Go Green – Buy Eco-Friendly Christmas Gifts
It’s the big gift-giving time of the year again! Of course, you’ll want to give eco-friendly Christmas gifts, rather than simply adding to someone’s accumulation of Stuff.
How Do You Know It’s Really Eco-Friendly?
But just because something says it’s recycled for example, it isn’t necessarily a genuinely green product!
Eco-friendly Christmas gifts are recycled or made from renewable resources or even re-purposed, come in minimal packaging, are local, or use fair trade practices, are made by a company which cares about the environment, are cruelty-free, and of course you’d want them to be useful or healthful to the recipient too.
Here are some suggestions for eco-friendly Christmas gifts for your loved ones.
Reusable Fresh Produce Bags
Most people buy fresh produce – but often the store or market supplies single-use plastic bags – and they’re definitely not eco-friendly! Even paper bags are not green – they’re also single use. So, it makes sense to use re-usable and washable produce bags.
You can use them:
- for fruit and veggies at the market or store
- You can store your veggies in them in the fridge
- You can use the bags when you buy nuts, granola, rice, quinoa etc in the bulk aisles
- Or use them to strain your homemade yoghurt or cheese!
There’s a great selection, and some products are bags of the same size, some offer a mixture of different sizes, and some bags have little pouches attached!
Gardening
A beautifully packaged garden-in-a-bag, or kids stone soup gift box these are just 2 of the gorgeous gifts available from Potting Shed Creations Ltd. The company is based in Troy, Idaho and started life as a garage business. They use only eco-friendly ingredients, natural materials and minimal packaging.
Seed Bombs are such a super idea! Seed bombs are gumball-sized “bombs” made of soil and seeds. Just throw them wherever you want wildflowers to appear – your garden, a vacant lot, anywhere!
(You can also make your own if you have the time and inclination – for instructional videos simply Google seed bombs). Seed bombs are fun, as well as very green and eco-friendly Christmas gifts.
Essential Oils
Essential Oils are increasingly popular for use not only in aromatherapy but also around the home for chemical-free alternatives to household products. Here’s an attractive set of 6 gorgeous citrus essential oils that are 100% pure.
Another lovely gift idea is a box of shower steamers – made from essential oils, they release their scent as you wash so you get aromatherapy as you shower! This comes in a lovely gift box (see right). They’re not tested on animals.
There’s a huge range available so you can pick and choose as you wish, click here.
Cookware
Give the gift of health and home cooking this year.
Many pots and pans off-gas at high temperatures, and non-stick pans can also leach harmful metals into the natural flavors of your food, altering the dish and how it nourishes your body.
100% pure ceramic cookware, however, is the safest cookware you can buy – and it’s eco-friendly too ! No nasties like PTOA or PTFE.
You get smooth, even cooking, and 100% ceramic pots and pans retain heat without the need for high cooking temperatures (so you save money and energy).
Beware of ceramic pans with a metal core and just a thin ceramic coating. Xtrema 100% ceramic pans are truly non-toxic and reliable.
Xtrema is a family-run American company
And by the way, Xtrema cookware is so long-lasting that it can become an heirloom – isn’t that a lovely idea? (There’s also a 10-year guarantee).
There are great offers online right now – check them out here.
Bamboo Products
Bamboo is green. One of the fastest-growing plants on earth, it doesn’t need to be replanted and grows without fertilizers or pesticides – if it’s grown naturally. It has been used for centuries for food, shelter, fuel and clothing. It is a renewable resource.
There are loads of items available in bamboo, so you can find a green gift for everyone. Start your bamboo search here with Bamboo Gifts for any occasion
If you enjoyed this article, please Share it with your friends (buttons on right and below) – thank you!
Next: Even more great eco friendly Christmas gift ideas – and see what I recommend for kids
Is the Kindle e-reader “Green”? Find out here.
Eco books make a great eco friendly Christmas present
Are you a Dog or Cat Lover? Or do You need a gift for an animal lover? No problem!
Unique and interesting eco friendly Christmas Gift Ideas
Even more eco friendly Christmas gifts!
Clare, these are all GREAT ideas! One of my favorite ideas for a holiday gift is the gift of time….an hour of care giving, or cooking, or babysitting or computer work..or whatever it it that you do well and that the recepient could use is generally well received and is of course “recyclable”!!!….in the best sense of the word!
Sonya Lenzo
Super idea Sonya, you’re absolutely right, people love to be ‘given’ time!
Some really good gift ideas among these and I particularly like the GrowBottles which not only recycles glass but provides usable quantities of herbs.
School catalogs should switch to eco-friendly greeting cards. Now that would be the day.
Mark Hogan
Clare, these are all great eco friedly ideas for Christmas, do you have any good ideas on how to wrap these presents?
Scott Sylvan Bell
I really like all of these ideas but especially the recycled Christmas cards. Any time we can use recycled paper products, whether it’s for Christmas cards, notebooks or thank you cards, I think it’s a great eco-friendly thing to do.
Michael
Is a Christmas tree recyclable? Can you take it to a paper plant, or plant it outside?
Mark Hogan
Absolutely you can plant a real Christmas tree outside after Christmas (as long as you keep it alive in soil and water it regularly). (People often dig the hole for it in Fall while the soil is softer). If you don’t have space in your own garden, you might be able to plant it in some open space, or donate it to a school or home to provide some shade. Or you could keep it in a large pot, it won’t grow as big but will be more manageable.
Local farmers might appreciate a used tree, as they may be used for animal bedding.
Your local area (or a neighbour) may offer a chipping machine, which will chop up your used tree and give you it back as mulch for your garden.
If someone you know has a fish pond, they might appreciate a tree trunk which provides a refuge and feeding area.
Failing all of these, most curbside pickups will collect trees for 2 weeks after Christmas, but you may need to cut it first, and of course remove the decorations, check with your local pickup company.
Clare,
These are great gift ideas. I have made note of several of the items listed and added them to my Christmas list.
Dennis
[…] some really interesting and different eco friendly Christmas gifts Are you a Dog or Cat Lover? Or do You need a gift for an animal lover? No problem! More eco […]
[…] eco friendly Christmas gift ideas Is the Kindle e-reader “Green”? Find out here. More eco friendly Christmas Gift Ideas […]
[…] More eco friendly Christmas gifts […]
[…] Continue Reading: Eco Friendly Christmas Gifts […]
[…] more Eco friendly Christmas gifts […]
it seems a really good idea for this christmas, especially for a picky vegan friend that i have
[…] Eco friendly Christmas gifts […]
[…] Eco friendly Christmas Gifts […]
[…] More eco friendly gifts! […]
Clare, what a great list. I loved seed bombs they are perfect for newbie gardeners.
Thanks Lois and I agree, seed bombs are a great gift idea – and they’re such fun!
[…] Below are the notes for bird-spotting – but in the meantime, if you’re looking to buy green, safe, eco friendly Christmas gifts, click here for a wonderful selection. […]
[…] More Eco friendly Christmas gifts ideas […]
[…] for book lovers Are you a Dog or Cat Lover? Or do You need a gift for an animal lover? No problem! More eco friendly Christmas Gift Ideas Even more eco friendly Christmas […]
[…] More eco friendly Christmas gifts […]