The 3 Best Sustainable Holiday Gift Ideas

The snow’s coming down… or maybe not, because of global warming. Mariah Carey may already be taking over our social media feeds, but even her invasion won’t fix what’s happening to our planet.

Without serious action, we are on track to exceed 3°C of global warming by 2030. <1> In a couple of years, holiday movies could shift their setting a bit: frosty scenes, chilly air, and festive cheer could be replaced with beach sands and swimsuits (even if they don’t take place in Australia).

And our snow globes could be filled with trash instead of snow. Yes, because the festive season is also the most… wasteful time of the year. Waste from households typically increases during the December-January period by around 30%. <2> With extra packaging, disposable decorations, and especially those plastic-packed “oh, you shouldn’t have” gifts, the average person generates a mountain of discarded materials that are tough to recycle. In the UK alone, a shocking £42 million worth of unwanted presents end up in landfills every year. <3>

We know that between societal expectations and last-minute shopping, practicing ethics during this period can be challenging. But don’t worry – we’ve got your back with a bunch of mindful ideas.