With Christmas and other festive celebrations just two weeks away, present shopping is on everyone’s minds. Trying to be eco-conscious at this time of year can be difficult, especially with brands advertising their perfect gifts at every opportunity. Here’s a quick guide to sustainable holiday shopping for this winter!
1. Homemade gifts: arts & crafts
Friends and family always love homemade gifts. You don’t need to be a master at arts and crafts to make a gift that someone will love using materials you can buy at your local stationary shop or online!
Pressed Flowers
Using flowers from your garden, from green spaces near your home, or shop-bought bunches, press and dry them out to be displayed in frames or cases! Have a look at this guide for the step-by-step process and some display ideas.
Homemade Festive Candles
All you need for this is some soy wax, your favourite scent, and some jars and decorations to finish! Melting and adding scents to the wax is an easy process, and wax, wicks, and fragrances are easy to find online. Use this guide to make festive candles for your loved ones this year!
Fabric-Covered Tree Ornaments
Have a go at making these fabric-covered tree decorations. You’ll need some cardboard (or ready-cut cardboard trees andbaubles), some old fabric, and some PVA or hot glue. Have a look at this page for step-by-step guidance on how to make these thoughtful ornaments.
2. Homemade gifts: food & drink
Holidays in the Winter are normally focused on eating and drinking alongside your loved ones, and tasty food and drink can certainly help us get through January and February.
Sloe Gin
Infuse regular supermarket gin with sloes – found in green spaces around the UK, back gardens, and online. Have a look at this BBC recipe to get started. You’ll need some small bottles to decant into to give out as gifts.
Christmas biscuits
There are many different types of Christmas biscuit you could make for your family and friends, including gingerbread and shortbread. Have a look at the recipes linked there. If you want to get creative with your kids, consider mixing some icing sugar with a little water and food colouring to decorate sugar biscuits in Christmassy colours too!
Mulled Wine
Making homemade mulled wine is easier than you’d think, and can be gifted to others in bottles, or as a spice pack and a bottle of wine to put together themselves. Have a look at this recipe for mulled spices and this one for giftable mulled wine.
Chilli oil
Making homemade chilli oil is easier than you’d expect. All you need are some dried chillis (shop-bought or oven dried at home), some oil, and a bit of time to let it infuse! It can be a great way to keep loved ones warm in the coldest months of the year.
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Have a look out for next week’s post with ideas on sponsorships, zero waste gifts, and sustainable shopping sites!
