the Sustainable Digital
Christmas Special
As we celebrate the holidays, we wanted to take a moment to share some of the cherished traditions that make this season so special to us.
From snowy carolers in Vermont to homemade ornaments in Spain, and cozy moments in the UK to modern advent calendars in Germany, the Sustainable Digital team is united in the spirit of warmth, togetherness, and reflection. Each of us brings a unique tradition to the table, and we’re excited to invite you to experience a little piece of our holiday joy from around the world.
Enjoy reading about these personal stories and traditions, and may they inspire you to create your own meaningful moments this holiday season.
Bob Lawson (Vermont, USA)
Each year our neighborhood gathers to sing carols. It is our Christmas tradition.
This started almost 40 years ago when a group of us walked from house to house to sing. And after we sang, the folks in the house would grab their coats and join us to sing at the next house and the next. By the end of the evening, we would have quite a crowd singing in the cold, snow, and ice of Vermont. Then we'd gather indoors, next to a wood-burning stove, to eat Christmas cookies and drink a cup of mulled apple cider.
Finally, we had enough of the cold and ice and decided to gather in our neighbor's barn each year to sing. And a piano helped keep us all on tune.
This has been a great way to celebrate the holidays and it has also been a wonderful way to strengthen the bonds within our community.
Luis Roldan & Roxanne Sancto (Malaga, Spain)
I love the holiday season – so much so, Luis wrote a little song about it for me (one of 12 he wrote as a Christmas gift some years ago). To me, the holidays mean coziness – twinkle lights, good food, books and music and my favorite humans – Luis and our daughter – and our flock of animals.
Inspired by Broad City, Patti Smith and Chimamanda Ngozi (long story), I invented my own little holiday – namely Witchmas – almost a decade ago. Each year, we decorate our tree with homemade ornaments featuring our favorite women in literature, film, music and life. Sometimes, we have an “honoree”. This is our way to take the spotlight off Santa and the patriarchy for a beat, and celebrate the real workers of magic.
Luis plays along because he knows what’s good for him.
We like coming up with handmade (or written) gifts for each other, and enjoy nothing more than hanging back and watching our daughter’s eyes sparkle with wonder.
Sharon Hedges (Cotswold, UK)
There is something truly magical in the anticipation and the buying of the Christmas Radio Times here in the UK.
The thought of sitting by the fire with a cup of tea (or maybe a Sherry in memory of my Grandma) and turning the pages just fills me with pure Christmassy joy and jolliness.
Ignoring modernity and instead using this gem of a bumper mag to plan out which films on which days, which Dickensian drama series you are going to plan around and what will be the animation that your kids will watch – even if they are in their 20s now – is the very essence of Christmas and will always be a tradition upheld for my family and I.
Claus Mikosch (Mönchengladbach, Germany)
I've been making an advent calendar for my daughter for the last twenty years. It's a very traditional custom in Germany – a countdown starting on December the 1st all the way to the 24th, resulting in 24 "doors" to open.
Sometimes I fill it with chocolate, other times other sweets. Once in a while her grandmother contributes a lipstick or the famous Zimtsterne from the local bakery. This year I sent her a package with 24 individual & numbered envelopes. Each envelope had a card with an inspiring quote, and some envelopes had a bit of pocket money. Unfortunately, this turned out to be a bad idea as the package never arrived.
I hope they will enjoy the calendar. Meanwhile, I am sending the quotes to my daughter by Whatsapp, one every day, and the money by transfer. A modern advent calendar.
Hannah Svec (Vermont, USA)
My favorite day of the calendar year is December 24th, Christmas Eve. As a kid, I looked forward to this day filled with family and tradition.
It was usually the beginning of a week-long break from school, filled with gift wrapping, baking and watching a beloved Christmas film. I looked forward to the slower pace of the day with nowhere to be, and the anticipation of Christmas morning around the corner.
In the evening, my family and I would get all dressed up and have a lovely dinner at our friend's house (who are like family). Then we'd make our way to church, and file into the wooden pews for a moving service filled with the story of Christmas, singing and light.
But my favorite part of the whole day was when one by one a candle light was passed around, until the whole room was lit only by our individual lights. The beautiful hymn of ‘Silent Night’ would fill the room. It was serene and warm, and what the spirit of Christmas has always meant for me: light, family, and finding a moment of peace in the world.