Sustainable gifting for the winter holidays

Consider some of the following tips for gifting more sustainably:

Go Fairtrade: crafts, wine, chocolate, flowers, cosmetics, olive oil, and other Fairtrade products are perfect gifts. You can find a wonderful variety in Oxford Fairtrade shops. You’ll be giving twice, including the producer who earns fair payment for their products.
Support a worthy cause: Adopt an Animal this holiday or protect biodiversity hotspots by supporting the purchase of threatened land.
Buy a gift with added value such as products made from recycled ocean plastic, or purchased from a charity shop or social enterprise.
Give eco-friendly items that will support a more sustainable lifestyle, such as a bee house or reusable products.
Give an experience such as theatre tickets.
Go small and local: support small businesses in your local community. Buy your gifts locally and more sustainably using the Oxford Local Businesses list from the Bodleian Libraries.
Use a swapping platform such as Young Planet to give away your old toys and receive pre-loved ones.

Some more thoughts

How to avoid wasteful crackers.
Does your tree come from a sustainable source?
How to have a greener festive meal.
Be mindful of waste when buying holiday cards and wrapping gifts.
Share your surplus food and other items. If you don’t know how, why not try Olio?

The holidays are just around the corner! As we look forward to time spent with loved ones, we can also consider how to make this season more sustainable, protecting our traditions for generations to come