Eco-friendly gifts for everyone.

I know it’s not exactly the season of giving presents but everyone has birthdays, right?

Today I want to give you some ideas for eco-friendly gifts that you can give to your loved ones. Or anyone else for that matter. As long as you are giving from your heart.

As an environmentalist, my worst nightmare is buying things for other people. Especially when I know exactly what they want, but it’s so not good for Mama Earth.

In those situations, I’ll be honest with you, I just pick something small and try to give it without expecting to see the joy on their face. Maybe my niece won’t get yet another new Barbie, but she will get a book about Barbie. 

That’s similar, right? She won’t notice??

Our values are sometimes clashing with expectations from others, and that’s a fact of life. We can’t really do much about it. 

But we can give from our hearts. We can also hope that’s enough for those who love us. 

Here are eco-friendly gifts for everyone who deserves one:

• Books.

Nothing makes me as happy as receiving books. Absolutely nothing. There is something about holding a 300-page book that will take me a week to read. It makes me look forward to that week.

They are affordable and durable. Books last for decades and if you take care of them, you can pass them on to your children and grandchildren.

Just do a bit of research to find out who is their favourite author and what topics interest them. If you need ideas, I wrote a whole bunch of book reviews here. 

• Time.

When was the last time you visited your loved ones? When was the last time you took an afternoon for your niece or went out for dinner with your father?

Time is the only thing we can never get more of yet we spend it like it’s nothing. Eternity is a nice concept but it’s not reality. We are all going to die eventually, and those we take for granted will miss us. 

You don’t have to spend money to spend time. Or better said, you can invest your time. Be generous with it too.

• Tickets.

I love Swan Lake. It has been my favourite ballet experience since I saw it with the school as a teenager. It left me in awe. 

Experiences like this stay with us forever. They give bad years a sweeter taste because it wasn’t all bad in 2015. I saw Swan Lake for the second time, it was good!

It’s not just the arts that transform and inspire us. Sports as well. Anything that makes us forget about time and takes us out of the routine. We crave this. 

Think of experiences you could give those whom you love. What would they enjoy? Think of what they’ve told you in the past, or look at their social media and who they follow.

There are always clues.

• Subscriptions.

I wish I could gift everyone with a subscription to the Waking Up meditation app.

It has changed my life in ways I simply cannot describe. I am a much more ethical, mindful and calmer person because of the work Sam Harris has done. 

Many people are highly stressed, angry, scared or overwhelmed. What can help is practising mindfulness and giving meditation a chance.

It doesn’t have to be a meditation app, though. Again, you know your loved ones best and only you can figure out the best subscription you could give as a gift.

A subscription to delivered meals? Sustainable clothing? Soy candles? Only you know what they want or need. 

Think about it.

I tried to give it my spin and actually share the gifts that I believe are super eco-friendly. Let me know down in the comment section which one you liked best.

Again, remember to give from your heart. It’s the only way your gift will touch another person. I know, I know. Such a cliche but it’s also the truth. Most cliches are. 

We have this wonderful ability to recognize when someone is being honest and generous. We can see it in their eyes, their posture, in the way they speak. It is recognizable. 

So give presents that touch the person receiving them. Touch their heart. Give them love. Stop thinking of how much money you can spend, and focus on how you can make them smile with joy.

It’s all that matters. 

If you want even more tips like these, please make sure you are following me on Pinterest and Instagram.

Tanja