Autumn and winter are known for their changing leaves, their longer nights, their cooler air … and their retail displays. But despite the overabundance of holiday-themed items and promotions, many people are opting instead to find simple ways to celebrate the season.
One such person posted about their endeavor to decorate more simply in the subreddit r/Minimalism. "I was thinking that in my family I've seen holiday decoration storage take up entire rooms and garages in homes," they reflected. "So I've always decorated our house for seasons instead of holidays mostly because I don't want to put things up only to take them down in a month."
And this year, they shared, their outdoor decor shared a common element: It was all biodegradable, making it even easier to dispose of at the end of the season.
"I went with decorative gourds, pumpkins, squashes etc.," they shared. "Everything is biodegradable and I don't have to keep it in my house in the off seasons. It also makes me feel a little more green which is a bonus."
Considering that most jack-o'-lanterns get tossed rather than eaten or composted, this is no small change — the average Halloween season in the U.S. sees 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins thrown into landfills. Instead, choosing edible varieties of pumpkins and squash can make for a beautiful decoration and a delicious snack all in one, with the added benefit of not contributing to the harmful gases released into the atmosphere.
"I just shake my head when I walk through a neighborhood and see 10 extra large inflatables in a yard," one commenter lamented. "All purchased plastic, no creativity, and the homeowner has to store."
"I have Christmas ornaments that are sentimental because they were my grandma's," another person echoed. "That's it though. You don't need to go overboard or buy new things every year."
Another minimalist Redditor shared their all-natural approach. "I make decor each year from natural objects (pine cones leaves pumpkins acorns pomegranates etc etc etc) and they go into the compost at the end of the season," they enthused. "Nothing to store, nothing to buy!"
The original poster agreed, sharing that they even planned on planting pumpkins and squash in the coming year — not only for the free decorations but also for the garden-friendly compost.
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