The holiday season is almost upon us! Black Friday has recently been extended over the entire weekend, with some companies hosting sales throughout the month of November. To help you combat the temptations to your willpower, here are Five Waste Free Gift Ideas for the holidays.
- Experience Gifts. These are becoming extremely popular these days, especially for kids who seem to already “have it all”. The sky’s the limit with an experience gift, and there are a lot of opportunities to get creative and meaningful. Think tickets to a show, passes to a seasonal festival, or gift cards to a museum or gallery.
- Make something useful or consumable. If you know the person fairly well, food is a great idea! Some fun options include: your favourite spice mix, cookies or squares to have on hand for holiday parties, or freezer meals for the busy parent. And if food is too complicated, try sewing a reusable bag or set of napkins, crafting a candle out of a reused container, or building something in your workshop.
- If you’re not handy enough to accomplish the above, consider making your purchases from local shops and vendors who use less packaging or more environmentally friendly packaging. Check out our list of waste free or sustainably-minded businesses and organizations in the Edmonton area!
- Buy something second-hand or thrifted. Perhaps you know that your friend has had their eye on a pressure cooker, and you see one at the local thrift store for a steal of a deal. Or your Mom’s collection of ugly Christmas sweaters can grow by one more thanks to a stop at a local consignment store. For this one, it’s definitely the thought that counts most.
- Donate to a charity that aligns with your friend’s values. Or better yet, make an experience gift out of it and volunteer your time with your friend at a local charity or non-profit. The charity might even have a promotional image you can email to share the gift.
The best rule of thumb when making your shopping list is to check it twice, and don’t buy things for people that they don’t want (or need). It can be easy to fall into the trap of consumerism this time of year, buying things because it’s what everyone else is doing. But most people would agree that they would rather have the gift of your presence and attention, over another shiny bauble.
