The Guide to Sustainable Gift Giving

Christmas is here again and it is time to start buying Christmas presents, which if you’re anything like me is fun but hard to choose that perfect gift! After noticing how much rubbish was created over Christmas last year I did a bit of digging and came across a study that found that we throw away 25% more rubbish between November and New Year’s Day than any other time of the year!

So why not go sustainable this year and give a gift that everyone on your Christmas list will love as well as the planet! If you’re stuck on how to reduce plastic waste we’ve done some research for you and put together a sustainable Christmas guide! 

1. Think before You Buy

By thinking carefully before you buy can reduce your waste and save money!  

2. Gift with Purpose

Choose gifts that are functional, ethical or do good. There are loads of cool companies out there doing great things around sustainability and giving back to our community and environment!

Our Honeywrap sustainable beeswax wraps are a pretty fabulous eco-gift, if we do say so ourselves! Our Bird of The Year wrap features the endangered Whio – Blue Duck and $1 from each wrap goes to Forest and Bird. Perfect for any animal lover!

3. Gift Experiences and Time

Buying an experience, a voucher or planning a special outing can be an amazing way to show someone you care about them and create memories that last forever, while also going zero waste!

Or Gift to a Charity:

There are loads of different charities that all offer cool ideas for Christmas, from giving a goat to the gift of sight.

Have a look at this awesome foundation here.

4. Decorations that Last

With all the plastic decorations out there and the packaging from the decorations that end up in the rubbish, it can be an easy area to go green! Go for a ‘less is more’ approach for Christmas and choose decorations that will last and be treasured for years. The decorations we keep from childhood with meaning are always the best ones as well!

Or get creative with your decorations. Pinterest has a million different ideas that will keep you or the kids busy. 

Here’s one of our favourite homemade decorations.

One creative customer used our paper we wrap our Honeywrap website orders in, as a Christmas decoration! Another sustainable customer used our Honeywraps to wrap presents in so it’s a double Christmas present and saves on the wrapping paper!! Bonus points!

5. Low Waste Christmas Food 

Thinking ahead and planning your festive feast saves on both money and waste! Coordinate with family to try and make just enough, not too much.

- Make sure to use any leftovers and if you have too much, freeze the excess.
- Buy your ingredients from bulk stores and bring your own containers to avoid packaging.
- Hit up your local farmers market before Christmas and suss all your grocery needs.  Fresher food reduces food miles and supports your local community! 

6. Go Homemade

There are so many fun ways to go homemade over the holiday time to reduce plastic waste from going into our landfills and oceans.

You could even make a gift!

Go Green this Christmas and feel extra good knowing you’re giving a gift that you’re loved ones and the planet will love!