ZERO WASTE / PLASTIC FREE CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE
Christmas is fast approaching, and to make it simple I have put together this handy gift guide to make zero waste / plastic free Christmas gift giving a breeze for everyone on the Christmas present list.
FOR CHILDREN
If you are a bit like me and are not a big fan of gifting big plastic expensive items from Santa it makes sense to gift something they need, a sustainable gift you know they would love, or an experience they could enjoy.
- Experiences
According to psychologist Olive James, Outings, experiences and vacations are “valued by children, both in the moment, and for long afterward in their memory”. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of “stuff” in the playroom, why not consider giving an experience as part of the Christmas gift haul this year? Some of our favourite experiences to gift include:
A trip to the zoo, wildlife sanctuary, aquarium or amusement park
A day out at an indoor climbing wall
A fun and competitive round of ten pin bowling
Tickets to see their favourite entertainer
- Sustainable gifts they would enjoy
Wooden items such as puzzles, blocks, open ended heuristic type play items for toddlers or wooden musical items and wooden toy vehicles are fantastic items.
Other, more sustainable gifts options could be books, reusable beach bags, DIY bath bombs or an assortment of sweets and chocolate items from a bulk bin store.
- Practical items
Practical gifts are a great option for zero waste Christmas gifts. Some of the
necessity items our children will be receiving this year, and some other ideas
include:
Bike or scooter,
Helmet,
Clothing,
FOR YOUR PARTNER / SPOUSE
- Experiences
When it comes to spoiling your partner or spouse with an experience for Christmas, here are some favourites:
A romantic getaway – have you tried glamping?
Family fun – a day out at a waterpark
- Practical items
Some great Practical items could include;
A safety razor,
natural soap bars,
natural deodorants,
FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Struggling to come up with some ideas for friends and family that seem to have it all? Here’s some of my favourite zero waste / plastic free gifts to give:
Plants
DIY succulent terrarium
DIY natural crochet dishcloth
Stainless steel chainmail pot scrubber,
Stainless steel soap tray and soap bars ,
Stainless steel chopsticks set
FOR TEACHERS
Teachers get spoilt at Christmas, and so they should! If your children want to get their teacher a nice gift, my top picks are:
Vouchers to a nice café (even better if you can find out their favourite)
Manicure voucher
Mini massage voucher
Stainless steel cutlery sets for lunch (spork, straw, chopsticks)
GIFT WRAPPING TIPS
Now that you’ve got the perfect gifts sorted, it’s time to think about the wrapping paper! Did you know that most wrapping papers contain plastic and aren’t recyclable? I like to avoid shiny, glittery, holographic wrapping paper and go for environmentally friendly options instead. Here are my eco-friendly gift wrapping tips:
Use children’s artwork put together with compostable cellulose tape
Kraft brown paper, taped with eco tape.
Paper bag
Cloth drawstring bag (if you’re handy with a sewing machine)
Furoshiki or fabric wrapping. Furoshiki is a square piece of
fabric or cloth used to wrap items. You can use furoshiki to wrap almost anything, and they are a reusable and beautiful way to present your gift to friends and family.