Happy December, friends!
For many of us, December marks the beginning of a busy holiday season. 2020 has definitely stretched many of us - physically, emotionally, financially... so this year (perhaps more than ever before) it feels vitally important to focus on the things that matter most while bringing joy to our family, friends, and community.
Room to Breathe operates with two guiding principles - to tread more gently on the earth we live on and to create spaces that allow for us to live simply, and in turn, more fully. Holiday gift-giving should be no exception.
Over the years, we've shared a growing number of resources for alternative, cost-free, zero-waste, or meaningful gift ideas. Looking back, it's a well curated list of beautiful and thoughtful ideas - one that we will continue to add to year after year, and one worthy of revisiting annually.
This year, if you find yourself able to purchase gifts, it feels more important than ever to reiterate the critical need to support local small business in our communities. Along with making our neighbourhoods vibrant, they are also the backbone of our local economy. A recent study showed that, on average, for every $100 a local business earned, $45 stayed within the community - contrasted by only $14 being spent locally by national chains. Vote with your dollars, support local families, do good in your neighbourhood.
Alternative Gift Ideas to Help Simplify the Holidays
Over-doing it in December is common for many of us. The good news: there are a TON of creative ways to simplify the holidays. Small shifts can offer big impact! And over the years, we have found some great ways maintain our focus on conscious consumption and meaningful presence (vs. presents)... all without turning into the Grinch. Check out our list of alternative gift giving ideas HERE.
De-Stressing the Holidays (We Promise it's a Real Thing!)
As you can probably guess, the Room to Breathe team thrives on being well organized and ultra prepared during busy times. In this post, we share some of our best tips slowing things down this December. A list of our most helpful lists, the best things to stock up your freezer with, how to prepare your home for holiday decor and visitors, and reevaluating our relationship with stuff - Just some of the tidbits to help you keep December calm and bright.
Give the Gift of Room to Breathe
(...and help support a woman-run local business in the process)
If you truly want to commit to scaling back and acquiring less stuff, we've got just the thing. Give the gift of calmness and peace for years to come with a Room to Breathe Gift Certificate. Perfect for loved ones, partners, family, or even a well-deserved gift to yourself. We can provide gift certificates in any denomination, and work to evolve any space to new levels of efficiency - offering a meaningful gift that will keep on giving for years to come.
Get in touch today to find out more.
