Ideas for environmentally friendly gifts!
Breathe… do we really need more things and Christmas stress? Let this Christmas be environmentally friendly!
Lena TeiglandIt’s easy to be affected by all the Christmas stress and think that we have to be a part of the shopping spree, even though we really want to calm down a little and not contribute to even more overconsumption. Many feel a pressure to buy new things for friends and family, even though they actually want to contribute to a more environmentally friendly Christmas.
Some of the best things to do to reduce consumption is to tell friends and family that you yourself want reused gifts. Many want to give used gifts, but are worried about how the recipient will react, so if you speak up it eases that concern!
Or maybe you have everything you need? Then you can say that you don’t want anything, or wish for a donation to an organisation that you support. If you buy a giftcard at Gi Gaven Videre, the recipient can choose between over 120 charitable causes to support. Naturvernforbundet Hordaland is also in this list.
Our time is also precious and time together is something that everyone appreciates. What about doing something nice together, instead of spending all of December at a shopping mall?
If you want to buy gifts there’s still a lot you can do to leave less of an environmental footprint on the world. We’ve collected some ideas for you:
Children
- Annual pass to a trampoline park, water park, museum, theatre, or something else the child is interested in
- Concert tickets
- Buying designer clothes used, for example through Tise or Finn
- Streaming subscriptions
- Used games for gaming consoles
- Swapping broken screens on smartphones
- Used phones from Finn, greenphones.no or other sources. Or phones that are easy to repair yourself
- Gift cards for a family activity. Trips in the forest with hot chocolate, bonfire and marshmallows
- Sledding ticket to Fløyen
Repair gift card
A repair gift card is an environmentally friendly gift that will be appreciated. This gift card can be used at one of the repair shops participating in our program.The recipient can choose what they want repaired: clothes, appliances, phones and computers, furniture, or shoes.
Adults
- Experiences: theatre, concert, or dinner is always popular
- Gift cards to thrift stores you know they will use
- Classes, for example painting courses
- Sleepovers at DNT-cabins or sauna visits
- Pick a good book from your bookshelf that you think suits the person. Write a personal message inside
- Good food and drinks
- Plant cuttings
- Used flower pots
- Knit or sew a gift
- Write a personal Christmas card, with a nice message, poem, or drawing
- Decorate a glass jar and fill with homemade meringue or Christmas cookies
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