Every year I stand in front of the challenge to get gifts for 20 people, which are mostly my closest family and a few good friends. Because of the climate crisis, I also do my best to be as eco-friendly as I can be. So here I am sharing with you my ideas for eco-friendly gifts, hoping that my family won’t treat it as a spoiler alert!
Next to the gift ideas, you will find some tips and tricks on how to make the whole process, including packing, more eco-friendly.
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Solid Cosmetics
Cosmetics are a very popular Christmas gift. If you want to keep a traditional idea with a modern spark, this year choose solid cosmetics over liquid ones. Solid soaps, shampoo bars, or even cosmetics for face care, you can get all of them in more ecological forms, eliminating plastic waste. While I encourage you to reach for hand-made, lesser known brands, there are also many popular cosmetic brands that have started creating solid cosmetics. They might be a better choice if you are seeking a cheaper option.
Reusable Cotton Pads
If the person you want to get a present for is a fan of make-up, consider getting reusable cotton pads. After use, you just need to wash them and let them dry. It’s a perfect choice for people with delicate skin but not only.
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Vegan Cookbook
One of the best ways to reduce our individual carbon footprint is resigning from eating meat. Just in one year of being vegan, you can save 3,311 kg of CO2 and spare the life of 365 animals (reference). A cookbook is an ideal gift for people who are already vegan, but also meat-eaters. Just choose wisely. If the gift is for a person who doesn’t know much about veganism, choose a more educative cookbook, with simple recipes, possibly with well-known ingredients. You don’t want to scare them away with weird words such as seitan or jackfruit.
Warm Socks (from natural, possibly recycled, materials)
Who said that socks are a bad gift? Well, I personally love socks. They give you this cosy vibe and they keep you warm on a gloomy day. If you and the person you will offer the present to are team #lovesocks, find winter socks made out of natural materials. Extra points if they are made of recycled materials.
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Cork Goodies
Cork is one of the most sustainable and natural materials. It is harvested from oak trees which, after a few years, give new material again. Cork is a perfect material for shoes, clothes, yoga mats, and much more. It’s elastic, waterproof and even resilient to fire. Cork goodies come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges, so it’s a perfect idea if you are looking for a unique, yet eco-friendly gift.
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Safety Razor
Every year, billions of plastic razors end up in landfills (reference). There is a solution that is easy and well-known from the past: safety razors. Invented in 1903, safety razors make some people shiver. However, it is not only a safe tool but, according to professional barbers, one of the best. Additionally, you can find various options on the market. Safety razors are suitable for all genders!
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Natural Soy Candles
Many people love candles. Especially during Christmas and on cold days, they give a cosy warmth. Some researchers point out that cheap candles made out of paraffin can release toxins in the air (reference). This is why it’s good to reach for trusted, possibly hand-made brands that produce natural soy candles. This way you not only save your health but also won’t be adding more pollution to the air.
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Reusable Cups
In Australia, 2,700,000 cups are thrown away… EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. (Reference) In other places the situation is no better.
The single-use cup is a huge problem, responsible for a great amount of pollution in our oceans and landfills. Even though they are called paper cups, they can’t be recycled. Most of them have a thin plastic layer inside to prevent leaking. If you have someone eco-conscious on your gift list, a good reusable coffee cup can be a good choice, of course, if they don’t already have one.
It’s also a perfect idea for a secret Santa gift in your office for the guy who always brings takeaway coffee with them. In a “paper” cup.
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Beeswax Food Wraps
Honestly, I discovered them three years ago when I found them under my Christmas tree. Since then, I can’t imagine living without them. Thanks to them, you can reduce your use of plastic. You will never wrap cling foil around your sandwiches again. They are also available in a vegan version. Many brands offer various sizes and patterns.
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Buy a Course or a Workshop
Do you have the impression that there is nothing else that your loved one needs but you still want to offer them a gift? Think outside of the (Christmas gift) box! Verify what is their already personal passion and check if someone organizes workshops about that. You can also find some courses online. Whether you want to offer a vegan cosmetic workshop, an embroidery course, or language classes: the possibilities are endless.
Extra Tips!
Re-give
This one might be a bit controversial, but if you have a gift that you don’t really like, or you won’t use it, it’s a good idea to give it to somebody else. Of course, the person you have in mind should like that present, and you should be sure they will use it.
You can also re-give some of the valuable things that you don’t use yourself anymore. It could be a vintage piece of jewellery, a beautifully illustrated book from childhood, or an ebook reader that you used five times and never again.
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Buy second-hand
Buying second-hand not only reduces waste but also give you a chance to find a unique gift. It might take you a little bit longer than just purchasing presents from Amazon, but it’s definitely worth the fuss.
Buy Local
If you prefer or have to buy new products, instead of choosing a giant corporation, try to support locals. You can purchase products created in your area, spend money in a local bookstore, or even have a look through a Christmas market. At many of them, you can find handmade, more sustainable products.
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Don’t Buy Unwanted Presents
According to statistics, 1 in 7 Europeans gets presents that they don’t want. (reference) Around 42 million pounds worth of unwanted gifts are thrown away to the landfill EACH Year, just in the UK.(reference)
As we were a big family, we often got “useful” presents. There was no place for something that would just be laying around or bring joy for only a second to then be tossed away. Let’s be clear, the useful present doesn’t always mean sustainable, but it is a good place to start.
Make sure that the gift you are getting is going to actually be used by the person who gets it! Otherwise, it might be not only a waste of money but also more unused garbage on the planet.
Wrap It Up!
It might seem that wrapping paper is not such a big deal, but when it comes to data, it’s often overlooked as being a giant source of “Christmas” waste. According to GWP Group, 108 million rolls of wrapping paper will be trashed by Brits alone (reference). Additionally, colourful glittered wrapping papers often cannot be recycled (reference). This is why you should remember about the environment when choosing your wrapping paper.
Instead of buying colourful one-use paper, choose a decorative box that can be reused. Or even better, gather brown paper that you don’t use (e.g. broken paper bags) or even a piece of fabric, and use it to wrap your Christmas gifts. Add some fresh pine branches and a string and you will have unique packaging with that cute retro vibe!
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Summary
The most sustainable gifts are those that we don’t buy at all. However, it’s understandable that long-lasting traditions bring joy to many, especially kids. So if you decide to get Christmas gifts, remember to do it wisely and with consideration for our planet. After all, there is no better gift than being around, than being present, and by leaving a place to live for the generations that are yet to come.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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Photo credit: iStockPhoto.com
