This week, please share ideas on Eco-friendly gift giving. We're looking for anything which helps us choose "green" gifts that will please the receiver. Feel free to offer links, do-it-yourself projects, etc. ... the more creative the better.
I agree that we do give “stuff” for presents. However I also feel that Husband and I are pretty good at picking out gifts for people and buying things that we know they want and/or need. That being said…I do tend to do some eco-friendly things.
The last several years I have made a calendar for my Mom and Grandparents. Each month is basically a picture of something that happened in that same month the year before, so imagine it’s basically a scrapbook but is a calendar instead. They love this! Now they don’t buy their own calendar, which they would end up throwing away at the end of the year anyway. Last year I took this a step further and along with the calendar gave them each an empty scrapbook. This way when the year is over they can but the pages off of the spine and put them in the scrapbook and have them to look at as they wish. Sure, buying a scrapbook wasn’t the most eco-friendly thing I could buy but it’s a great place for the used calendar photo’s and they don’t end up in the trash (not that I think they would throw away pictures of their kids/grandkids/great-grandkids anyway).
My sisters and I also try to give my Grandparents a giftcard to restaurants, we know they don’t need “stuff” and this way they can enjoy a meal out on us. Usually we pick up a gift card for a restaurant close to their house we know they enjoy. Often times it’s a locally owned restaurant and not a chain as well, I like that better.
As far as other gifts..I like to shop Etsy as often as I can. Sometimes I’ll pick out things for myself to tell somebody to get me and often times I find something I know somebody else will enjoy. I love buying handmade items and giving them as gifts as well.
I can’t wait to see what others have done in the past to make gift-giving eco-friendly , hoping to “steal” some idea’s.
Nice ... I love the idea of the calendar. It's such a lovely, personal keepsake. I have seen scrapbooks made out of recycled paper so they can be "green". Thanks for your ideas ... I may "borrow" your calendar idea for my family. :-)
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