Eco Gifting!

Gift giving is fun & rewarding, but Mother Earth rolls her eyes every time she sees more plastic wrapping. This year, give the gift that says, “I love you and I love the Earth.” Here are some ideas for gifts that are low waste and about as sustainable as they come:

🎟️Gift an Experience They’ll Remember - Your dad doesn’t need another tie. Why not give him tickets to a concert, the theater, or a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant? (Bonus: He won’t lose it in the back of his closet.)

🍾Local and/or Edible – Who wouldn’t appreciate a selection of fancy crackers, chutney, honey, and wine from an independent winery in town, all of which is produced locally?

Memberships - Give a duck hunter a membership to Ducks Unlimited, which does a lot of work in habitat conservation and restoration. Or give a streaming service to a movie buff.

✂️DIY - Share plants you’ve rooted or harvested and dried from your garden, homemade treats or self-care products, or frame a beloved family photo in a thrifted frame.

📚Preloved and Proud of It - Thrift stores are a treasure chest of quirky, quality gifts. Nothing says "I know you" like finding a unique vintage pen, a secondhand book, or that record they thought they’d never find. Plus, you get to bask in that eco-friendly glow.

📦Wrap It Up

Fabric Wraps (Furoshiki = Fancy Word for “Scarf Burrito”) - Wrap your gift in a scarf or cute dishtowel, and boom—two gifts in one! This nifty Japanese trick is called furoshiki, which roughly translates to “I’m too cool to use wrapping paper.” And who doesn’t want that? What are Furoshiki? 14 Things to Know about Japanese Wrapping Cloth

🎍Bring in Nature - Grab some tiny pinecones, twigs, or maybe that weirdly sturdy leaf you found on the sidewalk. Slap it on your gift, and voilà—it’s a holiday miracle.

Reuseable Containers - Wrap your gift in a mason jar, a tin, or a cute basket (that you found at the thrift store, of course!). You get to tell them, “And look, the packaging’s a gift too!” They might just believe you’re an actual gifting genius.

December 2024