A Slow & Sustainable Gift Guide

I really struggle with the excess of Christmas. I love buying gifts for my family and friends, but I detest the huge amount of waste at this time of year. We are conditioned to spend a huge amount of money that we don’t necessarily have available to buy gifts that could end up shoved in the back of a cupboard or offloaded to a charity shop the week after they’ve been opened. In recent years I have been much more considered with how I shop at this time of year, and intend to become even more mindful of my festive shopping habits going forward. I like to give experiences rather than physical items, and usually ask people to put a Christmas list together for me before I start shopping, to ensure that I buy them a gift that they will love and use. I don’t ever want to buy a gift just for the sake of it, knowing that I am not only wasting my money, but that the item is likely to be unused or thrown away.

Other than asking for a wish list or gifting an experience, my top tip for buying Christmas presents that the recipient will love is to buy something personal. Don’t just rush around Boots 3-for-2 aisles, take your time to consider what that person would love or what they need. Maybe they have mentioned they’ve recently run out of a skincare item, or that something in their home has recently broken - you could replace an item like this for them. Keep your eye out for posts they might share on Instagram or pin on Pinterest for ideas of something they would love. Consider what they currently wear, use or have around their home, and look for something similar. Ask what their favourite brands are, and look over their websites.

For my gift guide below, I have carefully considered a selection of items that I personally love, from small brands, makers and independent shops that I admire. Some of these items I already own, others are on my own Christmas list, and some I hope to purchase for myself one day. I have purposely included items with a range of prices - from small stocking fillers to more expensive items. Sometimes we get carried away with the idea of buying lots of presents for one person, to have piles of parcels beneath the Christmas tree. I strongly believe that less can be more, and quality is better than quantity. If you have a high budget for shopping for one person, one carefully chosen, beautifully designed and sustainably made piece is more special than a huge pile of items that may not ever be used. I hope this gift guide inspires you to shop more mindfully and sustainably this festive season. Let me know your suggestions for Christmas gifts in the comments below.

To be fully transparent, I have previously worked with some of the brands featured below. This post is not sponsored in any way, all mentions of these brands are completely organic.