You might’ve seen on my Instagram that I’ve mentioned #OurPreLovedChristmas, and about how much overwhelm I’ve been feeling lately and the steps I want to take to reduce how much pressure I feel. You also may have seen that Dil has taken a real interest in the problems that plastic is causing in our ocean, and all of these things have led me to really want to focus on simplifying our Christmas celebrations this year. I’ve been inspired and influenced by a few different Instagram accounts, many who share great tips or offer motivation to strip back and minimise, to reduce our wastage or to shop secondhand, so I want to share them with you today.
Hello Beautiful Bear
Lucy from Hello Beautiful Bear was the first one to inspire me to really do this, by launching her #OurPreLovedChristmas campaign. I love seeing what she’s found and what she’s spent, and she is the one who really convinced me that a second hand Christmas was actually even possible.
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Someday Slower
Beth is the first person to really put into words exactly how I feel about Christmas currently, and the first to show me that the answer to the stress, the pressure and the overwhelm really was to strip it all back. She captured in her post about gifts for children exactly how I feel, passionate about keeping the magic that this season brings alive, but keen to lose all of the stuff that seems to go along with that. Her blog and Instagram, both based on minimalism and motherhood are brilliant to read, and always make me think a little more about the choices that I make.
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Mamalina UK
I’ve always known Emma as a champion of the zero waste lifestyle, and have heard her talk about things like reducing food waste, cloth nappies and no poo methods (as in no shampoo, not the other kind). All really fascinating things, but some that just felt a bit out of reach to me up until now. I’m not ready to make a giant leap and promise to become completely waste free, but what I do want to do is take small steps to work my way up to that. Something that has helped me feel like I can do that, and has really captured my attention is Emma’s #seasonsgreentings campaign – a four week long discussion on her Instagram (as well as a 30 page downloadable guide!) covering four different areas of the holiday season. Emma offers some really great talking points as well as really achievable and practical ideas, to help us celebrate in a more sustainable and less wasteful way.
I’ve already picked up some brilliant inspiration from her posts on decorations, and she’s just got started on Week 2 which is focused on gifts. I love that she’s made me think about things I hadn’t considered before (selecting a responsibly sourced tree for example) and given tips on how to make better choices (check out her scrunch test to make sure your wrapping paper is recyclable and plastic free).
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Today We Cooked
A fairly new account from an old Instagram friend, Claire is now offering stunning food made from wholesome and simple ingredients, and convincing us all that we can create these beautiful dishes too. Knowing Claire the way I do I’m absolutely sure that great things are coming this December, and we’ve already seen a few peeks of the gorgeous things she has planned for Christmas.
Meat free recipes, easy to make homemade pasta, and plenty of lentils combined on one of the most aesthetically pleasing food accounts I’ve ever seen, Today We Cooked is absolute proof that keeping it simple is the way forward.
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And there are just a few of my favourite minimal/zero waste/ethical shopping accounts, and the key four people who have inspired me to make a change this Christmas. I hope that you find them as inspiring as I do, and that being led to their pages also leads you to some ideas on simplifying your own Christmas, even if it’s just a little bit. Who else do you love on Instagram? Let me know!