These zero waste christmas gifts are incredibly thoughtful and are perfect for when you want to give the gift of memories and experiences that will be treasured forever.
For a simpler, more cost effective Christmas you might want to take a look through these meaningful zero waste Christmas gift ideas to give you inspiration on gifts for her, him and the kids.
I have recently taken on the challenge of zero waste gift giving, and so far I’m loving it!
MEANINGFUL ZERO WASTE CHRISTMAS GIFTS
I always felt so flat purchasing those last minute christmas gifts, wondering if the person was going to use it, knowing it wasn’t entirely meaningful, and just added more plastic and paper to the landfill.
Not to mention the guilt that washed over me when I thought of all that beautiful wrapping paper going to waste in every household around the world. It’s just so wasteful!
Plus, there’s nothing worse than spending lots of money on something for someone only to discover it’s sitting in a drawer or cupboard for months and months on end.
But low waste doesn’t mean ‘hippie, not worth having gifts’. In fact, some of the best presents I’ve ever received would be considered low waste christmas gifts!
Naming a star after myself, wild safari tours, homemade hot chocolate bars…all of these were incredible gifts that I remember far more than the mass produced, commercialised stuff.
I’d much rather have experiences than things.
There are so many fun things to do! Check out groupon or living social for some fun things to do locally too!
Last year I was gifted some meditation classes by a friend, and went for 6 weeks. It was great!
Let’s jump right into this ultimate zero waste Christmas gift guide.
WHAT DOES ZERO WASTE MEAN & WHY DO IT AT CHRISTMAS?
Zero waste simply means living by a set of principles which focus on reducing landfill waste and preventing excessive plastic usage.
The aim is to try and select products and gifts that are meaningful to the person and will actually be used.
With the way the world is this year, it’s no surprise lots of us are searching for ways to have a simpler Christmas.
This means tight knit family gatherings, small gift exchanges and cost effective ways to make memories we’ll treasure forever.
Having a zero waste christmas is one way to do that; not only does this encourage you to select or even DIY christmas gifts that the person really wants, but it’s a great way to cut down on all that excessive wrapping paper, plastic and general stuff just not good for our beautiful planet.
101 THOUGHTFUL CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS FOR A ZERO WASTE CHRISTMAS
- Restaurant/Meal Outings
- Experience Day Gift Cards
- Name a Star Membership
- Become a WWF supporter and ‘adopt’ a wild animal
- Audible Membership
- Digital Magazine Subscription
- Plants
- Books
- Netflix
- Online Course Membership e.g. ALISON, ShareSkill, Udemy
- Go out to favorite wine bar or cocktail place and offer to pick up the tab
- Candles (non-toxic, non-carcinogenic kind, The Very Good Candle Co are my favourite)
- Homemade Food Hamper
- Homemade Sweets/Cake
- Homemade Bread
- Bamboo Travel Utensils
- Baked goods in a reusable tub
- Crocheted Mittens, scarves, hats
- Package Free Soap
- Gym Membership
- Dance Lessons
- Cooking Lessons
- Piece of Art
- Personalised DIY Coupons (e.g. free cups of coffee for 1 day, unlimited hugs etc)
- Fountain Pen
- Homemade Quilt
- Museum Tickets
- Reusable Travel Mug
- Reusable Water Bottle
- Bees Wax Wraps
- Gift Certificate for family photos
- Bulk Coffee
- Bulk loose tea leaves
- Save the Ocean Bracelet
- Bouquet of Seasonal Flowers
- National Parks Passport
- Movie Passes
- Library Card
- Theme Park Passes
- Bath Salts
- Bath Lotions
- Money
- Handmade Socks
- Homemade Jams and Jellies
- Tickets to Ballet
- Bamboo Gym Wear
- Jar of Trail Mix (Nuts and Fruit)
- Homemade Chocolates
- DIY Wooden Toys
- Guitar Lessons
- Gardening Seeds
- Grow your own DIY Kit
- Ice Skating Tickets
- Winery/Brewery Tour
- Sugar Scrubs
- Homemade Perfume/Cologne
- Bath Bombs
- Reusable Shopping Bags
- Shampoo and Conditioner (Ethique is a great non-toxic brand)
- Donate to charity on their behalf
- Sports Tickets
- Yoga classes
- Reusable Coffee Cups (Frank Green)
- Toy Library Subscription
- Homemade non-toxic Play-Doh
- Scuba Lessons
- Reusable Cloth Napkins
- Homemade Cookies
- Homemade Salsa
- Restaurant Gift Certificate
- Massage Gift Experience
- Fruit and Nut Basket
- Homemade Cosmetics and Lip Balm
- Safety Razor
- Stainless Steel Food Container
- Cleaning Services
- Gardening Services
- Homemade Pet Treats
- Homemade Hot Sauce
- Guitar Lessons
- Local Pottery
- Compost Bin
- Homemade Spice Blends
- Piano Lessons
- Guided Tours
- Alcohol – recycle the glass
- DIY Cookies in a Jar
- Homemade Soup Mix Kit
- Camping Smores Kit
- Second Hand Tent for Camping
- Wind-up Torch
- Organic Bamboo Cutting Board
- Stainless Steel Kitchen Knife Set
- Homemade Hot Cocoa in a Jar
- Infused Olive Oils
- Brownie Mix in a Jar
- Homemade Crayons for Kids
- Bus or Train Passes
- Christmas Light Tour
- Homemade Caramel Sauce
- Spend time together!
When in doubt use this hierarchy to determine whether a gift is meaningful or thoughtful. Time being the best thing to give someone, commercial being the absolute last case scenario.
If you absolutely want to send something to someone, make sure it’s something they actually want.
Say you wanted to send something worth $20, sometimes people would rather the $20 in cash.
That way, we can buy what it is we really want ourselves. There’s nothing wrong with gifting money!
What are you thinking of gifting this Christmas? Let me know in the comments.
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