Year after year, the Christmas season arrives earlier than we would like to. Consequently, finding the right presents for your loved ones can be pretty challenging. It can become even more troubling if they are eco-conscious, zero-waste or vegan. Let me tell you that picking eco-friendly Christmas gifts does not need to be overwhelming.
In fact, I will show you how easily you can find the best eco-friendly gifts for your loved ones that will fill them with joy and are also beneficial for the planet (in some cases for your wallet too).
This article is for people who live a sustainable lifestyle and want to find eco-friendly gifts for their loved ones. Moreover, this article aims to support people who are not confident in the eco-conscious space (yet) and who struggle to find the right gift for their environmentally-conscious friends and family members.
Not gonna lie, eco-conscious people can be a tough nut to crack. Nonetheless, if we see that our wishes for a more sustainable Christmas become fulfilled, we will be most grateful.
I’m an eco-conscious person who usually does not want anything for Christmas, but I accepted that it is part of the festivities. Therefore, I’m super excited to present you the inspirational eco-friendly Christmas gift lists:
Unforgettable Experiences
DIY & Homemade
Ethical & Local
Children
Technology
Gift Boxes
Christmas is not about causing unnecessary trouble, but spending time together and showing that we care for each other.
Alrighty! Before I introduce you to the different gift categories, I want to let you know that while writing this article, I have been listening to Christmas music. Hence, I want to encourage you to pump up your favourite Christmas beats and slowly get into the Christmas mood.
At the end of this article, I provide you with some inspiration to wrap your gifts eco-friendly.
What does eco-friendly mean?
You might wonder, what does it mean to be eco-friendly? Why is it an issue in the first place? Unfortunately, our global world is built on environmental destruction and social exploitation. Those are issues that many eco-conscious people find not compatible with a true Christmas spirit.
When a product or service is eco-friendly, it means no harm or damage was inflicted on the natural environment during the whole life-cycle – from production to your doorstep. It includes that land, air, water, plants and animals do not have to compromise their existence and health for our lifestyle choices. The benefits of eco-friendly products can be immediate or long-term. With our eco-conscious choices, we are saving nature from destruction and exploitation. In other words, an eco-friendly Christmas gift does not cost the Earth.
In many cases, eco-friendly products aim at being reusable, sustainable, made ethically, recycles, or compostable. All of those attributes refer to smaller or greater extents to materials, products, services, activities and events.
Often overlooked in sustainability discussions is social sustainability. Therefore, you will also find inspiration for ethical Christmas gifts. You have probably heard about the bad working conditions in the fashion, food and other industries. Therefore, I want to add the term socially supportive Christmas gift ideas to the list.
So what are all those great Earth- and People-friendly ideas?
Unforgettable Experiences Gifts
In general, the Christmas season is a time for reflection on what you have achieved and where you want to head next year. Nobody can take away what you have experienced in the last few years. Therefore, I want to give you inspiration for gifts that will bring you closer to your loved ones and enable your loved ones’ unforgettable moments and experiences.
Most of the experience gift ideas are bound to the country, city and area where you live. For this reason, look online at what your region has to offer, or go to your local information centre or ticket-selling bureau. They are the ones who have all the information about what is going on, what events, shows, musicals, comedy shows, local theatre, museums, markets, festivals, restaurants and so on you can book.
Eco-friendly Christmas gifts which bring me a mental break from daily routines are ideal. Collecting memories rather than stuff is meaningful to many eco-conscious people.
Good news! All 6 eco-friendly Christmas gift ideas are bundled in one file. Simply register for the Reimagine Sustainability Newsletter by clicking on the picture below to receive this beautifully designed gift to make your Christmas time merrier and stress-free:
You can also click here to receive your free eco-friendly Christmas Gifts inspiration
DIY & Homemade Christmas Gifts
Eco-friendly Christmas gifts unfairly have a reputation for being expensive. The opposite is the case. With beautiful and creative DIY and homemade ideas, you can give your loved ones something personal, something you invested your time into – the most precious resource you have. Get ready to upcycle all the love you can find with those joy-bringing Christmas gift ideas:
Ethical & Local Christmas Gifts
Eco-conscious people believe that the Christmas season should not be carried out at the expense of those who are not as fortunate as us. Many eco-conscious people are aware of the disparities of livelihoods around the globe and try with their sustainable lifestyle to minimise not only the negative impact on the planet but also on people.
Ethical gifts are characterised by supporting small, local, indigenous and fair businesses:
Eco-friendly Children’s Christmas Gifts
Chemical pollution in children’s toys is a really bad issue. Therefore, we should create a safe Christmas for the little ones free of excessive chemicals from plastic toys (e.g. BPA free). Moreover, I want to inspire you to give presents to your small loved ones, igniting their imagination. As a child, I would have loved those eco-friendly Christmas gifts, particularly costume boxes!
Tech Christmas Presents
Technology has become an integral part of our lives. Therefore, I looked for electronic devices which are to some or greater extent sustainable. However, I want to be honest with you: I’m not a very tech-savvy person. Some of the presents I would be happy to receive as an eco-conscious person like solar-powered chargers. If you have any other eco-friendly tech gift ideas, please let me know in the comments or write me a message here: Contact.
Gift Box Ideas
Gift boxes are a fantastic idea for every budget. When preparing a gift box, use recyclable materials like cartons, natural stuffing materials like leaves and twigs and decorations like dried fruit. There are innumerable ways of assembling a gift box; it can become a personalised gift that adapts to the needs and lifestyle of the gift receiver.
Here are some themes as orientation on how you can assemble the perfect gift box:
How to pack present eco-friendly
Lastly, let us focus on wrapping presents eco-friendly. Here less is more. Do not worry, I will show you simple ways to pack your presents eco-friendly without compromising aesthetics. Eco-friendly people are very aware of the negative issues of wasteful packaging. When you present your gift in a more environmentally-friendly way, you will gain a special place in their hearts. Often, the thought and effort count more than the gift itself.
The issue with average wrapping paper is that it cannot be recycled in many cases and is used only once.
- Use paper that is recycled, recyclable, plastic-free and in the best case biodegradable
- Fabrics like linen, recycled cotton or organic hemp give your presents a beautifully earthy look. Even better, if it is a bag which can be used after unwrapping the present, it helps transport the presents easier! How cool is that!
- Old clothes can also be turned into nice wrapping
- Baskets made from natural materials
- Paper sandwich bags
- Reuse gift bags you got
- For small presents, you can use book pages
I love decorating my presents because otherwise, they could look dull. Here are some easy to implement decorations ideas:
- Dried flowers (lavender, roses), leaves, herbs (rosemary, sage) and fruit (citrus fruit works very well), pine cones, fir branches, twigs, etc.
- Christmas cookies, candy, cinnamon sticks, star anise, nuts etc.
- Paint, stamps, cutouts from magazines, etc.
- Self-made gift tags
- Self-made card
Do not forget you can get all 6 eco-friendly Christmas gift lists in one file. Click on the picture below or here to have a stress-free Christmas delivered right into your inbox:
Eco-friendly Christmas are simply contributing to a more jolly Christmas
It is a transition, from a simple consumeristic to a more conscious gifting process. I hope that the many suggested gift ideas took a bit of pressure away from you and that you can gift your eco-friendly loved ones with a good conscience.
The beauty of eco-friendly gifts lies in expanding your understanding of your purchase choices for a better planet and people. But those gift ideas might not resonate with hard-core greenies who despise the whole concept of gifting (in particular during the Christmas season). Even when you did not hit the nail on its head, you still contributed your money to a better cause.
In the end, it comes to spending time with your loved ones. This is worth more than any gift can offer.
Merry Christmas my dear reader!
Great Post 👏 lots of great ideas there. I think secondhand tech gifts would be great or solar powered chargers are pretty cool too. I personally love handmade gifts like chutney etc. It’s much more meaningful. ❤️
Thank you Damaris! My favourite gifts are also handmade food gifts, they make life more delicious 🙂
You have some wonderful ideas here, thanks for sharing.
Great post. Very thoughtful and meaningful suggestions. Very often, the most memorable gifts come from the heart.
Thank for sharing this list! Some really great ideas on here, which show that Christmas presents don’t have to be all plastic and wasteful.