There are many ways to enjoy a simpler holiday season this year including making your gift giving as stress-free as possible by opting for meaningful holiday gifts rather than giving into mass consumerism. We are sharing some ideas for thoughtful presents that wouldn’t break the bank or add unnecessary cutler to your life.

For most people the holidays means spending time with friends and family and a whole lot of gift buying for everyone from grandparents, teachers, and even the postman! This gift giving frenzy has a lot of side-effects down the line too including resources and raw materials needed as well as manufacturing resources. And it doesnt end there. Gift needs to be wrapped in paper and plastic before put under the tree or handed off to people.

As a society we generate 25% more trash in the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. You just have to look at the garbage bins in people’s homes the day after Christmas to understand the trash we generate for just a few hours of satisfaction. And furthermore, most people admit that they return or exchange almost 30% of the gifts they receive.One way to eliminate or reduce this wasteful spending is to opt out of giving and receiving gifts altogether. While this might seem extreme to most people, it really focuses on the true meaning of Christmas – family and time with loved ones. But if this feels like taking the fun out of Christmas, you can opt for exchanging more meaningful and thoughtful holiday gifts to show your appreciation. It takes just a little bit more effort and a little bit more thought to become more mindful about what you are giving.

Here are some ideas for a more meaningful and waste-free gifting approach to appease everyone on your list this holiday season. Many of these ideas are naturally eco-friendly and help reduce holiday waste from landfills.

#missionzerowaste The Gift Of Experiences

We all want to give and receive gifts that last a lifetime right? Why not focus on giving the gift of experience. This is a gift that really does last a lifetime because who doesn’t remember an experience that was so unique and special. A gift of experience can be a variety of things depending on what the person likes or enjoys. It can be a cooking class at the local cooking school or park district. It can be a dance class pass or even a gym membership. It can be a restaurant gift card or tickets to a game. It can be a wine tasting event or even a fondue class. This is what makes the gift of experience really meaningful.

Travel themed gifts and experiences are always welcome because let’s face it, who doesn’t like to travel. Transfer some of your airline miles or hotel reward points to help kickstart someone’s vacation. Buy an airline gift card to cover drinks onboard.

The options are endless and the only requirement is the thought of presenting an experience that you know the receiver will appreciate and enjoy. Look at places like AirBnB experiences for some truly unique ones in your area. You can even pitch in with friends or family and do a trip together as a bonding experience instead of exchanging physical gifts.

#missionzerowaste The Gift Of Service

We love the idea of gifting a service that really helps the recipient in some way. Be it busy parents looking for the gift of babysitting so they can enjoy a night out, the gift of a personal chef to help plan home cooked meals for a busy family or even the gift of yard work or landscaping. All these little chores often take up time and money so giving a gift of service can really be invaluable. It is the little things that often count and shows that you have really put thought and effort into making someone else day by thinking of a thoughtful gift.

The gift of service can also be things a gift card to a massage, a photographer to take family or business headshots, a manicure or facial, a service that offers household help or running errands. By supporting small business that offer a service you are not only providing help to the recipient but also helping the service provider.

#missionzerowaste The Gift Of Subscriptions

Subscription services have grown into every industry possible. Many people assume that a subscription means getting a magazine or a newspaper and while those are also great gifts, there are a plethora of subscriptions to choose from today. From beauty boxes, to book clubs, from streaming movies to meal service and many more. For the outdoor lover in the family, an annual membership to an arboretum or botanical garden is a great way for them to enjoy the outdoors throughout the year. For the music lover in the family a subscription to a streaming music site is a real treat. No matter the interest, there is bound to be a subscription for that.

You can promote zero waste by opting for an e-certificate or even an online version of the newspaper or magazine you are subscribing to.

#missionzerowaste The Gift Of Giving

Every year #givingTuesday which falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, promotes worldwide giving to charities and causes that really speak to you. Many businesses schedule year end donations on #givingTuesday and many employers even match 100% of the donations made on #givingTuesday. This is a great time to make a donation in the name of a loved one to causes they care about and support is a fantastic and meaningful gift idea.

At a time when many of us are enjoying time with friends and family and the comforts of a safe home, it can feel great to give that gift to others in need as well. Giving to homeless shelters, wildlife organizations and even conservation groups are great gifting ideas. And remember the gift of giving doesn’t always mean monetary. Gift of service or even just the gift of presence can mean a lot to someone. Commit to spending undivided quality time with a loved one, dedicate an afternoon to a parent or a child and make memories that can last a lifetime. Often that is the best gift you can ever give.

CulturallyOurs Favorites

Here at CulturallyOurs, we are proud to showcase some of our featured podcast guests and contributors who are incredible artists and small business owners. Check out their virtual shops for unique and meaningful holiday gift ideas for your family and friends. We have also tagged the podcast episode that they have been featured in, so you can listen and get to know the face behind the brand.

Sonia Nicolson – Artist and Illustrator – Season 01 Episode 07

Sonia is a Reykjavik based architect, illustrator and online educator. She is a successful YouTube who shares everyday life in Iceland from hiking on glaciers to watching the Northern Lights. She has a beautiful shop where she sells sketches and prints from her life in Iceland.

Mayta Collection – Maggie O’Reilly – Season 02 Episode 06

Mayta Collection by Maggie O’Reilly is a boutique ethical fashion brand inspired by a love of travel, culture, and preserving traditions. Designed in Chicago and brought to life in Morocco and Peru, Mayta focuses on sustainability, long lasting relationships that nurture artisans and their families and always focusing on high quality and small batches.

Dishique – Megan Steffen – Season 02 Episode 04

Megan Steffen is the artist and creator behind Dishique, a custom tabletop and decorative ceramics studio that does some pretty unique custom prints and patterns. Megan is a dear friend and an incredible artist. Support this woman-owned company for some truly unique gifts this holiday season.

Liz Schaffer – Lodestar Anthology – Season 02 Episode 06

For the travel lover on your holiday shopping list, Lodestar Anthology is a great option. A magazine dedicated to the exploration of one country at a time, Liz aims to create a space where we can dig deep into a culture, people and community.

Another Escape – Jody Daunton and Rachel Taylor – Season 02 Episode 13

Another Escape is beautiful publication that celebrates outdoor lifestyle and creative living. Jody Daunton and Rachel Taylor have created this amazing coffee table book that is a celebration of all things outdoors. Jody and Rachel are getting ready to launch Volume 13, just in time for the holidays, a perfect gift for that outdoor lover in your family! or even just for yourself!

Maria Dokshina who is regular contributor to CulturallyOurs

Maria Dokshina is a founder of the plant-based food blog Planty_ and a certified ICE chef. Maria has a beautiful e-cookbook called Planty in Italy where she shares plant-based vegan Italian dishes. The perfect gift for the foodie or food enthusiast in the family.

No matter what you decide in terms of your holiday gifting, we hope you will take the time to make it more meaningful and sustainable this year.

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