Sustainable Gift Giving this Holiday Season
The Christmas season is one of my favorite times of year. I love listening to Christmas songs on the radio and enjoying all of the best holiday baked goodies. It’s an exciting and fun time to spend with family but is also notorious for being a wasteful consumerist holiday. There are some things we can do to ensure a less wasteful, more eco conscious season, specifically sustainable gift giving. I’ve come to find out that the holidays are a lot more enjoyable when we aren’t so focused on the things and more focused on the experiences with our loved ones. Here are a few tips for a more mindful and zero waste Christmas:
Homemade Sustainable Gifts
I think one of the most thoughtful gift giving ideas would be to give something that’s handmade. Baked goods or homemade body scrubs are always nice. If you have a certain hobby/craft, make something in your field i.e. sew a bag, paint a portrait, create a piece of practical pottery, etc. Some of my favorite gifts have been those made by my family.
My sister has knit me hats and scarves, created beautiful pieces of pottery, and designed interesting terrariums for me. My brother built my sister a nativity scene one year, and he made a really fun backyard game for my partner last year. You can find lots of really nice DIY gift ideas on Pinterest! I especially love this gingerbread cookie sugar scrub recipe from the Pistachio Project blog! You could fill some mason jars with this scrub and dress them up with ribbons to pass out to friends. Simple and thoughtful!
Gifting Experiences Instead of Stuff
Another great zero waste gift giving option is to give friends and family an experience. Hunt through Groupon and Living Social websites to find something you think they’d really enjoy like a painting class, sky diving, or laser tag. You could give a gift card to their favorite restaurant or movie passes. Also, museum passes are a great idea and the perfect zero waste gift.
My partner gifted me a prenatal massage last year when I was pregnant with baby Vasco. My sister bought me and my mom a cooking class for Christmas last year that was super fun! You can get creative with this one, think of something your friend/family member wouldn’t probably buy for themselves but would really enjoy.
For the eco parent in your life, how about gifting them an online magazine subscription. We absolutely love Eco Parent magazine. Their magazine is full of sustainable living tips and articles for parents as well as healthy recipe ideas. You can get 20% off your subscription with our coupon code “tinyyellowbungalow.”
Eco Friendly Gifts
Our preferred gift giving option is of course eco friendly and zero waste gift giving by supporting the Tiny Yellow Bungalow online zero waste shop!! (I know, shameless plug, but honestly it is super easy to find practical zero waste gifts for the fam in my shop!) Give an eco conscious gift to your friends this year. A lot of people don’t know about sustainable practices, and their first bamboo toothbrush or reusable shopping bag might be the encouragement to spur their interest in doing kind things for the planet! Here are just a few items we think are perfect for the holiday season:
A Super Cute Tea Towel
A Bar of Handmade Soap + Vintage Soap Dish
USB Rechargeable Lighter – Pair it with a locally made candle
Bamboo Toothbrush + Bamboo Toothbrush Travel Case = Best Stocking Stuffer! (More Zero Waste Stocking Stuffer Ideas HERE!)
Bamboo Kitchen Utensil Set– You can’t go wrong with a simple set of cooking utensils 🙂
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Get 10% off your first zero waste order and all the latest Tiny Yellow Bungalow news!Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Take a peak at The Mindful Mom Blographer’s list of 70 Zero Waste Gift ideas!! She has some really great ideas on this list.
Secondhand Gifts
Another zero waste gift option would be to give secondhand. When it comes to waste conscious living, regifting is no longer taboo 🙂 So if you aren’t using it, and it’s in great condition, give it to someone who will love it. Shop thrift stores and used bookstores for Christmas gifts as well. I know some friends that would absolutely adore a vintage handbag or cool retro dress! I find a lot of great vintage goodies at estate sales around my town.
Eco Friendly Gift Wrapping Ideas
Zero waste gift wrapping can be super cute and fun! No need to buy holiday wrapping paper… It’s wasteful and unnecessary and can be super pricey!
- Paper. You can use brown paper bags to wrap gifts and tie with string. This is a wonderful idea, because the packaging is both recyclable and compostable. Newsprint from the recycling bin is also a good option.
- Gift Bags. Collect the gift bags friends have given you over the years and reuse them for this year’s gifts.
- Cloth Bags. Also, you could use draw string cloth bags to package your holiday gifts this season. They’re reusable! You could sew some of your own or I’ve seen some really cute ones on Amazon. You might even check Etsy to support a small handmade maker!
- Glass Jars. When creating homemade gifts, such as baked goods, consider a reusable mason jar and tie a hemp ribbon around the neck of the jar.
- Paper Tape. Also, the secret to the perfectly secured wrapped zero waste gift? Paper tape. Conventional tape is typically made from… you guessed it – plastic. Consider using a paper tape alternative instead. You can order a pretty large roll on Amazon that will last for ages.
You can find some more great zero waste gift wrap ideas here!
Let’s all curb consumption this holiday season and focus on family!
What’re are some of your best tips for a zero waste holiday season, please share them with me in the comments section!
Other Zero Waste Blog Posts You Might Find Useful:
Making the Switch to Zero Waste Toothpaste
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Great job, we are on the same page 🙂
Yay! I just saw your holiday zero waste blog post and agreed, we’ve both got the right idea! 😉 I hope others will be encouraged to avoid the crazy wastefulness of the holidays and focus on what really matters
I love the bit about used item giving no longer being taboo.
We’ve never had large Christmases in our family, and I’m glad of it now. My poor Mum always had an answer for our comparisons with what our friends got, and it was “youre my daughter and I love you, spending more money on you doesn’t mean more love” and often she would add on the tag line of mothers everywhere…..” you’ll understand when you’re older”
Mums are always right
Very interesting post! Many of us are extremely recycle oriented and would like to know about Eco-friendly even during the holidays. Your ideas are amazing and very creative!!