanks for sharing your Christmas with us.

[@philquota7405]

I love the reusable Chanel bag. It reminded me of the autograph Doodle Bear that was popular in the 90s or so. It was used for school graduations and things like that. Classmate or whoever would write their well wishes and congratulations on them. I would use a cloth bag. So this year it might say "Warmest Solstice '21 Love, Phil Quota", next year would be added, "Merry Christmas 2022, Love Mom", etc. and could preserve memories through the years.

[@Kris-hv8ie]

I love that you're using that Chanel bag over and over and just changing the name on it haha my family have boxes that we use just for gifts and have used the same ones for maybe 5 or 10 years now!

[@raheltd]

Thanks for sharing this video so soon! Like many other PhDs, researchers and people working in Academia right now, I spent Christmas alone at home in Helsinki, whilst my family is in Italy (in lockdown). It's beautiful been able to see a bit of your holidays, thank you so much! Hyvää joulua, as they say here, Merry Christmas!

[@shannonjackson9407]

Thank you for this. This was the most horrible, pathetic, angry, hurt Christmas I've ever experienced with my family. For many reasons that have nothing to do with covid or the world. Mostly all my fault as I was the one responsible for orchestrating things. But you've made me realize that I can do Christmas different next year. Different from how we've always done it. Unnecessary waste makes me very depressed. But I've never thought of wrapping things in cloth with cloth ribbons. I'm so overwhelmed with the garbage I and my elderly parents produce. So thank you.

[@mariadesantiago8696]

I wrapped all my presents in the recycled paper that comes in my toilet paper subscription (going to switch to a bidet soon). I didn’t use any tape this year, just thrifted ribbon.

[@debcress6718]

Your mom was so cute with the cookies, it made me tear up hahah😭😍😍

[@CamthalionSpirit]

Our holiday was incredibly low key. It was just me, mom, and dad. My mom got a second hand gift from a pawn shop, my dad also got a second hand power tool, and I got a fire extinguisher for my new house. They really took into consideration that I am an eco minimalist and did not want STUFF. So they were thoughtful in my gift. All of our packaging was already here and we are reusing most of it for next year as well ❤️❤️🎄

[@1mariam3]

This year I supported only local businesses, no wrapped presents just ribbons, homemade food ☺️ Ah Merry Christmas 🎄

[@audreysavard3248]

I applause you for the freezer one! To much people jam pack their freezer, forget what they have and say they need more freezer. One month is a good time for food rotation. It's good for extend a one time month grocery and the good way to use it.

[@purplepuma123]

I love the presents you got from Jens family. Especially the candle holders. What a lovely vlog, it was nice to see you spending some quality time with your family :)

[@emilywhatelsedoisay]

I used up lots of random bits of yarn to knit a baby doll sleeping bag for my cousin

[@ambersmith2612]

It makes me so happy when you show things you still buy with waste/ plastic that you can't get away from... those things always make me feel like such a bad person even though I know I'm trying my best

[@vallovesnature8449]

The food looked absolutely wonderful. Your mom & grandmother are so adorable. Blessings always dear one 💚🌲✨

[@bookishdaydreams4993]

This was my first vegan and sustainable Christmas, and it was honestly surprisingly easy - it just required some extra thought and planning.

[@EORheartcartoons]

I find it very hard to be hungry around christmas too! So busy and constantly around food it confuses my lil tummy

[@cristinagarcia5544]

Happy holidays Gittemary and thank you so much for bringing light, wisedom and smiles to my life in this really hard year. Great job. Best wishes from Spain.

[@hayleyroffey9513]

We had our first vegan christmas dinner it was amazing the first time I wasnt stressed and really enjoyed the day

[@Szynszula]

you have an amazing family, so caring about what is important to you

[@neta565]

What a lovely vlog, Gitte! Nice to see your family too!☺

[@stephanieloffler8566]

To be honest, I also keep the plastic ribbon and reuse it, if the pieces are Ling enough. Better than throwing it out after one use. I also make little name tags Out of pieces of the wrapping Papier for the coming year, but I actually do not reuse Name Tags that already have named written on them. And Gift bags are always reused in our families. I am pretty sure I brought the same bottle bag back and forth 4 or 5 times between my mum and my parents in law with different bottles of wine or liquor in 😂 Regards from Germany Stephanie

[@KyleighJanee9]

Your family is so cute! I love everything about the way you do Christmas 💕 I probably care the most about sustainability (still improving though) amongst my people, so I did save every gift bag and tissue paper given to me to reuse. I do believe one friend used a recycled bag for my gift which was cool. I reused paper bags I had saved from years prior and I also wrapped some things with paper grocery bags (logo side inside) and twine for "ribbon" as well as some tree clippings for decoration. I started wrapping with paper grocery bags as of last year and I honestly prefer it to traditional wrapping paper. I also made these really cool 3D folded paper orb type ornaments with the paper grocery bags as well. I have a lot of these bags saved from when we couldn't use reusable bags at the beginning of the pandemic in the US...so glad I had something cool to upcycle them for!

[@frida8500]

My Christmas was very cozy. Everyone gave such well-thought-out gifts, which were either useful, something a person could enjoy aesthetically, or genuinely needed (such as socks). And they had supported small brands. The only thing that did not go as planned was that the gift wrapping was not zero waste. But I am generally proud of my family who have made this development. Merry Christmas from Sweden ! 💚

[@kimberlyhenry7717]

Merry Christmas! I love getting experience gifts... it's like getting time as a gift. 😊

[@vivigoesusa]

I honestly love your videos. I normally don’t comment much but you are such a genuine and likable person that I feel the need to say thank you. Have a great remaining 2020 and just know that you are deeply appreciated by a lot of people ❤️ My mom made the side dishes in a vegan variation and I just took some meat substitute and ate it instead of the goose that the others of my family had. I also only got things that I actually wished for or actually appreciated except one thing from my grandpa and they were al wrapped in newspaper or reused giftwrapping. I am beyond glad how this Christmas turned out.

[@beatricemarsilius5585]

This was my first Christmas as a vegan! :D I also crafted and thrifted a lot of the gifts I gave this year, it was very fun and appreciated :)

[@kerryryder6357]

Looked like a happy lovely Christmas 🎄 x

[@zofiakosut6155]

Thanks for sharing - glad to see you had calm and happy Season days 👌 It really is all about us, we are the source of the festive and merry atmosphere, right? 🎄🥳🤜🤛

[@whodathought6001]

Merry Christmas! You have a beautiful mother.

[@jenniferdouglas-craig1095]

Such a great video! Your mom and grandma are so cute!! ☺️ We had a vegan Christmas too.

[@Autumn1988]

Also for gift tags I got a 🏷 shaped craft punch years ago and I make them out of the year before Christmas card fronts :) still end up with some to recycle but it means the cards get a 2nd use and also I’m not buying little packets of gift tags. I used to write on the brown paper but that means it’s harder to reuse so I try to avoid that now

[@coralovesnature]

Wow, that’s a great idea! :)

[@moque825]

Saved all my bags wrapping to package my art for sale :)

[@debcress6718]

Great video, thanks for sharing! :) i only asked for sustainable/local things i needed and tried my best to find a sustainable option for everything my family asked! And we even had a vegan Christmas meal😍

[@geraldiner9326]

love your videos, they are so joyful and a real ray of sunshine

[@SimplyBeautiful516]

This video is giving me such amazing ideas for my life! I love how you just live it without the lecture. I just subscribed. Christmas greeting and Happy New Year!

[@Veganaporelmundo]

So nice, I also tried my best! thanks for sharing and for inspire us! hugs form a Mexican in Slovenia :*

[@jemma50]

Looks like you had a fabulous Christmas, Gitte! Wonderful! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. ♥

[@sustainableteacheryt]

Hiiii merry Christmas!!!! I loved your vlog, it was so energising with positive vibes for this weird Christmas!!

[@sophiegomes4419]

Happy holidays! I got a zustainabox from my mom! I think that is the best gift I got ever!

[@bringbackstrony1845]

merry christmas gitte!! thanks for sharing your wonderful time with your family! usually my family has meat fondue on christmas but since i stopped eating meat, this year we had a compromise to have a spin on chinese hot pot with lots of vegetables and noodles and dips for me!! my parents and sister still had their meat and boiled it in the same broth as me, but all beginnings are small and a compromise is a compromise after all, right? :) also, because i needed a new winter jacket, i was super happy i could convince my parents of a patagonia jacket that's fair trade certified, instead of buying something from a random store!!! have a wonderful time

[@sprinkledrainbow7251]

Merry Christmas! Also, yay for Sims and Hannah Montana! ❤

[@lena1122]

Ooh! Your Mom is sooo Cute!!

[@daviddaviedavidson]

Tell your mum, she’s very good looking and very youthful as well.

[@MetalheadsWillRockOn]

I was wondering if you also make your lasagna yourself and If you would need to let it hang dry before use. Wanna invest in a pasta maker after I've used up all the store bough pasta sheets. I just hate how they never fit and break all the time.

[@Lilyhember180]

This was beautiful 😍

[@emeliasoderlund]

Happy holidays! x

[@Gittemary]

You too 🌿

[@simonerietberg4498]

Hi Gittemary, where did you get the dnd dice tray? I really want to get it for my boyfriend as well!

[@coralovesnature]

I agree!

[@debcress6718]

Maybe check on etsy? I got something similar for my magic the gathering dice which was also personalized :)

[@Autumn1988]

What brand of face covering are you wearing? Looks like a really nice close fit :)

[@basakmutlu1119]

So lovely ❤

[@ailz95]

Merry Christmas xx Wish I could forget to eat xx

[@ag4444]

Why do you pronounce potatoes the way you do? I've never heard that before. Is this pronunciation from a special place/area in the UK?

[@isabelventer6824]

Is the experience to go to the art museum in Aalburg? 🥰

[@Gittemary]

It is ☺️

[@isabelventer6824]

@@Gittemary I went there as an exchange student in 2018! It was such a great experience 😊 I would reccomend going ice scating after 😁

[@Lisatheecologist]

Forgetting to eat breakfast is the lazy persons intermittent fasting! Its good for you even if it's not intentional

[@Gittemary]

I actually read something about how the studies about fasting was generally based on people in the 40-60s and how younger people, especially women, often do not experience the same benefits from fasting, because it had a negative effect on hormonal balances, it got me like 😬😬

[@shaynafriday4513]

@@Gittemary can you please share how you make risalamande as the vegan version!? I've tried a few, but I'd love a version from a Dane!! My grandmother passed her recipe to our family, but of course, the original, non-vegan version. Thank you so much and wishing you a great new year 😊

[@Gittemary]

@@shaynafriday4513 the recipe is in the description, it is a collective recipe post that also includes the ris a la mande 🙌☺️🌿

[@evalangreder2153]

I made a vegan meal and cooked way less, than I would usually do, it was just one plate of leftovers left, which I had for belated breakfast the next day!

[@1Joh411]

Elsker at du ser Hannah Montana! No judgment herfra :D

[@Gittemary]

Det kan bare noget 😂👌