With the festive season coming up, it’s almost time to start thinking about what to buy your loved ones for Christmas. There’s a lot to consider, and if you’re planning on buying sustainably, finding suitable presents can sometimes be difficult—especially when you’re not sure what you need to buy. If you’re conscious about staying eco-friendly this Christmas, here are some tips on how to gift sustainably and find the right present.
Buy from thrift & charity shops
Thrift and charity shops are more popular than ever and can be a great place to start looking for Christmas presents. As you don’t know what you’ll find, you’ll want to start looking in these shops as early as possible into the festive period. Both shops can be great places to find stocking fillers, unique clothes and one-off trinkets. As it will all be second-hand, you can rest easy knowing you’re giving the item a second life, and it will likely be a lot more affordable than high-street alternatives.
Use sustainable packaging
Gift wrap, tags and sellotape can be gluttonous with plastic, glitter and other paraphernalia that is harmful to the environment. Look for shops that sell sustainable packaging such as brown paper, twine and plastic-free tags. If you’re feeling crafty, why not wrap your gifts in colorful magazines or newspaper that you have left over in your home? Sustainable packaging has become much easier in recent years, and many people understand the desire to use what’s already available, rather than spending lots on packaging that will be later discarded.
Suggest Secret Santas
The cost of Christmas can be high, and sometimes there are more people to buy for than you expect. Instead of trying to find a thoughtful gift for many different people, why not suggest a secret Santa? This idea means that every person will get a very thoughtful gift, rather than lots of smaller ones—and it reduces the number of items bought. These days you can easily organize secret Santas online for free, or you could get together and pull names out of a hat.
Create a wishlist
We all have that one person who is really hard to buy for. Why not create a wishlist and encourage those around you to do the same? This will ensure you’re getting a present you really want and need, and help with purchasing items for others. It will also prevent loved ones from buying unwanted items when they don’t know what else to get. Wishlists can help every person buy and receive a gift that they’ll really want!
Plan in advance
Planning in advance can do wonders to alleviate the stress of buying sustainably for Christmas. Whether you’re looking for sustainable gift wrap, trying to organize a huge family secret Santa, or deep diving into your local town’s thrift shops, planning in advance means you’ll have the time and space to find sustainable and thoughtful gives for your loved ones. Gifting sustainably can sometimes mean going the extra mile, and often means you need more time than you expect to craft the perfect present.
If you’re looking for sustainable gifts, we hope these tips will help you to plan ahead and find the right presents for your loved ones. What did you think? Did we miss any sustainable tips worth mentioning?
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Photo: Natalia Arkusha Via UnSplash
