With the holidays fast approaching, it’s easy to feel the excitement and the pull of excess. In our first post on Eco-friendly Tips for the Holiday Season, we explored the real vs. fake Christmas tree debate. Now that you’ve decided on your perfect tree, let’s turn our attention to what goes beneath it - the gifts!
In this post, we’re sharing simple tips for stress-free, affordable, and sustainable gift-giving to help you celebrate a holiday that’s both joyful and planet-friendly.
Green Gift Giving Ideas
When choosing gifts, think quality, not quantity. Here are some great ideas:
Gift an experience to friends and family.
Time spent together is one of the greatest gifts, consider a sports event, restaurant, concert, outdoor activities, movies or dinner and board games.
Think outside the gift box!
Gift dance, art, or music lessons. Maybe a spa day or cleaning service, yes please!
Gifts that support.
Share gifts that support causes your loved one’s care about. For example, donate on their behalf to charities that support the vulnerable, or protect wildlife, the environment, or humane societies.
Thoughtful Gifting: Sustainable, and Made to Last!
When shopping for gifts, consider choosing quality over quantity to give something truly special. Perhaps cozy items like wraps, scarves, hats, or throws that offer lasting softness and warmth. Look for certifications such RAS and (RWS) Responsible Wool Standards - Textile Exchange certified labels or Fair Trade, and Global Organic to ensure your gifts are sustainably and ethically produced. By selecting well-made, responsibly sourced products, you show care not just for your loved ones but also for the planet and the people who made them.
Shop locally!
Support the many unique retailers and services in your community.
Gifts made with love!
Handmade gifts are truly special; they are both thoughtful and meaningful. Do you knit, bake, sew, or are you willing to try something new? Unique DIY projects from homemade pressed flower candles to bath bombs are easy to find online. Here are 11 Sustainable DIY holiday gift ideas.
Re-gift an item that you have no use for.
I admit I frowned on the idea of regifting, but perhaps regifting just had a bad rap, pardon the pun! Instead of cluttering your cupboards or worse throwing it out, why not give a new item to someone who will enjoy and appreciate it? So, go ahead and regift to your heart’s content!
Wrapping it up!
You don’t need plastic and tinsel to present beautifully wrapped gifts, here are some creative tips and ideas:
Fabric - That's a Wrap!
Try a no-sew fabric bag using left over fabric or the traditional Furoshiki Fabric Wrap, this video shows how easy it is to create beautiful gift wrap with a bandana!
One of my favorites is a beautiful linen kitchen towel used as wrapping. Simply fold the tea towel around the gift and secure it with yarn or ribbon. Decorate with a sprig of greenery, a cookie cutter or kitchen utensil, let your creative juices flow!
Reuse Paper - That's a Wrap!
Pick up some craft paper and add your own designs and embellishments. Newspaper, comics, pages from a magazine depicting hobbies, sports or travel destinations are a fun way to wrap gifts and reuse paper.
There are many eco-friendly gift wrapping tips that are easy and affordable. Here are a few more fun gift wrapping ideas you may not have thought of.
There is an abundance of information online to support your efforts to maintain a sustainable lifestyle and enjoy the holiday season!
Join us for our last post of the series, my favorite holiday festivity, dining with friends and family.
Happy Holidays!
Christine
Hello@bobbiebroon.ca