Christmas can be a difficult time when it comes to cutting down on waste and improving our impact on the planet. And it’s so easy to see why. Each Christmas in the UK, 100 million bags of rubbish are sent to landfill, £42 million of unwanted Christmas presents are thrown out, and an average of 54 million platefuls of food is discarded.
But it’s not all doom and gloom! You can spread Christmas cheer and pamper your friends and family guilt-free by making a few eco-friendly swaps. Plus your gifts will be unique, usable, and loved by everyone. Win-win!
Gift your partner an experience
Rather than buying gifts that they won’t enjoy, why not invest in experience for your partner? Consider tickets to a local gig or a trip to the theatre or their favourite restaurant. Plus, if it’s something you like too, you can treat yourself to the same experience and plan an extra special date for you both to enjoy.
Where possible, try organising activities that are accessible via public transport or that are a short walk or bike-ride away to reduce your carbon emissions.
Experience gifts don’t have to cost money either. Consider experiences such as a romantic walk by the sea or a picnic in the woods as cheaper alternatives.
Get your family going green (literally)
Make Christmas fun with a colour co-ordinated eco-starter kit. A lot of us want to go eco but don’t know where to start so make it easier for your loved ones by pulling together a gift of essentials, or getting a pre-made one!
There’s nothing stingy about our Grinch Christmas House Hamper which includes some of our favourite green, and green-coloured, products.
Put together simple baking kits for kids
A whopping 90% of kids' toys are made from plastic, and half the time they prefer the box anyway. Create quick and easy gifts that also lead to precious family time together.
Save up old jars in the lead up to Christmas and fill them with the dry ingredients to create their favourite cookies, brownies, or cakes. If you’re not a baker, so have limited dry ingredients, head to a local zero-waste store and make the jar on-site with exactly what you need.
There are plenty of ideas for recipes online!
Help dad care for his beard, and the planet
After years of socks and aftershave, your dad will love to receive something a bit different. Break the mould and invest in some pampering, eco-friendly and natural products.
The Natural Man Wash Kit has everything he’ll need to keep his beard in check. No doubt Mrs Claus will be stocking Santa up with one of these this year!
Add some sweetness to the festive season
If there are any fruit trees in your or a neighbour’s garden why not pick some fruit to turn into jams or chutneys? Make sure you ask your neighbour first though!
Where freshly picked fruit isn’t available try and buy fruits that have been produced locally or consider wonky or imperfect fruits.
Most jams require an equal amount of sugar to fruit and the patience to slowly boil the mixture up to create a jam. Jar them up in some leftover glass jars and decorate them with love. These could be a fantastic small gift for friends, colleagues, and neighbours.
Make sure they get something they want, buy a gift card
Cut down on unwanted presents being thrown away by investing in gift cards. Whether it’s for a particularly picky friend or the teenage nephew who’s grown up so fast you have no idea what’s cool anymore, let them choose what they like.
You can get gift cards for everything from meals out, trips to the cinema, local shops, and even from us at EcoVibe.
Where possible, look for plastic-free gift cards such as digital gift cards. You can always pop a nice personal note in their Christmas card or even recycle and decorate an old points card that’s been clogging up your wallet.
Pamper your best mate with some eco-conscious skincare
A lot of the bath and skincare sets that are readily available in the lead up to Christmas are in packaging that isn’t easily recyclable. Glitter, synthetic inks, and plastic coatings mean that the pretty packages end up in landfills. But this doesn’t mean you can’t treat your bestie to something indulgent this Christmas.
Look out for recyclable packaging, products that are refillable, and plastic-free. Our Vanilla and Caramel Shower Creme Gift comes with an amber refillable bottle with a bronzed pump to add a touch of class to a bathroom.
At EcoVibe we understand that saving the planet and getting fully festive don’t always go hand in hand but we hope these simple gift ideas can help you on your way. And if you receive something you don’t enjoy in return, consider re-gifting or donating the gift to your local food bank, which will normally welcome a range of household, kitchen, and bathroom items.