Half of the toys gifted to kids for Christmas will be broken in the following few months. And we all know that most of them will only be used once or twice, if ever.
In a world so focused on consumption, our traditions have grown to involve destroying the planet even more, by giving our own money to big corporations, in order to give someone something that they don’t need and won’t use. Just “because it’s what we’re supposed to do”. Put that way, doesn’t it seem a little bit ridiculous to you?
By no means am I saying that we should all stop buying Christmas gifts all together. But we can do so more consciously. There are sustainable and ethical ways to keep the holidays just as magical, if not more, knowing that our actions are actually having a good impact.
Source: Unsplash
Here are some ideas of what you can get (for the full list, watch the video below!)
DIY gifts
You can make gifts yourself! I think homemade candles can be a great gift, as well as homemade perfume or lip balm, or even a photo album, or anything crafty that you can think of and make yourself! It’s is so nice to receive such a personal gift, knowing that so much thought and effort was put into it!
Get second hand gifts
Buying second hand is the most sustainable way of consuming. Anything you can think of, there’s probably a second-hand option. Clothes? Home decor? Appliances? Electronics? Books? You name it, you can find it. And I think it’s always lovely to know that an object carries a story with it.
Experiences (massage, picnic, city trip not by plane, dinner…)
This one is pretty self-explanatory. A massage, a picnic, a dinner, a sustainable trip by train, tickets to an event, a relaxing day… Whoever you’re looking for a gift for, there is an experience that they will love. And creating beautiful memories with a loved one is priceless.
Online goodies
It can be an online subscription, or anything digital. Let me do a little bit of shameless self-promotion here: if you want to give something to someone who likes photography, Lightroom presets are almost always a safe bet. And I’ve created a pack of 10 presets that can be used for a huge panel of different types of photos. You can click HERE to get it, and you also get 20% off with the code XMAS2018 ! If you want to get an idea of what my presets look like, take a look at my Instagram @nour.livia or at my photography website www.findingnour.com/galleries.
Give to charities
Yes, you can give to charities on behalf of someone else. For example, my friend Evelina (also known as @earthwanderess) is raising money with WWF to fight animal extinction. And for every donation on behalf of someone, she will make a video thanking the person it is gifted to, and explaining where the money is going. It is an amazing way to get someone to think more about environmental issues and get them involved! Here is the link to her fundraiser: https://egeninsamling.wwf.se/varldshjaltar/5-9742?fbclid=IwAR19CY7mBPyGjKij50dfO9JM5a5qIPZ59o0PAXlVUH3jLZrLRu6VFqw_oGQ
Plants
I think plants are always a good idea. There’s not much to say about this. Just remember to get a sturdy plant, such as a cactus or a succulent, if you’re not sure about the person’s skills to keep it alive!
Recycled/ethical clothes
This should be the last resort, but I didn’t want to leave it out, cause if you’re going to buy something new, you might as well buy it from an ethical brand.
There are a few good ones out there, but my favorite ones are:
Organic Basics: http://organicbasics.com?aff=247 15% OFF with code NOURLIVIAXOBCO15
Dedicated: https://www.dedicatedbrand.com/ 20% OFF until Dec 31st 2018 with code NOURLIVIA
Maium: https://www.maium.nl/en/
Fabrics for Freedom: https://fabricforfreedom.co.uk/ 20% OFF with code Nour.livia20
Charlie Feist: https://charliefeist.com/ 15% OFF with code NOUR15
For more gift ideas, watch my video below 😊