The change of seasons, and how we connect to the natural world, is at the core of our work alongside Cacao. Nature is not only our source and inspiration, but also gives us everything we need to be healthy, content and happy human beings.
December - in the West - is the season of hibernation and dormancy, dreams and intuition, but it’s also the season when we celebrate connection and family, and we feast on what we’ve been able to harvest and store.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, or simply want to recognise the turning of the year, late December has always been a period when people have exchanged gifts, expressed appreciation and demonstrated generosity.
In some belief systems this is meant to encourage the gods to be generous in the year ahead, for others it’s just a way of marking another year. From the Secret Santa at work, through to the carefully created celebration dinner, or the glitzy end of year party, this is a period when we love to give and receive.
Mindful shopping for Christmas
Ethical shopping can be a part of our contribution to the festive spirit. Our choices have social and environmental impacts, and thats never more evident than when we buy gifts and goodies for our friends, families and loved ones in the annual spending spree that is Christmas shopping.
When we choose fair trade gifts, we are supporting a decent wage and good working conditions. And doing so we are creating a small difference in the landscape of social justice. It’s also fun to find ethical suppliers and creators who share our values and beliefs, and to support them by purchasing unique and wonderful products that look, taste or feel good,.
USA National Cocoa Day
December 13th is National Cocoa Day in the USA, and a perfect opportunity for us to celebrate cacao, and honour the superfruit we all love to indulge in.
Gifting Ceremonial grade cacao, that has been gown and made in the Amazon, means that not only are we supporting indigenous communities continue their way of life, and protecting their traditional agricultural heritage in tune with nature, but also giving them a fair price. It also means gifting gifts that are full of goodness, love and care, which is what we cherish most from nature.
As a cacao retailer, we know how important it is to ensure that our cacao is sustainably and fairly produced. Unethically sourced cacao would be a contradiction in terms to us - because using this incredible natural resource to deepen our connection to ourselves and the earth can only be achieved if we’ve respected others, and the earth, in sourcing our cacao..
Cacao is a powerful plant medicine that has been used ceremonially for thousands of years across Central and South America. The people of ancient Mesoamerica attributed a sacred status to Cacao and would drink ceremonially to commune with their gods. It releases Seratonin, Dopamine, and Ananadamide (the bliss molecule) making us feel happier, calmer and more peaceful, and is a wonderful tonic to take during these times of chaos and change.