The Magic of Sustainable Gifting
$936 Billion in holiday spend in 2022 in the US. Nah, that can’t be right. But…
It’s time
As 2023 rapidly comes to an end we begin gearing up for the holiday season. This can be fun and stressful at the same time depending on how much time we have to get it done, knowing what family and friends might like and appreciate, our budget on holiday spend etc. Typically ~50% of us finish holiday gift shopping by November and the rest of us complete it in December. I must say, its a pretty magical time to be able to say goodbye to the year with family and friends, in decorated and lit up homes, with warm cookies and cakes and unwrapping surprise gifts!
The retail sector is bursting with new options and sales and discounts. Online shopping is now a popular trend too among shoppers. If each of us on average is already spending upwards of $650 in the holiday season just for gifts, then maybe we should also make it count by being ecologically responsible?
It all began when I received an early holiday gift from my sister. She had managed to find a sustainably manufactured daily use bag that I actually needed, made with 100% recycled material. Sustainability might feel like yet another dimension to worry about while gifting. However, the more I thought of it, it seemed to simplify things. The solution space got auto-magically pruned to contain options that are safer, actually useful, more personalized, potentially recycled, and ethically sourced and traded. Consequently, the worth of a gift extended beyond its monetary and emotional value.
What is a Sustainable gift?
Sustainable gifts are those that are produced in an ecologically responsible manner. It conserves resources during production and/or consumption. It may use recycled material and/or renewable sources.
A “sustainable, socially responsible gift” comes attached with an inherent value that I believe not even a luxury brand can provide in their marketed goods… unless of course they switch over to sustainable options themselves.
Make the holiday gift extra special!
There is a wide range of options (read on, for references) to choose from to give personalized sustainable gifts to your loved ones. You might be in for a surprise yourself!
The Ideas
Gift cards are popular and in my opinion quite a sensible approach to gifting. It allows the receiver to invest in what they really want, instead of holding on to something that they barely needed. 55% of consumers reportedly prefer this! Another perspective in sustainable gifting is going to the next level where we actually spend quality time together, or make a gift at home, or take a class together, or cook a special meal for someone, or gift an e-book or an indoor plant perhaps. The memories you make together are invaluable and will be with you for a lifetime!
I do agree – there is definitely a certain joy in looking for the right gifts and exchanging them, and then opening up a present you just got. So definitely indulge in that once-a-year ritual! There are plenty of online resources to get started with finding the right (sustainable) gift for your loved ones [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6].
This holiday season, maybe we can all try making a conscious choice to pick gifts that limit the amount of plastics, waste, harmful dyes and non-renewable energy in producing, packaging and delivering. It’s one of the biggest things we could gift ourselves!
