The Gift of Christmas Minimalism

Christmas is just around the corner, & by now we’re all thinking about what to get our friends, family & Phil from accounting who we got in Secret Santa.

 

For those who have everything, what do we get them? We swing down to the local two dollar store & pick them up a gag gift. A belly button brush, in inflatable chair, the electronic kitten in a box that takes your coins. Sure, these gifts are fun. They’ll elicit a giggle at first, entertainment for the first couple of uses. After a week, they end up in the back of a cupboard … waiting until the next clean-up to be thrown away.

 

In researching her film, The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard discovered some pretty horrendous information about all the 'stuff' that we consume.

 

 

This Christmas, we want to make a conscious effort to reduce our waste, & the waste of those who we are gifting to.

 

If you’re thinking that you want to reduce your Christmas giving waste, but don’t quite know where to start, we’re taking the guess work out of it, & providing you with some great suggestions.

 

Reusable Coffee Cups

Perfect for those whose day doesn't start without a kick of caffeine, the benefits of this gift are twofold! Either fill up the cup at home to save the cost of a coffee in the morning, or bring it out at the coffee shop to save a takeaway cup being used then thrown away.

 

Loose Leaf Tea

Tea is good for the soul. Also great for the body too! Did you know that most tea bags are made with plastic? Which makes shopping for loose leaf tea a much more planet friendly option.

Shop our new range of all ethical tea here.

Bamboo Water Bottle

For those who love to stay hydrated ... & for those who should stay hydrated. Water is a necessity to life, & we should be drinking it only under the best of circumstances. It is much more sustainable to grow bamboo than timber, it's biodegradable, & it won't release any harmful ingredients into your water.

 

Bath Salts

Soak away your worries with some bath salts. If they're made from all organic components, & come in an environmentally friendly packaging, then you won't have any worries to soak away!

Shop our bath salts here.

 

Handmade Bar Soap

Not only are you supporting the environment by using products that are plastic free, but you're looking after the livelihood of those that made your wonderful smelling soaps.

Shop our handmade soaps here.

 

Soy Wax Candles

We all love candles. The way that they smell. The way they gently cast their light around the room. Better yet, soy wax candles are biodegradable, & a much longer lasting alternative to the traditional paraffin.

Shop our soy candles here.

 

Reusable Fabric Gift Wrap

What's a gift without a little wrapping? This year, why not make your gifts stand out by wrapping them in a sustainable gift wrap. If you're stuck on the 'paper' trail, try using newspaper or plain kraft paper. Alternatively, mix things up a little by embracing the Furoshiki method (Japanese art of wrapping your gifts with material). Not only will your guests get a quirky looking gift, but they'll get a scarf, tea towel or other material item to call their own.

Shop our Furoshiki here.

 

 

If you’re looking for something a little less specific, try brainstorming from one of the following categories.

 

Give an experience as a gift. Tickets to the opera, a sporting event, theatre, stand up comedy ... whatever you, or your receiver is partial to.

 

We all should take the time to learn something new. Be it a language, dancing, arts & crafts ... you name it, there's probably a class for it.

 

Rather than getting someone something that'll get thrown in a closet for its lifetime, give them the gift of choice.

Shop our Gift Cards here.

 

We all love to eat. Bake some biscuits or a cake. Give them a bottle of something sparkling. A jar of something sweet. Something that has a short shelf life, that is guaranteed tasty equals a good pressie.

We have a ton of delicious consumables ... shop them here.

 

Rather than giving something unneeded to someone, give something to those who have nothing. There are tons of charities out there that do amazing work. And we can help them with their work by donating to their causes rather than purchasing unnecessary gifts.

---

Giving the gift of Christmas minimalism will probably require a little more effort. But we promise you, you'll feel better, your gift receiver will appreciate it, & the planet as a whole will love you all the more for it.

By R'chelle Louwen

References:

The Gift of Death by George Monbiot