I know I am saying it again, but where has this year gone? If you are like me, you have been too busy to think about Christmas, and yet it is only a few weeks away. Yikes!
I thought I better get my act together and started buying some presents this weekend, but the problem I have run into is what to get everyone? I’m sure I am not the only person who has this problem. So I started looking into what presents can I get that are either eco friendly, ethical and/or support developing communities.
A few things I have come up with are:
1. Something from the garden
If you have a garden or even if you don’t, one of the simplest but long lasting presents you can give a friend or family member is a potted plant. It will bring some greenery to a person’s home and add some natural fragrance or colour to a room. A more useful potted gift is potted herbs, which not only look pretty, smells great, but has many uses in the kitchen and home.
And you don’t have to stop at a potted plant. A basket of fruit can make a healthy option over other over indulgent gift ideas.
2. Homemade
This is something I have done over the years for my children’s teachers. We make some shortbread and package it up with a KeepCup from our store (Order here). Making shortbread, gingerbread and other sweet biscuits can be a treat for the receiver of the gift, but it can also be a fun activity to do with your kids.
3. Doing something for others
This is something that can be really appreciated by friends and family that need a hand with something. Create a voucher that entitles the bearer to get help from you for a day. This can be really handy if you have skills in an area that can help others. If you know someone who needs a hand with moving house, setting up a garden or who just needs a helping hand, provide your services. This is far more valuable to the receiver than getting the latest gadget.
4. Christmas chocolate that cares
I know I have been guilty of this – buying chocolate without thinking where it has come from. Most of us love it and we eat far too much of it around the festive season, but I don’t think we consider fairtrade and sustainable chocolate. Child slavery is a huge problem in many of cocoa producing countries. Many of the farms are not regulated and therefore practice methods are not environmentally friendly or sustainable. And to add to this, they grow and use non sustainable Palm oil.
So consider buying chocolate that is fairtrade and sustainable. Examples are Alter Eco, Green & Black’s Organics, and Loving earth. It is great knowing that many of these chocolates are packed with antioxidants and cardiovascular benefits.
5. Recycled, craft and vintage
Does it have to be brand new? Remember a lot of people enjoy some old vintage stuff, particularly if it is hard to get. Also, you may have friends who are collectors and will appreciated getting another addition for their collection. And don’t forget those craft markets, where people have made some very pretty and useful items without using a lot of energy or creating a lot of waste. Even if you hop onto eco-friendly websites or sites like eBay and etsy, you can find a lot of very nice handmade gifts that people really appreciate.
6. Electronic gifts
You may be wanting to give your loved ones an electronic gift and we know for some tech heads out there, it is the only thing they want. But when buying these devices consider the energy rating. Some gadgets are energy zappers, so it is worth comparing brands for their energy rating. Also, check to see if the device is made of recycled or recyclable components. Remember every bit counts.
7. The gift that gives - donations
I know some people feel that this is a lame gift, used when you can’t think of anything else. But it does mean a lot to the person receiving the donation. Giving money on behalf of someone else, means you are doing something good for someone more deserving and with some thought, the right donations can mean a lot to the gift receiver. The receiver can receive updates and learn a lot about a community or the changes occurring in an area. Examples are Care Australia, World Vision and Goal (by sponsoring a child for a year), Oxfam (by supporting communities both in Australia and abroad), WWF’s conservation programs (to protect threatened species and their habitats), the Wesley Mission (by buying a haircut and shave for a homeless man) and many more.
8. Christmas wrapping and cards
You have already guessed what I am going to say, but it is something a lot of us forget when we are shopping for a present and then at the last minute we realise we need to wrap it. Always consider having recycled paper and cards in your home. And it doesn’t have to be brand new paper. Re-use where you can. Kids will love re-wrapping old boxes, gluing and drawing picture on them. It makes it far more personal.
9. Last, but not least
Don’t forget to look at our store earthly passion for eco-friendly gifts. I think there would be something wrong with me if I didn’t mention what we have to offer. I know I have a few gifts in mind for friends and family, which has made me realise I should make it easy for you to buy a gift. We are creating more packs for everyone in the family, which will make it straightforward for you to choose. Each pack will come with free wrapping paper, allowing you to wrap your gift in a very environmental way. At the weekend see more of them added to the category earthly passion gifts on our site, making it easier for you to have a look at what we have to offer. Check it out here: earthly passion Gifts.
We would love to hear if you have any tips for Christmas gift shopping or any suggestions regarding what we should offer. Thank you for reading and have fun shopping.
Attracta & the earthly passion team