Christmas is a time of giving, sharing time with friends and family, and let’s not forget about the presents.
Presents and Christmas go hand in hand. Waking up early to open the presents is pretty much a ritual in every Australian household. We’re here to help you celebrate this year’s Christmas sustainably and with Mother Nature in mind.
Christmas is a time of giving, sharing time with friends and family, and let’s not forget about the presents.
Presents and Christmas go hand in hand. Waking up early to open the presents is pretty much a ritual in every Australian household. We’re here to help you celebrate this year’s Christmas sustainably and with Mother Nature in mind.
Here are 10 of our favourite eco-friendly Christmas gift ideas below for him, her, and the little ones (in no particular order).
1. Plants
I'm a huge advocate for giving plants as gifts (and not just because I'm a crazy plant lady!). Plants are not only great for Mother Nature and our environment, they're also a gift that keeps giving (if cared for properly).
Some presents get opened and then simply forgotten about, whereas plants demand attention!
My parents have given me some beautiful plants over the years (some unfortunately haven't lasted...), and they're always a wonderful reminder of our relationship.
Plants are also a great sustainable gift idea for children. Whether they're given seedlings or seeds, parents can get involved in the planting process and it's a great shared activity.
Plants help to nurture kids' desires to connect with nature and they will love watching the plant grow and caring for it along the way.
2. Personal care products
Personal care products kind of say ‘I love you’ in their own way. Especially if you choose a gorgeous gift pack with a variety of sustainable and toxin-free items.
Perhaps your loved one is yet to make the switch to zero-waste products. Introducing them to a naked soap bar, or a naked shampoo/conditioner bar is a great way to ease them into eco-friendly products.
Even the men who are eco-conscious will love a thoughtful beard shampoo or reusable razor!
We have a range of sustainable Christmas gift packs available this year, exclusive to Diminish (limited packs available though).
3. A Zero-waste starter pack
A zero-waste starter pack is a great eco-friendly Christmas gift idea for a friend or loved one who is thinking about switching to a plastic-free lifestyle but doesn't know where to start.
This gift will introduce them to a range of eco-friendly products & it's a stress-free way for them to start their zero-waste journey.
The best bit is, if wrapped in fabric, their present will come completely waste and plastic free.
If your loved one is not an eco-conscious person, it may not be a gift for them, but keep reading as you may still be inspired by what’s still to come.
4. Gift voucher/experience
Gift vouchers/experiences are one of my favourite zero-waste gift ideas and one I have gifted many times to my friends & family.
For my Dad’s 70th birthday, my sisters and I gave him a wine experience voucher. Being that he lives in the beautiful Barossa Valley in South Australia we didn’t have to travel too far to enjoy this one.
And the options here are endless. For men, women, or children, it’s a matter of discovering what they love to do, and then searching online for options.
Perhaps a travel voucher, massage voucher, zoo voucher, or a sports voucher...there is really no end to the possibilities here.
This present is not only great because it comes with no waste, your loved one will also get an experience and memories to last a lifetime.
5. Reusables
If you would prefer a more practical gift idea, then you could consider a reusable product/item.
Sustainable Christmas gifts are ones that are planet-friendly and that won't end up in landfill in a matter of weeks. Ideally, you want to give gifts that won't end up in landfill at all!
Reusables are a great option here as they are...well...reusable (not disposable!) and there are so many to choose from depending on your loved one's interests.
Coffee keep cups are a great one, especially for the coffee lovers in your family. Reusable drink bottles are great for kids and adults.
For little ones you could consider reusable swim nappies (we love NQ Eco Babies), or some cute sustainable cuttlery. Lunchboxes or bento boxes are great for the older kids, and kids just starting pre-school or school.
For the mums, reusable food wraps/covers are a wonderful option and super practical.
Bags!! There are so many reusable tote and shopping bags available now, there’s a design to suit everybody! Check out our range of unique repurposed pool toy bags. Designed and made in South Australia.
These are just a few ideas, but there are tons more reusable options to consider.
6. Donation to a charity
Gift giving can be especially hard for someone who seems to just have it all! Here, you could consider a donation on your loved one's behalf.
I just love love love this idea as a gift option.
In the past, I have volunteered my time at a local cat rescue shelter. People could sponsor cats on behalf of loved ones. I would often send certificates as a present saying ‘thanks for your sponsorship’ with a photo of their sponsored cats!
And there are so many amazing charities out there to support.
Although Christmas IS a time of giving, we often buy gifts just for the sake of it. I’m guilty of this myself. Last-minute gifts where you have to grab what you can, often on a budget, and you pick up the first thing that seems half-decent. How many times have you opened a present, put it aside...and basically forgotten about it.
I’m not suggesting gift-giving doesn’t have its place, but I’m pretty confident there are many out there who would appreciate a donation to a charity on their behalf instead of a mindless/thoughtless gift that has nowhere to go but landfill.
7. Handmade gifts/baked goods
Handmade gifts and baked goods are another of my favourite zero-waste gift ideas, especially if you have kids and you get them involved in the making.
And this ones great for ALL age groups.
Personally, I loooove receiving handmade gifts. I remember back in high school, I would often make my friends photobooks – what would now be a digital storybook. I would put so much time and effort into it, knowing that my friends would have these gifts for years to come. And the same applies today.
This one does come down to your creative abilities (or your kids), and there are some wonderful online resources with tips and ideas. Pinterest is great for inspiration here! Here's just a few to get you started.
- Cookie jars
- Christmas cookies
- Knitted goods
- A photo board
- Photos in frames
- Homemade candles
- Homemade bath bombs
- Soaps
So get your creative caps on and start making!
8. Subscription
Much like the vouchers and donating to charity, subscriptions are a great gift that's 100% waste-free. I myself would love a subscription to Audible. I never seem to find the time for reading anymore, but also not really committed to paying for a subscription – but if someone was to gift it to me...great.
Oh and I've even heard of plant subscriptions!
A digital subscription could be perfect for the older children who are becoming difficult to buy for. Perhaps a Spotify subscription, Amazon Prime, or a virtual gym subscription.
No plastic, no wrapping, and no waste!
The only thing with this one is you want to make sure the subscription is something your loved one would actually use. There's no point gifting an iTunes or Spotify subscription to someone who doesn't listen to music.
9. Books
Books are an all-time favourite sustainable gift option. For adults, teenagers, kids and even babies.
You can even gift 2nd hand books. There are tons of Op Shops with 2nd hand books that are practically brand new.
There's so many benefits to giving books as gifts. They're a great educational gift, or you can get books on specific topics so you can really hone in on your loved one's interests.
Plus books last for years and can be re-gifted or donated when they're not longer wanted.
For my birthday recently, my fiancé gave me ‘Inspired Naturally’, a book about how to make your own natural products - and I LOVE it!
Wrap the book in a gorgeous furoshiki wrap and you've just found yourself a 100% sustainable gift.
10. Craft gifts
This is another great gift idea for ALL ages.
From a young age, children love to explore with their hands and be creative. They love sensory toys and using their imagination, so this idea is really ideal for children of all ages (perhaps not the real littlies).
Here are just a few suggestions for the kids:
- Playdough
- Colouring books
- Art & craft supplies (glue/tissue paper/tape)
- Clay
- Cooking equipment
- Pencils/textas
- Paint/paint books
I have a colouring book sitting on my bookshelf that I once bought filled with Japanese Cherry Blossoms just waiting to be coloured in. The only thing holding my back is my lack of pencils. Sure the kids have pencils…but I’d have to scrummage through their overly large box of crafts to find a set, and then I’d probably be left with 10 of the same colour (hint hint here to any of my loved ones reading this..).
Men and women alike are all able to put their creativity to use in some way. Whether it’s in the garden, in the home, or a studio, the point is craft/creative ideas are a great sustainable Christmas gift idea for all ages.
All I want for Christmas is...
We know catering to kids at Christmas can be tricky, especially when Santa's involved...but it's never too late (or early) to start creating 'healthy' Christmas gift giving habits.
Our list of 10 sustainable Christmas Gift ideas has hopefully inspired you. However, our list is definitely not the be all and end all...it's really a matter of thinking outside the box and trying to stay away from the plastic toys as much as possible!
We'd love to hear some more planet-friendly gift ideas so please feel free to add them to the comments below.
If you've liked any of our suggestions from our own store, sign up here to receive 10% off your first order.
If you'd like to learn how to reduce your own waste at home you can join our 10 day zero waste challenge here.