Dear 2025…

Happy New Year everyone! (No it’s not too late, it’s still January!)

Well let’s just hope that 2025 is throwing us all the curveballs now so we can enjoy the other 11 months of the year 🤦‍♀️I won’t beat around the bush, it hasn’t been the best start to the year. With 5 years to go to achieve the targets we all agreed to in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, our system is looking worse than Ethelred the Unready and at least his title gave us some clues. So far we’ve had a change in leadership that has thrown a good proportion of humanity back into the dark ages (only worse, because it’s intentional), in the UK our own political system blocking an actually progressive attempt at having some climate and environmental legislation (because obviously that would be too much to ask) and the general doom that reading the news brings. But we won’t let this be the end of our story because you and I are incredibly strong and want a better world and we will not stop until rights, equality and sustainability are achieved for all 🕊️

OK, stepping down off the soapbox now because that was a heavy (but necessary) start. Today I want to build on our annual tradition of sustainability goal setting for the year ahead. I’ll be sharing some of my own goals, and hopefully it will inspire you reading this to grab a pen and a notebook and set your own sustainability goals for 2025. Let’s get to it!

My main sustainability focus for 2025 is to have a No Buy Year. I’ve heard of others taking on this challenge and this year it resonated with me for a few reasons. Firstly, appreciating that I have so much, and of my possessions I don’t get to fully enjoy everything I have. Secondly, we know that consumerism and waste have got completely out of control and we have more things on the planet than we all need now or even for the next generations. And finally, it will help to reduce my financial expenditure.

So what will this entail? Practically, I will obviously still be buying living essentials, like food, hygiene products and anything necessary to function in my life. For example, if during the next year my pair of trainers become completely worn out and beyond being able to be repaired, I will find a place to recycle them and will look into getting a new pair that will last me a long time. Where the no buying comes in is for anything unnecessary. For instance, clothes and impulse buys. If I see something I’d really like, have considered the purchase and know I will get lots of use out of it, then I will add it to my Wishlist to share with family and friends when it is my birthday or Christmas.

In recent years I have definitely changed my shopping habits a lot. Shopping used to be a fun hobby, and to be honest is something I still enjoy now. I am someone who enjoys browsing the shops, and more often than not I used to always come away with something. And I set this intention as someone who’d love to own their own shop one day! But the shift that has been happening is moving away from ‘hollow’ purchases. The ones that are so exciting at the time but then don’t get the use or love you expected. Away from fast fashion, cheap retail and unethical companies. I no longer want my money to fuel certain individuals or destructive ways of using the planet.

So my main goal is to use the No Buy Year to motivate me to love the things I already have, eliminate purchases that promote consumerism and don’t add anything to my life and keep that money instead for things that matter. It is going to be hard, as soon as I see a cute gift shop I am going to be severely tested! But if its just for the thrill of the buying, then its not coming home with me – only items that will enhance my life whilst having a minimal impact on the planet will be up for consideration.

In other goals, I want to continue to increase my plant-based recipe repertoire so I can confidently cook more tasty and vegetarian dishes🍴 I’d like to travel to new places by train and have more adventures🎒 And I want to be more of a voice in activism, especially in a year when these voices will be the ones that are trying to be silenced❤️

What are your sustainability goals for 2025? Maybe you want to be able to generate the electricity for your home by renewables, or start growing your own vegetables, or volunteer in nature conservation… Let us know your goals for the year in the comments so we can support each other and use this as a safe space to check-in throughout the year. It may have been a bumpy start, but we can make it a much better finish. To 2025!

Simple actions for sustainability this week 🌿

Happy New Year folks! I will be writing a new year post very soon, and yes logically it would have made sense to write it first, but where’s the fun in that. But this week, especially for all my people in the UK, there are two important things we can get involved in to get sustainability off to a good start in 2025. Not from the UK? Firstly, hello world! Secondly, you may have similar events near to you, so have a little explore what actions you can get involved with this month in your area. Without further ado, let’s take some action!

Support the Climate and Nature Act ⚖️

So here is the deal – On Friday (24th January) the Climate and Nature Act (AKA CAN bill) will get its second reading in Parliament. This bill includes the most up-to-date scientific understanding of climate change and biodiversity loss and addresses both the climate and nature emergencies we face in the UK, within the global picture. This will help us keep our leaders accountable and facilitate real environmental action in this country. Hooray! Finally! 🥳🙌 You can read the full Bill here. For the bill to be passed, we need over 100 MPs in attendance and backing the bill to pass it. As it currently stands we need a few more to go to reach the target of 150.

How can you help? The team over at Zero Hour have been the main campaigning organisation for this bill, and they make it super easy for you. Simply go to their website here, search for your postcode and see if your local MP is attending. If so, yay! Check to see what their stance is on the bill and whether they will be supporting it. If your MP has not confirmed their attendance, it is important that you write to them to make sure they know what their constituents want of them. Follow the steps on the Zero Hour site to customise the email template with your personal additions and send straight to your MP. It takes very little time and the process is very simple, but the significance of your MP attending is enormous. One thing you can do today – get on the Zero Hour website, follow the steps and urge your MP to attend. Let’s make a policy!

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 🐦

On a bit of a different note, something for your weekend… The Big Garden Birdwatch is an annual citizen science event that allows us to see a snapshot of the state of wildlife in the UK and how it is changing. If you’ve never taken part before, now is the perfect time to get involved! All the information you need is on the RSPB’s website, but here is the low-down. The event takes place this Friday-Sunday (24th-26th January), and over that period you just need one hour to observe your garden or local greenspace and count the birds that you see. Remember to count the highest number of birds you see at any one time, rather than over the entire hour. Once you’ve made a note of which species and how many you have seen, you just upload your results online. If you are unsure of any of the species, the RSPB has identification resources you can use so you can identify what you see. It’s a really lovely annual event to just pause and enjoy the wildlife you have around you, whether in your own garden or a local park, all while contributing to important research. One weekend plan you can achieve – get involved in the birdwatch!

Let’s get 2025 off to a great start with some wins for people and planet. Play your part in the CAN bill and make sure your MP is held accountable by the people they serve, and contribute to important research by sharing the birdlife you see in your local space. Not only important nationally, but getting involved allows us to feel more connected to our local community and makes time for us to just be while observing our wildlife neighbours at home. Have a great week of action everyone! 💪

12 Days of Blogmas: Day 12 🕊️

On the twelfth day of Christmas, GingerLeafLiving gave to me……………………….. Caring for winter wildlife!

We’ve made it to the end of Blogmas 2024! Hopefully by now you are nearly ready for the Christmas celebrations, or just some well deserved time off. To round up the series, today we will be discussing things you can do in your garden and outdoor space to care for your local wildlife over the festive season. We are intrinsically linked to nature, and it’s health is a reflection of our own health and that of the planet’s. Making your space a haven for wildlife and enjoying watching them is one of the best things you can do with your time over Christmas. Here are a few ideas to get you started…

  • Water – Essential for life, water is used by wildlife both as a source of hydration and also for washing in. It is important that during this colder season you make sure any water sources in your garden, be it a birdbath or drinking bowl on the ground, remain usable and don’t get frozen over for long periods. If your water source does freeze over, you can use some warmer water to gentle defrost it again. If you have a pond that freezes over, it is best to gently defrost a hole in the ice using a saucepan with hot water to allow access to the water, rather than smashing the ice which can impact the life below. These resources are vital for so many species, so will keep wildlife coming back to your garden all through the winter 💧❄️

  • Feeding – As food becomes scarce during the winter months, and natural food sources are becoming harder to find, we can help wildlife to get through the season with supplementary feeding. Whether you have a small outdoor space you add a bird feeder to, or have a garden where you can lay down food for small mammals, there are plenty of opportunities to help out. Christmas is a time of generosity and sharing, and this extends to nature too. Sharing with our garden friends not only helps them out during this harsh season, but is really good for our own wellbeing too – helping others makes us feel good and when you can enjoy the wonderful sight of birds and other animals enjoying the food you’ve put out from your window or garden, it is a wonderful thing 💖🥜

  • Habitats – If you use your time over the festive break to do some pruning in the garden, collect up all the trimmings and debris and create a habitat pile in your garden for wildlife to use. Nature has its own circular system where everything is used, so it’s important that the nutrients from plant debris go back into the environment to be reused, such as through the soil or by consumption from animals. Put aside at least a corner of the garden to be a wild habitat space, so that local wildlife has a safe space to use for shelter and especially for use by hibernating species. And don’t worry about it being messy, life is what happens in the messy bits! Again, sharing your space with wildlife is not only essential, but enriches our own lives too 🍂🦔

  • Cleaning – Looking for a quick task for a winter day? This time of year is a good period for getting everything ready for the busy months of the spring and summer. Giving bird feeders a good clean out and cleaning out old nest boxes in your garden to get them ready to be used again help stop the spread of any infections that can build up with use and make boxes more inviting for birds to use next year. Step-by-step instructions can be found here from The Wildlife Trusts. Doing these tasks now has a minimal impact on wildlife as it is outside the breeding season, but will help you keep the visitors to your garden healthy come next year! 🧽🐾

Resource: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/help-wildlife-cold

So there you have it! I hope you have all enjoyed this Blogmas series and have got something out of it. Christmas has become in recent years a time of waste and over-consumption, but it doesn’t have to be like that. We can make it a period of joy, of sharing, of reusing, of positive action, generosity and sustainability. We can care for our wildlife and help them thrive, give gifts that enhance the lives of our loved ones and embrace the things that really matter this season. We’ll be back in the New Year for another year of embracing all things sustainability, creating better lives and fighting for a better world. If you’ve enjoyed this series and would like to read more positive hints and tips for creating a more sustainable life, do consider subscribing to this blog so you never miss a post. I wish you all a peaceful, safe and happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year – let’s make 2025 our best yet! 💚

12 Days of Blogmas: Day 11 🧣

On the eleventh day of blogmas, GingerLeafLiving gave to me………………………. Sustainable winter fashions!

It’s the penultimate Blogmas post! Today we’re talking about the cute and cosy world of winter fashions, and how to keep warm and stylish this season using what you already have in your wardrobe. The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluting industries, so using second-hand, our own clothes and reinventing outfits can help with any style dilemmas this season, come snow or Christmas party!

  • Shop your wardrobe – In between the seasons, we can forget the clothes we already have. So before you go declaring you have nothing to wear, spend a bit of time with your wardrobe and find all your winter and festive pieces. Some you might have forgotten about or hardly wear, so can find better homes for. Some might be in need of a bit of TLC, in which case time to thread a needle or do some customisation while sat in front of a Christmas film. And the rest of your winter wardrobe can be bought to the front where it is easy to reach for. Spend a little bit of time planning out a few outfit combinations, it’ll save you time deciding in the morning and might help show you that you likely already have loads of lovely clothes just waiting to be worn 👚👖🧥

  • Party time – If you’ve got exciting Christmas plans, like parties or hosting duties this year, but you’re worried you’ve worn all your festive options before, fear not! No need to hit the shops. For one, there is absolutely no problem with re-wearing an outfit – if you looked and felt great once, why wouldn’t you want to again? You could also style it differently, such as pairing different pieces together, or customise it by using detachable additions like bows or pin brooches to add something different and related to this years trends (which is mainly just lots of bows… 🎀). However, say you want to look completely different in this year’s photos – why not swap with a friend or family member and borrow something of theirs? They can also try something new by wearing something of yours. Feels brand new, looks fab, but at no cost and no new clothes needed – a true Christmas miracle 🪩

  • Pre-loved – If after your wardrobe sort out and swapping with friends you find you are missing something staple for the winter and festive season, like a good warm coat or non-Christmas edition jumper, browse your local second hand shops to find something unique to add to your collection. If you know what you are searching for, you could try looking around vintage shops or using online collections like Oxfam’s or apps like Vinted. You can also browse your local charity shops for inspiration and give an item a new home and chapter with you. Look out for any events coming up near you selling second hand clothing and you might just meet the perfect match! ♻️
  • Layer up – Finally, before you turn on the heating or leave the house, remember your layers! Be that person on the cute Christmas card and get out your hat, scarf and gloves, and when at home get snuggly with some fluffy, thick socks and cosy jumper to keep nice and toasty. You’ll keep warmer for longer, even after the heating has gone off, and it makes you embrace the season more too 🧦

Christmas isn’t just about style, but if you want to keep cosy and look amazing this holiday, remember to be creative with your own clothes, shop pre-loved and embrace the layers. Oh and if you have a Christmas jumper, wear it – it’s all good fun! ✨

12 Days of Blogmas: Day 10 🍽️

On the tenth day of Christmas, GingerLeafLiving gave to me………………………………. Seasonal food inspiration!

The traditional Christmas dinner gets a lot of the spotlight this time of year, but what other seasonal produce can you utilise to make comforting, delicious food during the festive season? Grab your recipe books, it’s time to get cooking!

  • Seasonal vegetables – Using seasonal ingredients is a sustainable option as food can be grown more locally to the consumer, reducing transport miles and emissions associated with creating the conditions for out-of-season growth. In December, seasonal produce includes Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes and leeks ( see more and full yearly calendar here). This definitely calls for homemade soup for easy Sundays and roasted vegetables to accompany any festive spread 🥔🥕🍲

  • Slow cooking – Christmas can be a time of increased food waste, so its important to make sure all ingredients and parts of a meal are used. Leftovers from roasts can be made into casseroles and curries, and batch cooked to take you to the new year. Viewing leftovers as just the ingredients for another meal can help us think more creatively about our cooking and enjoy the process more 👩‍🍳

  • Vegetarian /plant-based festive inspiration – Reducing our consumption of animal products is one way we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, so this Christmas you could try doing one day or family meal meat-free. Using seasonal produce like root vegetables to make pies, spiced dishes and tray bakes which are easy to make and tasty to eat are sure to be a crowd pleaser. I’m no chef, so if you are looking for recipes, have a look through your cook books at home or try websites like BBC Good Food for vegetarian inspiration over the Christmas season. My go-to at the moment is Higgidy’s Clever with Veg cookbook, and I will definitely be trying some more of these recipes over the festive break 🥦🫑🍅

  • Baking – One of the cosiest winter pastimes, who doesn’t love creating something delicious from things in the cupboard? Christmas calls for gingerbread biscuits, indulgent sharing cakes and mince pies. Again, a great opportunity to see what you have at home and what you can make out of it – maybe even to share with friends and neighbours too! And if done right, no waste at the end! It would be rude not to have a slice in that case….. 🍰

Let’s be honest, one of the best parts of Christmas is definitely the food. So this year, make sure what you eat is quality and used in it’s entirety. Include lots of seasonal vegetables, foods with sustainability accreditations, minimal packaging and make your own, be it savoury or sweet. Get ready to enjoy an incredibly tasty yet planet-friendly festive feast! 😋

12 Days of Blogmas: Day 9 ⛄

On the ninth day of Christmas, GingerLeafLiving gave to me………………….. Plastic free Christmas crackers!

Hello friends, only one week until Christmas! If you like to celebrate the season by pulling a Christmas cracker around the table or with friends, you’ll know that previously these have usually been pretty wasteful. Pointless plastic toys, difficult to recycle packaging, the cracker’s lifespan was pretty short. So here are a few ideas of better options you can enjoy this festive season…

  • Buy plastic free & eco-friendly crackers – If you usually buy crackers, there are a few things to look out for. 1) Is the contents something you will use and enjoy? Swap the plastic rings for more reusable gifts, like decorations or games you can bring out each year. 2) Make sure the crackers are plastic free, so they can be easily recycled with paper. And 3) Look for additional sustainability credentials, such as being made out of recycled materials or more locally produced. There are many more places now stocking more eco-friendly crackers, for example from the RSPB and small businesses like The Little Green Cracker Company. With cracker gifts this good, its like having an extra present! 🎁

  • Make your own – If you are feeling creative this year, you could create your own crackers from materials you already have at home. Many of us will have some wrapping paper left over, plenty of ribbons from packaging and carboard tubes that can provide the cracker shape. Fill with gifts your family will love, such as chocolates or sweets, and have fun tearing them open. You can also personalise the outside of the crackers for each of your guests, or even create reusable crackers using fabric scraps that you can fill year after year. For example instructions on how to make your own, check this out. 💥

  • Alternatives – If the traditional cracker is so last year for you💁 , try something new this Christmas. You could try crackers that don’t contain a traditional gift, but are part of a wider game, such as a mystery puzzle or guessing game – great for parties and hosting guests. Or you could skip the explosion altogether and instead create table favours, perhaps containing a small gift or handwritten note. Look out for alternative and ethical favours in shops and online, or use your own small boxes or paper folding skills to make your own. Still lots of fun to be had, but without the unnecessary waste. 🧩

And just like that, we are nearly ready for Christmas! I hope you and whoever you share with enjoy this festive tradition, but maybe with slightly better gifts this year, or even a memorable game. And no part going in the bin, the best gift of all!

12 Days of Blogmas: Day 8 🎀

On the eighth day of Christmas, GingerLeafLiving gave to me……………………………… Eco-friendly gifting ideas!

How do you help someone have their most sustainable year in 2025? The biggest results will come from lobbying for large scale political and systems change, but as for something you can fit under a tree, here are a few ideas of more eco-friendly gifts you can gift this year to help those around you lessen their impact on the planet.

  • Firstly, when shopping for ideas, there are lots of eco gifting options for you to browse to find the perfect gift. You can visit your local waste free shop for browsing packaging free gifts (and refilling your store cupboard staples!) or use websites like the Ethical Superstore and a range of eco gifting sites to help you pick presents that have been selected for their minimal impact but maximum enjoyment. Just an internet search away!

  • Reusable water bottle – Still know somebody who uses disposable plastic water bottles every day? Get them a bottle they won’t want to be without! With so many designs and styles to choose from, including insulated for hot and cold drinks, gifting someone a water bottle they will enjoy using is an easy way to change hydration habits into the new year and beyond 💦

  • Beauty – Know a skin care connoisseur? The beauty industry can be full of disposable products and packaging, so set them up for a waste-free year with useful gifts, such as washable/reusable make-up pads, solid shampoo bars or even setting them up with a refill subscription service, such as for deodorant, razors or shower gels (check out Wild). Making the products we use everyday more sustainable has a big impact over time, so taking the first step towards a more eco-friendly bathroom is a thoughtful and impactful gift 🫧

  • Seeds – If someone you know has a garden, or even a space for pots on a balcony or patio, gifting seeds for wildflowers or vegetable growing is a lovely way of getting people started into introducing plants into their space and making their outdoor areas more wildlife friendly. There are seed mixes for a variety of spaces and functions, for example butterfly or bee friendly mixes. Or if your recipient is a keen cook, gifting herb or vegetable seeds so they can grow their own would be a great way of supplying them with produce long after the Christmas season. What better gift than something you can enjoying watching grow and flourish throughout the year! 🌼🐝🦋

  • Reusable coffee cup – We’ve all been there: you decide to get a takeaway drink but then remember you have left your reusable cup at home or it won’t fit in your bag. Gifting a collapsible cup will not only space on single-use cups used, but is easy to carry around due to its ability to collapse to a smaller size (see example here). There are plenty of colours and designs to choose from to make sure you get one your loved will will be sure to never forget! ☕

  • Stationery – Perfect for students and planners alike, sustainable stationery makes a great gift. A few years ago I was gifted a notebook and set of paper pens from Eco Scribe which I have just finished using and really enjoyed! The pens are plastic free and once used up can be separated to recycle each of the parts. A fantastic edition to desks and homes for the New Year 📝

There are plenty more ideas out there, from more eco-friendly cleaning kits, to ethical chocolate and reusable bags. If you think someone in your life is lacking something that would make their life easier and more sustainable, a gift that helps them achieve this would be the perfect thing to find under the tree. Maybe browsing these sites and ethical shops will give yourself some wish list ideas too!

12 Days of Blogmas: Day 7 🛤️

On the seventh day of Christmas, GingerLeafLiving gave to me………………………. Christmas market trips!

With not long to go until the big day, you may be in need of a last minute festive trip to tick the last few items off your list and get into the festive spirit. So this year, leave the car at home and plan a visit to a Christmas market or shopping day by bus or train.

We know that car use needs to be reduced to help us live sustainably, so why not try planning a completely car free day/ weekend trip this Christmas? Firstly, you can research where you can get to easily from your local train station or bus route, and explore their festive offerings. Maybe there is a stop near you where you never get off, and you can be a tourist in your own area. For local events, familiarise yourself with your local bus service to make the most out of planning your trip. Or you might have somewhere in mind, to visit the markets and attractions on offer. Then you can use apps like Trainline to plan your route to get there. Using public transport is not only better for emissions and issues like air quality, but takes the stress out of driving and parking in busy periods and navigating new places. You can also relax and watch the world go by while sipping a hot drink, listening to a podcast or festive music or looking through your market purchases. Going to markets relates back to one of our earlier festive Blogmas gifts of supporting independent makers, so the money that would have gone on fuel can instead to be used to get a unique gift for a loved one while supporting someone’s livelihood.

⬆️ Here are a few pictures from my visits to the Chester and Manchester markets this year – all done by train!

So whether you pick a meeting place to get together with friends, a family day out or a solo trip away, have fun planning your festive trip by rail or bus and enjoy the fun of the season without the stress and dependence on car travel. See where you can explore this month!

12 Days of Blogmas: Day 6 🧵

On the sixth day of Christmas, GingerLeafLiving gave to me…………………………………………Homemade gifts!

We’ve reached the halfway mark of Blogmas 2024 – I hope you are all feeling festive and green! So far, we’ve covered gifts that support small businesses, and getting people gifts that they actually need, but today covers the best gift of all: something homemade. And the best part is, even if you are not a super crafty or creative person, everyone has something they can offer. Here are just a few ideas …

  • Baking – Everyone loves a homemade treat, and especially if you are seeing friends and family over the festive period, taking something you’ve baked makes an excellent present. Whatever your specialism, be it biscuits, cakes or bread, home baking makes a delicious and minimal waste gift that can be shared widely. Maybe take a neighbour a batch of biscuits, or bring along a dessert for a family gathering – whatever you make, it will be greatly appreciated! 🍪
  • Craftwork – If you do enjoy making, create handmade gifts for your loved ones. You might like to paint, or sew, or do woodwork, it could be anything! Share your passion with friends and have fun personalising your craft to each recipient. Whatever it is you like to do, there are plenty of ways to turn your craft into gifts that allow you to spend time enjoying making them too 🪡
  • Preserves – If you stored berries from late summer picking, or produce from your garden at harvest, now is the time to preserve it and share with others. Options include making jam or cordial with fruits, or using vegetables to make chutneys and relishes. Research recipes for the produce you have and extend the life of your fruits and veggies by making tasty treats that can be enjoyed for longer 🫙
  • Photo scrapbooks – I love this idea for gifting to people where you have so many pictures together on your phone that you rarely get to revisit. You can use online photo album makers to print it all together, or you can use a notebook and print off pictures for that person and stick them in, adding quotes, captions, stickers and relevant items to personalise it further. It doesn’t matter if your photos don’t fill the book, it leaves space for your recipient to add their own and for future adventures. Now your photos and memories can be enjoyed much more than just sitting in your phone gallery 📷
  • Plans – Homemade gifts don’t have to be something physical that you wrap for Christmas. You could make a token from card and household materials and write on it something you’d like to do for that person, for example, planning a picnic date or hosting a dinner party. Making your own ‘ticket’ for future plans gives you flexibility for when you choose the meet up, but shows the other person that you are committed to spending time together. Personal and low cost 🥳

These ideas are not exhaustive, but hopefully give you some ideas of low-cost and homemade gifts you can give this Christmas to be generous, share with others and enjoy making. Whether you bake, craft or create, enjoy the process and your loved ones will appreciate the results!

12 Days of Blogmas: Day 5 📦

On the fifth day of Blogmas, GingerLeafLiving gave to me………………………………….. Thoughtful gifting!

Welcome back for Day 5 friends! Now, we know it’s great to get a surprise at Christmas, or to find something so unexpectedly perfect for someone that you know they will adore it. But what about those tricky ones on the list, that you just never know what to buy for? Christmas can be an extremely wasteful time of year, and one of the problems can come from unwanted/ill-matched gifts, that are either then taking up space at home unused, or unfortunately adding to the demand for materials on the planet. But don’t be consumed with guilt just yet, this year and all that follows will be different. You just have to ask.

A lot of the time we don’t want to ask what someone wants for Christmas because it takes the surprise element out of gifting, but it is so much better for the recipient, the environment and you. If like me, you get to gifting events and suddenly can’t think of anything to ask for, keep a list all year of things you need or would really like. Then at birthdays and Christmas, you can share ideas from the list with friends and family when they ask. It’s always nice to get something you know you will use and that will make life easier, so assume it’s the same for others and ask them if there is anything they’d like. If they don’t give you a specific answer, it’s always good to go for consumables that will get used anyway, like food or toiletries 🍫

Another gift idea that gets unnecessary bad press is the gift voucher. Famed for being impersonal and a cop out for finding a ‘proper’ gift, gift cards get a bag rep at this time of year. But have you ever been disappointed to receive a gift voucher for a place you love? No! Whether it’s a restaurant, local spending card or for an attraction, gift cards are a great way of treating someone to enjoy their favourite things. No need for gift card guilt!

Photo by Matthias Cooper on Pexels.com

Finally, instead of physical gifts that may not get the use, gifting experiences can be a better way of being less wasteful by making more memories. Especially booking an experience for both yourself and the other person, you also gift them your time to spend together. It could be tickets to a favourite band, train tickets for a weekend away or classes to learn a skill they have always talked about. The experience doesn’t have to be a purchased one either, it could be a ticket of your own making to promise to spend a day hiking with them, or looking after the kids for a night. Something special where you can spend quality time together, which can last a lot longer than the time spent with an unwanted gift.

So there you have it, asking what people want, giving gift vouchers and sharing experiences are some of the best gifting options out there, and aren’t nearly as boring as they have been made out to be. This is your sign to message your friends and get them something you know they will cherish and use this Christmas 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Resource & reference: https://www.wwf.org.uk/top-tips-sustainable-christmas