Sustainable Gift Ideas for the Holidays
The holiday season every year (at least for me) consists of decorating, baking, and giving personalized gifts to everyone I love! My favorite thing about the holiday season is being able to thrift, make, or find I love giving gifts to people in any form, mostly because making them personal and surprising people that I am thankful for makes my heart happy.
Many of us who are on this sustainable journey find ourselves surrounded with family and friends who do not necessarily understand or follow some of the eco-concious choices that we make. I take gifting people very seriously as a chance to show them things that I care about that I think they would love if they were exposed to it! My new favorite way to gift is making sustainable “kits” that are tailored to each of my friends or family member. It has inspired so many sustainable swaps along the way for not only those who receive the gift, but for myself as well.
If you are going to be wrapping gifts, consider using recycled paper or cloth. Shiki Wraps have my favorite cloth wraps for gifting. They are so soft and stretchy, and fit every shape object. I also have used old blankets and nice fabric, as well as packing paper I randomly acquire.
I hope that this list of my top 10 sustainable gift ideas for 2021 will inspire you this year! It would be amazing if you share your own gifting ideas, as I would love to keep this resource list growing. Reach out on the contact page, or connect through social media. 🙂
1. Gift an experience
Gifting experiences like classes, tickets to shows, movie tickets, etc are one of my favorite ways to personalize gifts. Things are beginning to safely open up safely in-person, and online experiences are so much more diverse and higher-quality than before (mostly due to Covid forcing everyone to adapt!). Gifting experiences creates no direct waste, and it provides people with a mental break from their daily routines.
Masterclasses are a great gift for almost every single person, you can gift someone a music lesson, a cooking class, a language class, and so much more! The best thing is that they can choose which classes they want to take, so you do not have to worry about guessing what they may or may not find worthwhile.
The Adventure Book Challenge is also a great way to get out of your usual routine and try new adventures that can be completed anywhere! Alternatively, you could make those cute personal coupon books that we have all seen where you offer up services like 2 free nights of babysitting, a night where you cook dinner, a coffee date, etc. This is where you get creative and personalize it towards your loved one!
Support Local! Now that places are finally opening up, consider gifting local experiences to your friends and family members! Some things that I have personally gifted are local wine or beer tours, movie/museum/concert tickets, or fun experiences found through Groupon and Airbnb.
2. Find a local vendor to support
As mentioned above, shopping local is a great way to support your community while having a smaller carbon footprint. In the markets and small shops where I live in Oregon, there are local candle makers, breweries, vineyards, zero waste shops with locally made goods, and more. It took a bit of digging and searching around to find all of these little gems, but I can guarantee you will be surprised if you take a bit of time to look for local artists, crafters, or shops near where you live.
Gifting personalized items from where you live is a fun way to share a bit of your community with those you love! Since moving to Oregon, I have gotten really into foraging and utilizing all of the beautiful resources that are accessible almost everywhere around Portland. I am going to be making homemade rose hip and Hawthorne berry jam to send out to everyone this year in jars that I have been collecting over the year.
For my wedding this September, we got local jam as a wedding favor for everyone to bring home! (Can you tell I love jam?) Soap, tea, and dishware are my other go-to gifts that I like to find at local art and holiday fairs, as well as the local winter farmers markets.
3. Environmental games
I grew up playing board games every holiday, as well as any time my friends or family wanted to get together and do a fun activity together. Some of my best memories with my family has been sitting around kitchen table playing board games for hours on end. As well as board games, there are so many video games out now that have an environmental focus in some way or another. Doing research into environmental games let me find options that would work my my child cousins, my adult siblings, and my grandparents.
I have been sneaking eco-themed games into the lineup for the past few years, and have found some of my favorite games by doing so! Check out Cut the Crap’s article with my full list of games, including links!
Environmental Games That Are *Actually* Fun
4. Single-use item swaps
Replacing single-use items is one of the largest discussions when it comes to environmental influencers and waste-reduction organizations. There are so many amazing local, woman and POC owned businesses out there making
Reusable grocery and produce bags are useful, affordable, and cute gifts that can be found everywhere online and in-store. They can be a great first step towards making sustainable changes in daily habits and the way we think about our impact on the Earth. Reusable Zip-Loc bags are a game changer for me personally, so I like to gift friends at least one so that they have it as an option to bring snacks on the go. Check out this link to where I found affordable and durable bags that I use every day.
I always get HIBar shampoo and conditioner bars as gifts for friends and family because of how immediately comparable they are to *typical* liquid shampoo or conditioner. I have been able to successfully make a few family members and friends converts to this swap! There are quite a few different scents and options for hair, click here to check out their site directly.
Sustainable gift boxes are great for friends and family who are interested in making sustainable changes, but have no idea where to start. There are starter kits for hair care, to-go kits, pet kits, and so much more. I personally like to create my own gift kits for friends, but these are so handy and come in sustainable/non-plastic packaging! Below are some of the coolest kits I saw and would want as a gift: Earth Hero Sustainable Starter Kits & Tare Market Zero Waste Kit .
5. Plant-based cookbook to inspire ideas
As a Conservation Biology major, I have learned and talked a lot about the implications of animal agriculture on the climate in almost all of my classes. I have come to the conclusion, like many other scientists, that a dramatic decrease in animal consumption is required for overall sustainable consumption around the world. One great way to contribute to this necessary goal is to incorporate a few plant-based meals into your week, or fully adopt a vegetarian/vegan diet. If the person you are gifting this to isn’t already interested in plant-based cooking, consider writing a note with your gift explaining why you gave them this present.
My two current favorite cookbooks have recipes that I cook for all of my meat-eating loved ones. I have not had a single negative review yet, and have discovered so many new dishes that I love!
Deliciously Ella: The Plant Based Cookbook
Speedy Bosh: Quick, Easy, All Plants
Minimalist Baker’s Everyday Cooking
6. Gift an audio book membership that supports local bookstores
Audio books create no physical waste, and can be used as a gift for all ages in your family. I have always been a huge reader, but recently started using the time to educate myself on environmental racism, police reform, indigenous conservation, and the permafrost thaw crisis. Listening to books is much more accessible for those with busy and on-the-go lifestyles. Plus, there are so many cool subscription services out there that fit every need! Below are my two favorite audio book sites:
Libro.fm partners with independent bookstores, which means that they have a huge selection of audio books, curated collections and also recommendations to help you find titles that you’ll enjoy. Since they partner with small businesses, the money is benefiting communities directly. You can gift 1, 3, 6, and 12-month memberships by clicking here.
Scribd is another subscription service that offers online media, as well as free subscriptions to a few other library apps. My favorite features of this service is the fact that it has a sleep timer, and also lets you change the reading speed of whatever you are listening to. Unfortunately, it is not easy to purchase as a gift like Libro.fm. You will have to either create an account for your loved one, or send them the amount of money it costs for a year long/few month subscription.
7. Backyard Wildlife Tracking
This may only be a cute idea to me, but I love observing wildlife in my yard. Bird houses, bee hotels, bat houses, and wildlife cameras are all fun ways for you to understand your own backyard ecosystem! If you do a simple google search for any of these options, there are plenty of Etsy sellers, businesses, and even local vendors that build these amazing and beautiful homes for our wildlife friends.
While this idea is not for everyone, it is really fun to get children into this at a young age. I did some work with children’s nature education, and nothing is more wholesome than children being filled with wonder at the beautiful creatures that we share this planet with.
If you are handy or crafty, why not try crafting one of these? My goal for the summer is to build bee hotels to give to friends and family for their backyards, check out this article to see how easy it is to make bee hotels!
8. Gift A Membership To An Environmental Group or Organization
If you have a loved one who is interested in environmental issues or getting involved with local advocacy, this is a worthwhile gift. Memberships get you exclusive updates on environmental news, conferences, presentations, events and products. It also allows the gift recipient to contribute to making a larger difference simply by receiving a gift for the holidays.
Check out the New Jersey Environmental Lobby’s Membership here. For just $20, you get a lifetime membership to this amazing group of citizens fighting for change.
Another interesting opportunity is with the Environmental Defense Fund. Choose an amount to donate, and you can send gifts equaling that amount to your loved one! Not only does their gift donate to a great cause, but they get some fun gifts along with it.
9. Don’t Forget About Your Furry Friends!
Common pet toys can be made with plastics, synthetic plastic rope, and chemically dyed or flavored. I love including my pet children during the holiday, so I always make sure that their little stockings have a couple of goodies. Below are three ways that you can incorporate
Make a batch of homemade pet treats! There are sooooo many recipes online, from peanut butter biscuits for dogs, to tuna crackers for the cats, to homemade seed mix for your bird! Not only is this gift cost-effective, you also get to know exactly what your pet is eating. I already do a lot of baking during the holidays, so adding one or two more recipes usually does not overwhelm me!
If you are still in the DIY mood, make your pet a new toy! Stuff an old sock full of catnip for your cats, braid together old shirt strips for a durable dog toy, or create a new cat tree out of reclaimed materials and some rope. Similar to the pet treats, there are literally hundreds of tutorials for various toys on the internet!
If you don’t have time to make anything homemade, EarthHero has a huge selection of sustainable and really interesting pet toys and accessories that aren’t full of unnecessary plastics or harmful chemicals. I am someone who believes in getting their pet presents, so their stocking stuffers will be sustainable and safe! Start exploring here.
10. Bring back home cooking
One of my personal favorite sustainable swaps that I have been experimenting with is making my own pasta for dishes! As someone who eats a plant based diet, pasta is a MUST in my house and I feel so accomplished now that I can reduce my waste while having delicious handmade food. Another thing that I have been doing is growing my own herbs, like oregano and basil, and then dehydrating them in my air fryer. I am able to keep the dried herbs in upcycled jars, and I have saved sooo much money and waste to the landfill this way.
Consider gifting a pasta making machine, bread making machine, yogurt machine, dehydrator, etc to inspire someone in your life to go back to the basics and make food from scratch again!
Eco-friendly stocking stuffers:
These (FLOOFY) slippers are made from 100% recycled faux fur, are affordable, and are cute as heck! Check out Madwell’s Recycled Shop for other recycled clothing and footwear! I seriously don’t know anyone who would be upset with a pair of really comfortable slippers, so this is a great gift for everyone no matter if they care about sustainability or not.
I am just throwing this out there because I just got my new case today, and I am obsessed (again). Pela cases are seriously the best phone case I have ever owned because they are sustainable, cute, and durable! Pela cases can be composted in both industrial and backyard compost, as it is made from all plant materials. Click here to shop!
Homemade cookies or sugary treats! What is better than getting a pack of cookies or caramel corn in your stocking? In my opinion- nothing!
Please share your own sustainable gifting ideas with us through the contact form.
Thank you for taking the time to explore these sustainable gift ideas. Happy Holidays!
