The art of mindful giving

With the festive season just around the corner, I thought now would be the time to discuss the advantages of gift giving with an eco-twist!

We all love giving, and receiving, presents, and the act of giving gifts has been part of our cultures for millennia!

It’s a wonderful feeling gifting something for a loved one!  
The gift itself is a reflection of how you feel and how you see the other person, so it should always be a mindful process, and done with joy!
I’ve come to find the holidays are much more enjoyable when we aren’t so much focused on the material and we are more focused on the experiences we are having with our loved ones.

Christmas increasingly is becoming a time of wasteful consumerism, driven by big retailers. But it doesn’t have to be, there are ways to combat that, and bring the focus back where it should be, on spending time with family and friends!
Here’s a few tips for creating a more mindful, less wasteful Festive Season this year:

Handmade Gifts
Handmade is always great. Think soy candles, baked goods, body scrubs, and you can present these in zero waste, reusable glass mason jars. Stick to your field of expertise or try something new. Sew a shopper or make some amazing one-of-a-kind earrings.  Get creative! Handmade can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, for gifts from the heart that will be remembered long after the last bottle of Rose has been polished off!
 
2nd hand Gifts
When it comes to conscious living, regifting is no longer taboo! If you aren’t going to use it and it’s in good nick, pass it on to someone who will!  You could check out your local op-shop or garage sales to find unique retro finds, that are a little bit more unusual and interesting.  You’ll be helping the planet by ending the landfill cycle, and, donating to charity!
 
Eco-friendly Gifts
Of course, these are my favourite, I know it’s a shamless plug, Hummingbird Sings have a great range of gifts that are practical, zero waste or low toxin! By giving an eco-friendly, planet friendly gift to a loved one you could be introducing them to a whole new way of life they didn’t know about. You could be changing habits and starting sustainable practices that they wouldn’t otherwise try!  Their first ever bamboo toothbrush, or reusable produce bags might just be the encouragement they may need, and it could pique their interest enough to make them more mindful about being kind to the planet into the future.
 
Wrapping/Packaging
There’s no need to buy new wrapping paper.  Its wasteful and expensive, instead brown paper tied up with String makes a beautiful alternative.  Reusing saved wrapping paper, bows etc. is also great. Save gift bags from presets you receive to reuse. Or you could be bold and use cloth!  This is my favourite, you can use an old skirt or shirt, that you no longer wear. You can also pick up fabric remnants and fat quarters from your favourite fabric shop.
Here’s a link to a great tutorial for Furoshiki, a quick and simple way to wrap a boxed item in cloth: https://youtu.be/c5wC4ITYvBY

The festive season is a wonderful time to really express your creative side, and your passion for the environment, after all, the planet doesn’t need any more landfill! Make these holidays extra special by introducing eco-friendly alternatives to your loved ones, the planet will love you for it!!