(collaborative) Eco-friendly gifts are something we should all start to consider. Alongside everything else happening in our lives, many of us are increasingly concerned with the state of the environment and climate change. We’ve all seen the pictures of the disposable facemasks cluttering beaches, wrapped around sea life, and abandoned on floors in the streets where we live.
Rather than doing nothing, it is up to us to start working to be a little greener? It is not a mystery that many of the traditions related to Christmas have a negative impact on the environment. This year, because of the measures taken, this impact might be less severe. With many shops closed on and off, we’re not using our cars as much. However, it is important to support our local communities as well as opt for gifts that are more sustainable. So what sort of gifts can we look at that will help us on our quest to be greener?
Go Paperless With an eReader
If you love to read, but you never seem to have enough time, the lockdown will have given you just that. However, with bookstores still closed and buying books online being more harmful to the environment than one would want, it might be time to consider an alternative. That is where a high-quality eReader comes in. Giving an eReader as a present to your family and friends will encourage them to read more, without harming any trees. It is important for it to be good quality with great reviews to reduce the need for upgrades too soon, make it longer-lasting and reduce environmental waste.
Opt for a DIY Present
Crafting a hand-made or DIY present for loved ones is a great way to show them you care. These gifts allow for personalisation, and they allow you to stick within your budget, whatever the one you have set is. More importantly, you can create as many unique gifts as you can without having to pay the price in carbon emissions or long transport times. Whether you love knitting, pottery, jewellery making, or creating crafts, this is your time to shine!
Give Home-Made Foodie Gifts
If you love to be in the kitchen and bake, then take advantage of this. There is nothing better than making caked or home-made baked goods and they’re suitable for children and adults. When gifted in beautiful, eco-friendly packaging, a personalised cake can be an impressive and appreciated gift. Of course, you can also decide to bake these goods with the whole family, allowing you to spend time with your family having fun. Not everyone is great at baking. Sometimes home baking kits can come in handy.
Choose Pre-Loved Items
Pre-loved items can be an excellent way to breathe new life into old objects, making them beautiful again and personalise them. It’s also a more favourable option with people’s shift towards being more eco friendly and less wasteful. It is also a great way of getting designer items without the hefty price tag.
Modern and Vintage Gifts
You’ll discover a wider range of modern Christmas gift ideas online and in stores. With the choice available, it isn’t always easy to decide what to select unless you think about what the recipient would like or need. Sometimes, it helps to consider more vintage items. These can make for the perfect room centrepiece or focal point. You’ll have an idea of which option the recipient would prefer.
Brighten Their Home With Plants
Plants can be a beautiful present for someone in your family, local or distant and are wonderful eco-friendly gifts. You can either pick seasonal flowers and plants or opt for Christmas-themed bunches. If you wish to surprise someone who is far from you, get in touch with a local florist and ask them if they offer a delivery service! It’s nice to support smaller companies. This way you also save on carbon emission and transport costs while supporting smaller businesses.
Make a Donation
Some people prefer a donation to be made to a charity close to their heart. It can be a lovely way to gift not only the person the donation is made in the name of but also help those that it goes to support where it helps animals, people, or the environment. This won’t require wrapping, transportation etc so will save on environmental pollution.
What eco-friendly gifts will you or would you like to gift this year to family and friends?
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Written by Melanie Edjourian.
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An excellent list for eco-friendly Christmas gifts. I particularly like the idea of choosing pre-loved items, and of course the gift of plants. Thank you.
Plants can be lovely gifts. I have started bringing some into my home.
I love receiving handmade gifts as more thought and love goes into them. But I wish I could say the same for my family LOL
It can be an individual thing. Home made gingerbread biscuits often go down well with many!!!
I love this. Every year I look at all the “stuff” and feel so overwhelmed. I wish we could all live simpler lives.
I think it would make us all much happier.
I’m actually considering getting an ebook reader to reduce my carbon footprint. 🙂 Thanks for this great list I have ideas what to give my loved ones this Christmas.
Wow, what a coincidence. It will be something you’ll wish you bought sooner!!!
You arrayed nice tips for having an eco-friendly Christmas celebrations. Breathing new life into old items and getting an ebook reader are my favourites.
It is important for us all to start changing our way of thinking. Breathing life into old items can make them into something amazing. You just need to be creative.
I am a HUGE fan of DIY gifts. Not only do I enjoy the gifts themselves, but I really appreciate the work that the giver put into making something that they believe I will love. It’s the emotional connection to it – that’s what the season’s all about!
It is. You can see they’ve spent the time to carefully make you a gift that you’ll enjoy.
An e-reader is a great gift as everyone seems to have one these days! Whilst I love collecting books by my favourite authors, when you read as much as I do, an e-reader is a great gift for the rest of the books I want to read too. I also love DIY-ing gifts and have done so for my partner every Christmas/Valetine’s/birthday for the past 8 years that we’ve been together and it’s SO much fun! These are great ideas ☺️
DIY gifting is good fun. There are so many lovely things you can make too!!!
Creative ideas for an eco-friendly Christmas! It’s great that we are leaning towards incorporating more eco friendly practices even in the holidays! I would totally go for the homemade foodie gifts!
Ha, me too. Who doesn’t love gorgeous, tasty homebakes. Mine always go down well!!!
Eco- friendly stuffs are becoming a big deal in recent times. Many people are becoming aware. These are nice gift list ideas.
They are becoming very popular.
This is a really unique gift guide, I love it! I always try to make some of my gifts. Last year I did it for 8 friends and I really loved it. Sadly it was a print that listed each month and encouraged them to allocate an activity a month to enjoy as a family…. Then Covid… so yeah I am pretty sure they blame me for that!!
We are doing donations for family this year to the hospice that supported my Mum. We thought it was better as we can’t see each other x
I have always loved buying second hand things for gifts, especially for the kids as I can buy more for my money and it stops those things being binned
We have been trying to be a little more eco friendly this year and especially when choosing and buying gifts to.
It can be a gradual process but we will all get there eventually.
I must say, I do love reading – every day I’m reading but I have gone more towards the e-book side for the convenience as well as the environment. It’s definitely a good gift to give someone.
You’re really lucky to have the time to read daily. The e-reader would be ideal for you.
I love trying to give handmade presents which are sustainable too, I think they require just as much energy and thought as shop-bought.
That’s very true. I love making edible gifts, tailoring recipes specifically for individuals.
Ohhh those mince pies look ace! I’ve enjoyed trying out eco-friendly items this year, definitely the way forward! I am all for handmade gifts this year too… everyone is getting blankets made by yours truly! 🙂 Sim x
Oh wow, that’s great. I wish I knew how to make blankets!!! Have fun x
I have just bought myself a new e-reader for Christmas! It is great to gift eco friendly gifts if you can – some great ideas here.
I love the idea of making a donation as an eco friendly gift. That is a great way to make a difference.
I love these ideas! I am making the most of lockdown and doing a fair few little DIY gifts this Christmas 🙂
That’s great to hear. It can be great fun to make gifts.
This year I am actually researching and looking at labels to make sure the items I purchase are ecoconcious and you have given me some more great ideas like plants as well as making a donation
Home made foodie items are such a nice idea, I do think making your own treats can be nice as it shows how much time and effort you put into it x
Homemade treats are always a winner. So many options available too which helps.
There are some lovely ideas here for sure, I love the idea of gifting homemade goods like foodie items such as jam would make lovely gifts. also the donation is a great gift and I have already asked someone for this x
I love eco friendly gifts. I have just brought my daughter some handmade make up remover pads which are great and just got myself some reusable glass straws.
I love this . What a lovely list
Of eco friendly gifts . We love pre loved , gifting and receiving, it makes so much sense doesn’t it