I had my birthday recently, and my husband’s birthday is coming up soon. Today, I’ve been thinking about gifts and thought I would take a moment to explain the types of sustainable gift ideas we choose.
First of all, on our household, we won’t usually rush out to the shops. But we do, of course, like to celebrate special occasions and show each other how much we care. Experiences are more important than things and birthdays and other special occasions usually involve a lovely meal together, with local, seasonal fare.
My husband and I sometimes treat each other to other experiences – a camping trip, or, as we are planning this week – a few days ‘glamping’ elsewhere in Scotland. We don’t need to go far or spend a fortune to make great memories together.
For my Birthday, I got some antique weighing scales, great book on foraging, a houseplant, and a lovely meal. And our few days away coming up are a joint Birthday present – which leads me to these sustainable gift ideas:
- There is nothing inferior about pre-owned or vintage items and old things can often make wonderful gifts.
- Books are a great gift, new or second hand. (We have some great second hand book shops and charity bookshop near where we live.)
- Gifting living plants (or seeds) is so much better than gifting cut flowers and this is a gift that keeps on giving.
- Meals, cakes or other edible treats are just some examples of things that you can make as a gift to someone. Making hand-made gifts is one of the best ways to show how much you care. From things for a home, to artworks and hand-crafted items – there are almost endless options for a DIY gift…
- Last but certainly not least, remember that sustainable gifts are often not objects at all. Gifting experiences rather than things and making memories can often be the best option of all.
EWSP Consultancy 