The holiday season is a good time to reflect on our consumption habits as we navigate a plethora of urgent, flashy sales. Here are five ways to help us consume differently and make small but mighty changes.

The familiar scent and colorful clutter of used clothes packed in tight aisles is a moment of pure joy for thrift shop lovers. The thrill of hunting down unique and cheaper finds (sometimes with tags still on!) is exhilarating. And if you’re also looking to shop to lessen the impact on the environment, then secondhand shopping is a viable option.

Carbon emissions are reduced by an average of 25% when you purchase second-hand clothing instead of new, as shown in a detailed report by ThredUp. Each secondhand purchase helps cut huge waste, water, and energy costs of new production. The report also shows that the global secondhand apparel market could reach up to $367 billion by 2029!

Picking your presents from thrift stores is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint this holiday season. You can also check out the online platform ThredUp, which makes it easy to buy and sell secondhand clothes and apparel from the comfort of your couch. No need to brave the winter weather.

I’ll choose a new place to travel over expensive clothes any day. I’m not the only one! A 2020 study showed that adults got more joy when they spent money on doing something, rather than obtaining something.

Why do people prefer to spend on experiences? Because once we have our basic needs met, experiences tend to have a more profound effect than additional objects. They contribute to our identities and relationships, and they create memories that carry joy into the future. On the sustainability front, experiential gifts help curb excessive material production and its negative environmental fallout.

Viator is an online marketplace known for its travel experiences and global adventures. These experiences include food tours, historical sites, and countless must-see and do destinations. Imagine stargazing in the breathtaking island of Bora Bora while learning about Polynesian legends. Or gifting your best friend a visit to the ancient ruins of Pompeii, something they dreamed about since their seventh-grade school project!

Growing up, my kids would make handmade cards on special occasions with scribbles and colors from their imaginary world, and I wouldn’t exchange them for the world’s most expensive trinkets. If my brain cells harbored any artsy inclination whatsoever, I think I’d make DIY handmade gifts throughout the year.

I envy all those Instagram DIY influencers who put dusty old supplies at home to good use. I know I can never be one, but there may be hope. Craftsy, an online learning platform, provides a unique way to learn craft-based arts and skills to help create thoughtful gifts at home.

It could be something as nostalgic as building a quilt from used clothing of sentimental value, or creating a personalized scrapbook for your grandparents using old photographs. How about making a yearly tradition of learning a new skill with Craftsy and using that to make presents for the entire family?

When we buy from small companies, we support diverse, underrepresented entrepreneurs with unique stories and missions. Local businesses help us reduce our carbon footprint through a shorter product journey. And if the business sources and produces everything locally, then that’s even better! Many small businesses also help create jobs, boost the local economy, and create loyal customers.

Here are some suggestions from the many purpose-led, diversely owned businesses that Troora has had the pleasure of meeting over the years.

Farmhouse Lab: Founder Daniela realized that a majority of the dressings found in stores had a long list of toxic ingredients, including emulsifiers, preservatives, artificial flavors, and refined sugars. Making healthy and delicious dressings was her forte, but she realized it was not a simple feat for busy parents or professionals. She soon created a sustainable, plant-based product that encouraged people to eat clean and delicious meals at home. Whether it’s Sunny Avocado that features apricot spread, raw apple cider vinegar, or Green Pumpkin featuring organic, unrefined pumpkin seed oil, all ingredients are carefully sourced and published on the website. These wonder dressings would make great gifts in the form of gift cards, curated gift boxes, or monthly subscriptions.

Mavis by Herrera: Imagine wearing a gorgeous crossbody bag and being complimented on it in the subway. And as the conversation continues, you slip in a lesser-known fact – Your bag was made with a recycled plastic bottle and upcycled fabric. Mavis by Herrera is a conscientious apparel brand that creates handbags, backpacks, wallets (and more!), by reducing the planet’s waste and carbon footprint. The production process is completely ethical, with fair wages, artisans’ safe working conditions, and charity proceeds going back into the system. Don’t know about you, but I’d love being gifted a handbag that is also saving the planet in its own stylish way.

Ayla: Finding non-toxic skin products right for my skin has never been easy. I’ve struggled with adult acne for years, so I know how it feels to be bombarded with endless, expensive options all claiming to transform my skin into that of a baby’s (ambitious much?). Needless to say, I have suffered enough skin-care-induced trauma to last me a long time. Surprisingly, companies like Ayla break the traditional mold of the beauty industry. Ayla offers non-toxic, ethically sourced beauty products from around the globe, and provides personalized in-person or online guidance on what any skin needs. Now here’s a gift that actually does what it says!

With digital gifts, you don’t have to worry about scouting the local mall or standing in long queues on Black Friday. Digital gifts are not only convenient and space-saving, but they also add a lot of value in terms of knowledge, skill, and entertainment. Whether it’s a gift card to a local coffee place, streaming apps, or downloadable content, digital gifts are planet-friendly, more personalized, and a rising phenomenon in the world of gift-giving. You can gift people exactly what they love doing or not doing (cleaning service gift cards for the win!).

And if you’re looking to add more value to your Digital gifts this Holiday season, mental health apps like Calm are something worth exploring. Calm incorporates guided meditations, sleep stories, calming music, movement videos, and soundscapes that are all easily accessible by phone. Users can customize their app based on their needs for rest and emotional well-being. I’d say everyone needs Calm now and then!

Headspace: By the end of the year, we can all use some destressing. Luckily, there’s an app for that. Headspace has guided meditations, mindfulness exercises, and sleep and anxiety coaching content, packaged in an easy-to-use app.

Through this helpful and creative guide to shopping differently during the Holidays, we hope that, as shoppers, we begin questioning our consumption habits and seek alternative gifting avenues. Here’s to more memorable holidays spent with loved ones, albeit with less stress on the wallet and the planet.