Lessons to Remember These Holidays from Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women"

Originally, I was going to name this post Can We Live More Simply? I was recently reading an article on Nicole Lutze's blog about living simply enough. She reminds us that living simply is unique to all of us. She also adds, that simple living is about spending more time within our homes, and less time working for money. I believe there are many books that we can turn to that have a focus on the home to inspire us to live simply and to live well, but when I thought about it, really thought about, one book came to mind: Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. And what better time to remind ourselves of simplicity than the holiday season when things tend to get blown out, we become overwhelmed and we all wistfully remember that dream of living more simply! If you're interested, you can also read last year's post on Lessons to Remember These Holidays from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol".

Tip #1 Ditch the plastics - eat like the Marches and grow some of your own food. In spring, Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth are responsible for a little plot of the garden in which they can grow their own food or flowers. The plastic waste issue is one that is not going away. As the cost of groceries continues to grow, I am continually amazed that fresh produce wrapped in plastic is cheaper than loose produce that you can pick and put in your own plastic-free bag. It makes it very difficult to make sustainable choices when the cost is so high. I wonder why the shops do this? I pick loose produce when I can but some days, when the budget is tight, I will use plastic wrapped produce. Recently on the news I saw that our soft plastic recycling program is currently not working and all soft plastic is being added to landfill. This will certainly make me re-consider before buying more plastic-wrapped products. It's also a timely reminder when we may be buying things we wouldn't normally buy for the holidays. Gifts wrapped in plastic, such as food produce, gift hampers, toys and other gifts, are becoming more and more prolific. It may take some searching, but this year, why not try for gifts that don't come with more waste than absolutely necessary? (see tip #4 for more ideas!) If you'd like to take this idea one step further, then consider making gift bags instead of using wrapping paper. I did this a couple of years ago, and my gift bags are still going strong.

Tip #2 Be a home cook - this will help with the reduction of pre-wrapped plastic food, saving money through meal planning, and put that produce that you've been growing to good use. At the moment we have snow peas and lettuce ready for harvest. They have been a welcome addition to our table, added into salads or stir fries, used for sandwiches, or even just to snack on. Bananas are quite cheap at the moment so I am peeling them and freezing them to use in smoothies, muffins and banana bread in the future. This can also be done with carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, apples (made into apple sauce), capsicums and any other produce that you happen to have in abundance and can freeze for future use. It's so much easier to whip up a pasta sauce, a pizza or a casserole if there is fresh produce, chopped and ready to go in the fridge or freezer. If this is new to you, then take heart. The first time Meg March tried to "put up" jam for her family was a disaster! But that's not a reason not to give it a try! These rustic little blueberry, lemon and thyme tartlets are so delicious and quick to make, and look sweet on any holiday table. You can find the recipe for them here. For our family, a baking day with my sister and her children is an annual tradition. We make gingerbread men and decorate them, other biscuits and little fruit cakes. The kids love doing this with their cousins, there is plenty of treats for Christmas and we make lots of memories in the process. 

Tip #3 Stop shopping for new clothes, or learn to make your own - I've talked before how reading the classics helped me with my shopping addiction (you can read about that here if you're interested), and I truly believe that a mindset of enough is enough is absolutely necessary when it comes to clothing and living a simple life. Lately I've been following along with a few "minimalists" sites (this one and this one in particular), especially on how they relate to clothing. You may already have a "capsule wardrobe" or you may not. But really when we consider that not even one hundred years ago a "wardrobe" consisted of a two door armoire or bureau to hold all the clothes, we have once again, taken to this notion of "more is better" with gusto. Given the impact that our clothing waste is having on our environment and people in developing countries, now is the perfect time to go on a "no-buy" journey or learn to create your own clothes. Under a Tin Roof has a simple skirt pattern and tutorial on their blog if you're not sure where to start. When thinking of your "holiday outfits", consider dressing up something you already own. The March girls were great at altering some older style clothes or re-purposing them into a new outfit. A simple dress can be altered with a change in sleeve length, hem length (consider adding a strip of lace around the bottom for a fancier, longer look), or by wearing it with different jewellery or accessories. Believe it or not, looking nice these holidays does not mean that you need to buy a whole new wardrobe - regardless of what the marketing tells you!

Tip # 4 Think Local, Act Local - the holiday season is a wonderful reminder for this tip. If you are buying presents this year, consider looking at small, local business for your gifts. At our local shops there are often little pop up stalls where handmade gifts are sold. I bought a tea towel with the crochet hanging handle from it for my sister this year because I know she loves those tea towels and I can't crochet at all! There is also a little handmade soap shop that makes the most delightful soaps. If crafting and making gifts yourself isn't your special talent, there are plenty of ways to support local small business owners and gifts that were made locally and with love. If you are a bit crafty, why not consider giving some handmade gifts this year? Also, you can look into your local butchers and green grocers so that your delicious holiday feasts are sourced locally. This is a perfect example of helping your neighbour these holidays. At the beginning of Little Women, we see the girls taking their Christmas lunch - the one that they have been dreaming about - to their less fortunate neighbours. They reach out to Laurie, the lonely boy next door, and welcome him into their warm family life. Their holidays and their picnics are all local. There is absolutely nothing wrong with staying close to home these holidays, and helping out neighbours and community members. 

Tip # 5 - Embrace Home - Just like the above quote reminds us, home is a place of comfort and joy. It is a place where we can be surrounded by our favourite things, the things that make us smile year round. If your house isn't bringing you joy these holidays you might want to ask yourself why. Is it in need of a good cleaning? Or a good de-cluttering? Perhaps, simply moving things around for a new look will be enough. It's amazing what a difference a chair beside a window or a vase full of fresh flowers can do for a room! By embracing our homes, we are embracing all that is good about this season. We are reminded of those who were without a home, and searched for days until an inn-keeper shared with them a stable. We are reminded that it is the people who visit us, or who we visit that matter. That there is so much to be thankful for, during this time and our homes should be included in that. Meg, tired of her work as a governess exclaims:

"...teaching those tiresome children nearly all day, when I'm longing to enjoy myself at home..."

or Beth when she shares her life's dream, "to stay at home safe with father and mother, and help take care of the family."

This tip, in my mind, takes all of the others into consideration and makes them that much easier to achieve. Perhaps I should have put it first! When we embrace home, and the work that goes with it, we are embracing a simpler life. We are embracing garden, and making food from scratch. We are embracing a simpler wardrobe, one where we can wear what we want, even if it is the same dress for a week. We are embracing our neighbours and our local area in a way which we would be unable to do if we were out and about on holidays or all over town. 

There is so much fun wisdom to be gained from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it. You can find it for free online at Project Gutenberg or listen to for free with Librivox. I hope these holidays, wherever you are, you can bring some of this wisdom into your own lives. I know I will be. More than ever, I am looking forward to a quiet summer at home, a Christmas filled with homemade food and loving family, and gifts that were purposefully and mindfully chosen.