Sustainable Gift Ideas for the Holiday Season

Planet-Friendly Gift Ideas
1. The Gift of Nature
For those people who want somewhere not something, an Unyoked gift card allows you to give the gift of Nature and help someone you love slow down, stress less and have an experience that'll stay with them way past the time they leave.
Presented as a very fun prescription, this gift card is truly unique and sure to please anyone on your Christmas list!
2. Cooking Classes
Ever thought of gifting literal skill for Chrissie? If you're in Melbourne, we highly recommend checking out Free to Feed. They're a social enterprise, creating job opportunities through shared food experiences for people seeking asylum and refugees. Cuisines include Persian, Somali, Burmese, and Ethopian, and every class learns a multiple-course menu.
3. Subscriptions
In this day and age, most of us are seeing our bank accounts leak out due to a volley of random subscriptions. Gifting a loved one a subscription to a service they love can be a total money saver - and will save on wrapping.
I don't know about you, but I'd be pretty chuffed with a coffee subscription - like this filter roast subscription from Proud Mary, starting from 3 months and up. Zing!
4. Cultural Experiences
For our Australian readers, this is a great chance to immerse your friend or family member in First Nations culture.
Kings Narrative, a social enterprise aiming to support Aboriginal Men, runs a special on-country bush medicine workshop.
Or you can check out Welcome to Country's list of over 200 Indigenous cultural experiences, sorted by state. These guys are helping to improve employment and economic development outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
5. Restaurant Certificates
Eating out is one of life's greatest pleasures, but it's exxy. Of course, there are choose-your-own-adventure type gift cards, such as Good Food.
But if you'd like to guide your pal towards an ethically conscious choice, gift them a voucher for a specific restaurant like Mabu Mabu, an incredible Indigenous-owned kitchen working with only locally sourced ingredients. Nothing says love like sending your mate off to try slow-cooked crocodile shank.
6. Gift Box
Buy a gift box from Mettle, a social enterprise that employs, trains, and financially empowers people experiencing homelessness as a result of family and domestic violence. 100% of the profits from these boxes go towards safe paid work, scholarships, support programs, childcare subsidies, and more.
There's a huge range of gift boxes on their website, all starting at different price points. They include wine, candles, body care products, and food items - plus, Mettle are extremely transparent about their ethical standards.
7. Gift Consciously
Go For Zero have launched a Conscious Gift Guide comprised of greenie, zero-waste, toxin-free gift ideas from Aussie and NZ-founded businesses.
The best part? The page is organised into type of gift recipient (e.g. outdoor lovers, cooks, yogis) or by price, if you're also into consciously spending your cash dollar.
Wrapping Up
Remember that Christmas isn't just about the fancy decorations and epic feasts; it's also a time for spreading the love.
Giving gifts is a sweet tradition, but it can lead to overindulgence, unnecessary waste, and a bit of thoughtlessness.
By choosing gifts that support local communities, champion sustainable living, and focus on cultural experiences, we can create a holiday season that's truly meaningful. This way, we not only make our loved ones feel extra special, but we also send a shout-out to the big blue.
So this Christmas, let's take a step towards a brighter future by giving consciously while celebrating with our mains.
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