Written by: Giulia Simolo
It’s commonplace to get dragged into the Christmas shopping madness and spend a lot of money buying gifts for those you love. But how often do you stop and wonder if the gifts are eco-friendly? This year do something different and make your gifts more heartfelt, both for your loved ones and the environment.
Wrap it up
When wrapping gifts, try to find paper that is made from recycled material. Alternatively, if you’re keen on being creative and saving money, make your own wrapping paper from reused newspaper or magazine clippings. Be creative – it will certainly give your gifts an edge.
You might not even need wrapping paper. Why not place your gifts in pretty gift bags instead? This saves paper and sticky tape. Plus, the gift bags can be reused instead of thrown away, which is a fate wrapping paper usually meets.
Give green
You might not know exactly what eco-friendly gifts to give those around you, but it’s actually a simpler idea than you think. Here are some green gifts that don’t require much effort on your part but can be really special for the recipient:
- Buy a plant. This is always great, especially when it comes to those friends or loved ones for whom buying gifts is always tricky. Purchase something that’s aesthetically pleasing and can be looked after easily. At a later stage the plant can be placed in the garden, where it can do its bit for the environment.
- Make homemade yummies. This is the perfect season for trying your hand at some delicious treats in the kitchen and then spoiling those you love with them. After all, a large part of the festive season is about eating, drinking and being merry!
- Recycle your gifts. Before you gasp in horror because re-gifting is often looked down on as a big faux pas, it really doesn’t have to be. Holding onto or throwing away gifts you don’t like is much worse than sending them on because the gift will either clutter your house or end up in the trash. If your heart’s in the right place, such as if you just know your friend will love that necklace or book that doesn’t match your taste, then there’s nothing wrong with giving a gift that was initially meant for you.
Gifts to make you green with envy
If you’re going to be shopping for gifts, bear these tips in mind:
- Ensure the items you buy will be long-lasting and offer value for money. You don’t want to waste a lot of money on something that won’t last long.
- Avoid buying materialistic or expensive gifts (doesn’t your partner have enough expensive cologne as it is?) These types of gifts miss the point of the festive season. More sentimental gifts are much more special, and even if they’re not homemade they can still provide loving thoughts for the recipient.
- Look for eco-friendly clothing like hemp which is a sustainable product. Or shop online for an array of eco-friendly gifts. Whether it’s a techno gift you want to find or organic jewellery that makes a statement, check out The Green Shop as it offers many cool gift ideas that will make the recipient feel special.
- When buying gifts, remember it’s also the small changes to your buying regime that can make a big difference. For instance, when buying gifts that require batteries, such as digital cameras, choose batteries that are energy efficient or rechargeable.
Virtual greetings
Why not use your computer to send virtual cards? This is a fun, memorable way to send your greetings that will brighten up someone’s day. It also saves paper!
There are great sites that offer eCard services, such as Friends of the Earth which provides an easy-to-use format so that sending eCards is easy as pie. Care2.com is another site that offers the eCard service, with a large variety of cards to choose from.
Paper cards can be a waste of paper but if you’re nostalgic of them, ensure the ones you buy are produced locally. Also look out for cards made from recycled paper or ones that are produced by charities.
Ultimately, remember that Christmas gifts should have their hearts in the right place. There’s a lot of consumerism and excessiveness that goes on at this time of year, but what’s more important than flashy gifts is to give people something that will be remembered – and won’t harm the environment in the process.
The liveeco team
