With all the attention on climate change and the need to live more environmentally-friendly lives, I thought it was important to find ways to have an eco-friendly holiday season. A few years ago I went with a group of friends to a wreath-making class. We had so much fun. I now host a wreath-making luncheon at my house! We start by foraging for greenery and holly. We mainly take quite a lot of green stuff from my backyard. Everyone brings the wire forms for their wreath or floral foam for a centerpiece. Then, we assemble our own unique creations. We break for lunch of quiche and kale salad with chestnuts and cranberries. I highly recommend it! And at the end of the season, you can save your metal frame and reuse it for next year and toss the rest on your compost heap.
I’ve spent a few hours finding really beautiful eco-friendly gifts. These are just ideas to get you thinking. Normally, I don’t recommend anything until I’ve personally tried it. However, in this case, I haven’t bought these items so you’ll need to do your own research.
Of course, the simplest way to save the planet is to buy less. I have a few ideas below that don’t require any shopping at all. You can also cut down on shopping by doing a secret exchange of gifts with a $10 limit. This will help to save even more money and time this year while having more fun than ever. After all, the holiday seasons are really about spending fun times with your friends and family.
Here are 15 Eco-friendly Gift Ideas for the Whole Family:
1. This beautiful wavy lamp in a jellyfish design is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece that will brighten any corner of your home.
2. These cute puffer fish dryer buddies save energy and increase efficiency on laundry day.
3. The Zero Waste Cookbook will help to reduce food waste and increase your culinary skills!
4. These zero waste gift boxes from etsy contain lovely eco-friendly items and come in a variety of different themes.
5. Funny food produce bags are environmentally friendly and will keep you smiling in the kitchen.
6. Create a calming, odor-free atmosphere with this ecofriendly collection of candles.
7. These cotton unpaper towels will help save the planet and brighten up your kitchen as well.
8. These attractive reusable makeup erasers are good for your skin and for the environment.
9. For the wee ones in your life, this baby toy starter set from Green Toys makes a wonderful gift.
10. Dine in eco-friendly style with this zero waste lunch kit.
11. If you are a decent cook, homemade food items are always thoughtful gifts (i.e., jams, chutneys, cakes, cookies, bread, chocolates).
12. Handmade gifts are truly personal depending on your particular hobby or skill (e.g., homemade candles, soaps, jewelry, quilts, scarves, knitwear, painting, photography).
13. A beautiful plant in a ceramic or hand painted pot makes a lovely gift that keeps on giving all year.
14. An indoor garden like the Aerogrow.
15. Give the precious gift of your time and skill (coupons for lawn mowing, babysitting, gardening, handy-work, car washing…or whatever your particular talent).
Eco-friendly stocking stuffer ideas:
Eco-friendly stocking stuffer ideas:
- Bamboo socks
- Dr. Bronner’s Lip Balm
- Stainless steel straws
- Bamboo toothbrushes
- Red hot cinnamon soy scented candle from Aromaology at etsy.com
Family fun and games:
Not necessarily eco-friendly, but it looks like good fun for the whole family for a Karoke night: The Bonaok Bluetooth Karoake Microphone for lots of singing while bopping around without a cord to get tangled with.
Or for more family fun, try this Game Night in a Can.
One of the gifts my kids enjoyed the most was a butterfly growing kit.
One year I bought my husband a multi-cooker for Christmas as a subtle hint to do more cooking and he loves it! He likes making slow-cooked turkey legs in a BBQ sauce and it tastes just like pulled pork so the kids like it too. This is one of the few kitchen appliances that saves cupboard space as it functions as a pressure cooker, slow cooker and rice cooker all in one pot. One way to declutter! And you can make your own hummus from hard un-soaked chickpeas in a flash thanks to the pressure cooker. I think this counts as an eco-friendly gift given it is more environmentally friendly to make your own food than buy in tins and this makes cooking so quick and easy.
For any of the above items that use an affiliate link to amazon.com, I will donate any fees generated to the charity Oxfam, which also has a vast array of holiday gifts. If we are lucky, we’ll have enough links to buy a goat for a family in Africa. Spread the joy and the wealth this holiday season!
If you live in the UK, try this website for eco-friendly gift ideas.
