10 Ways To Help The Bears Over The Holidays
/ Post by Katie Billing of Polar Bears International
1. DIY (Do It Yourself) Gifts. Want to help the bears and stay under budget? Why not make your own holiday gifts! There are many simple things to make for family members that are cool without a big cost. Simply search “DIY gifts” in your favorite search engine. One of my favorite gifts to make is homemade sugar scrub!
2. Tis the season to turn those lights off! Christmas lights and decorations are beautiful to admire, but how long are you keeping those lights on? The longer the lights are plugged in, the more vampire energy you are using! You can reduce your electricity consumption by purchasing a timer for your holiday lights. If you can’t afford a timer, just un-plug your tree when you are away or going to bed.
3. Christmas Cookies. Support your local community by purchasing your cookie supplies locally! Look for shops that sell baking products from around your area. Better yet, purchase your eggs locally! In my hometown, some of my neighbors have “backyard chickens.” They sell delicious eggs at reasonable prices!
4. Snuggled by the fire with a good read. More and more books hit the shelves this holiday season. Check out some children books on bears such as, Portia Polar Bear’s Birthday Wish By: Margie Carrol and The Last Little Polar Bear By: Tim Foresman. Some adult books include Polar Bears: The Natural History of a Threatened Species by Ian Stirling or Bears of the Last Frontier by Chris Morgan of National Geographic. Also read those classic holiday books like, The Polar Express or The Jolly Christmas Postman! Make sure to check your local library before you make a purchase!
5. Bundle up and Bond with Family. It may be chilly outside, but you can help the bears by turning down your thermo-stat by two degrees. Add more blankets to your bed and cuddle up with your loved ones! (Yes, that means your dog or cat can snuggle in too!)
6. Hats off! How many winter hats/toques do you own? Do you have too many? Help make someone’s holidays a little warmer by donating your old hats to charities or giving them to a local thrift store.
7. White Elephant. Ever heard of a white elephant? This holiday season host a party where friends/family bring over unwanted items. The items need to be wrapped in old paper or placed in old bags. The gifts are then put in the center of a circle. Take turns picking a present, unwrapping, and enjoy! Some of the outcomes can be funny and trading is allowed! There are many different versions of this game, including having the most ugly item, having items worth under $1, etc… Create your own holiday tradition!
8. Don’t Chop the Tree. Switch up your holiday season by purchasing a fake Christmas tree! These trees can be re-used year after year without the taxing job of vacuuming needles. There are several types of fake trees of various sizes so you can have the perfect tree year after year. What about that “evergreen tree” smell? Various companies provide several candles offering similar smells. You can also buy Glade or Febreze brand products.
9. Give the Gift of Donation Want to make a difference this holiday season? Donate some money to a charity supporting conservation. www.polarbearsinternational.org has several gift options including adopting a polar bear, but donations are also acceptable. Polar bears may not have a voice, but the dedicated volunteers and employees will thank you for supporting the cause!
10. Wrapping things up! Instead of buying new wrapping paper, how about re-using old holiday boxes and bags? Another good idea is to use old magazines and newspapers as wrapping paper!
