If you’re looking for sustainable Christmas gift ideas for your loved ones this year, you’ve come to the right place. I love Christmas, and to be honest, I love the excess and abundance of presents that come with it. But what I hate is the waste and the ridiculous amount of cheap, single-use plastic that goes into our stockings every year.
I’m not here to be Debbie Downer about Christmas presents. Oh my god! I’m here to suggest some sustainable Christmas gift ideas so that we can all contribute to protecting the environment in the small way we can.
I know many of us are looking to shop local and support local small businesses this year, so keep an eye out for local bloggers sharing their local businesses too!
Here are some of my favourite sustainable Christmas gift ideas
Beeswax wraps
I am a believer in beeswax wraps. It’s colorful, fun, and actually stickier and easier to use than clingfilm, making it a great alternative to single-use plastics like clingfilm!
If you’re buying for a crafty person, you can also gift them a DIY beeswax wrap kit that allows them to make their own wraps using blocks of beeswax.
Beeswax Fabric Wraps sells DIY kits and is a small local business based in Wales.
Read more: A Beginner’s Guide to How to Use Beeswax Wraps
Beautiful soap bars
When did it become normal to buy plastic bottles of liquid soap? I don’t know either, but I don’t understand why this happened when you can buy so many beautiful handmade soaps!
It looks beautiful, smells delicious, and is good for your skin and the environment, so it’s often used in my small business.
Whisk boxes are one of my favorites. We sell both hair and body bars in the most delicious scents, as well as monthly and bi-monthly boxes and subscription boxes. Subscription boxes make the sweetest Christmas gifts. Especially if you’re buying it for someone you live with, because you can use it yourself too!
Discount! Use code MONICALUCY10 to save 10% on The Lather Box
And if you’re shopping for sustainable Christmas gifts for your kids and looking for soap bars, I love Rowdy Kind! They have fun, bright lathering shampoos and body bars, and my kids love them! I love AmuseMINT’s bubble bricks. My sons also have sensitive and eczema-prone skin, so it’s hard to find products that lather well and don’t irritate their skin, so this is a winner.
Homemade Gifts
There’s nothing more thoughtful than a handmade gift. Many people have extra time this year!
This year I made homemade damson gin using damson from the trees in my garden. I’m planning to give the family a small bottle of gin and some biscuits that the kids have decorated (I’ll share some pictures when they’re done!) I wish I’d been more organized and made Darson jam, but that’ll have to wait until next year. It won’t happen!
Our article on Country Living with 88 DIY Christmas Gifts has some great ideas!
A gorgeous reusable coffee cup or water bottle
This might be a really obvious sustainable Christmas present, but many people still don’t have a good cup of coffee!
I think we’ve all gotten used to carrying around reusable coffee cups rather than using the disposable cups given to us at the store. But how many people have yet found the perfect reusable coffee cup!?
I’ve tried many, but my absolute favorite is the Iglu coffee cup.
Chilly’s bottles are perfect for water bottles, but if you like straws like I do, this one is really great and comes with an extra straw and a straw cleaner!
Gift experiences
The possibilities for experiential gifts are endless, and you can buy people everything from hot air balloon rides to spas, race car driving, and craft days where they learn to make candles. There are so many to choose from!
We recommend taking a look at Airbnb Experiences to find locals offering unique local experiences.
I recently tried two locally and they were great. One was a beekeeping experience and his other was a historical bike tour.
DIY experiences
Gift experiences can be expensive, so you can save money and make it even more personal by creating a unique experience for someone. If you’re a cocktail making expert, invite your friends to a cocktail making class. Or are you a knitting expert? Preparing for afternoon tea or teaching a friend to knit will make the day truly special.
Buy second hand
You need to buy for the right person here, but many people will appreciate a second-hand gift. Last year I bought a huge amount of books from a charity shop for a friend. She was impressed that I spent so much time choosing books that she liked. Plus, it was cheaper and I got way more books!
Last year, I bought all of Joseph’s presents secondhand. I found a bargain on his Facebook Marketplace and bought him his entire collection of Paw Patrol toys for £100. Sounds expensive, but if you’ve ever bought a Paw Patrol toy, you know I got a great deal!
Sustainable books
A beautiful coffee table book makes a great gift.
My favorite books on sustainable living are:
Minimal – perfect for those just starting to learn about sustainable living
Fforest – perfect for encouraging people to get outside and enjoy nature
Borough Market Cookbook – Packed with seasonal recipes
Natural beauty – also perfect for those who love crafty/DIY projects
Buy me Once – The perfect gift for the spendthrift. The key is to buy things that are made to last, and to buy carefully so that they last forever
