Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas for Literally Anyone

It’s Christmas time, which means the same question is back for another year: does Santa exist?

Um, I mean — what the heck do you buy for your friends and family? And what should you get your colleague you hardly know but whom you drew in a Secret Santa?

And how do you stay sustainable all at the same time?!

Gosh, and people think Santa has it hard at this time of the year.

Does this mean we should stop buying gifts for a few years? Absolutely not! It just means we need to be a bit smarter and more sustainable with what we buy. 😉

And, look, I’m certainly not a Scrooge. Like you, I love Christmas. So join me as I take a look at the best sustainable gift ideas for 2019.

A lovingly hand-made and recycled rug is a gorgeous gift for moms everywhere. Colorful rugs found on Etsy will make a warm addition to your mom’s home this Christmas.

Bath bombs made from natural ingredients are great for the mom who wants to pamper herself without feeling bad about any chemicals.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I almost went with socks (organic ones, of course). Because, well, you can’t go wrong with socks for your dad, am I right?!

Anyhow, if your dad is as obsessed with coffee as many dads are, chances are he might appreciate a stainless steel coffee mug that’s perfect for the office, the sports game, and of course, the home.

Other suggestions?

Not seen a sibling for a while? Nothing brings people together better than a board game! Especially when it’s raining/snowing during Christmas, and you just want to stay warm indoors.

And, yes, Earthopoly is kinda like Monopoly except it’s more environmentally focused and you get to buy carbon credits. This also means I will probably lose at Earthopoly, too.

If you’re looking to go for something more sustainable this year as well, just make sure to buy candles that are biodegradable, non-toxic and natural.

If you made friends with people from all around the world (I know you did!), you might be wondering what to get them for Christmas.

How about giving them a bit of encouragement with a reusable water bottle? A reusable water bottle will help them drink more water and stay better hydrated, and it will also help them reduce plastic waste.

Pretty much most things you buy this Christmas will need to be wrapped. Some of your gifts will need to be shipped, too.

The problem here is that packaging has a HUGE impact on our planet. If you want to really do your bit for the environment during the festive season, it’s important that you shop sustainably, as well as package and ship sustainably.

Here are some quick tips:

Do you enjoy potato chips? They’re tasty. But while their packaging isn’t recyclable, the inside is silver and ideal for a bit of creative gift wrapping. This is just one example of many. For example, you could wrap a gift up in newspaper before adding a ribbon to bring it to life.

Yep, they exist, and they’re easy to use. All you’ve gotta do is dump your gifts inside them!

If you’ve got a closet in your house, you’ve probably got a tote bag inside it. Now is the time to get it out and put it to (re)use.

Considering treating someone abroad to more than one gift? It might help if you keep your packages as light and as small as possible this year if you really want to do your bit.

With just a few days left until Christmas, now’s the time to stop reading and start doing. Use the tips in this article, but don’t treat them as set in stone. Instead, let them inspire you to come up with some ideas of your own.

And wherever you are, and whoever you are — just make sure to keep it real this Christmas!

What are you getting your loved ones this Christmas? Let us know in the comments below!

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