The Season of (Sustainable) Giving

by Lily Kunkel

Lily Kunkel (she/they) is the Waste Education Coordinator at the Office of Sustainability, and an avid gifter. In this blog, Lily shares tips and creative ideas for showing you care, while reducing waste.

With the fall semester coming to an end and the holidays upon us or approaching, the excitement of traditions and celebrations is just around the corner. Part of many people’s holiday season, gift-giving can be a last-minute panic or the big opportunity you’ve been saving for. 

Still, many people wish that the holidays were more meaningful and less materialistic.  Although “reduce” is the most impactful first strategy, it’s particularly hard to do when holidays carry so much sentimental value – Personally, I love to give and receive gifts! 

So here’s some tips and suggestions to make your gift-giving more sustainable without sacrificing the sentiment and excitement.

Make Wishlists

It’s a little obvious, but everyone wants to both give and get gifts that they actually want. Exchanging lists helps prevent gifts that would be tossed aside and helps emphasize quality over quantity. Make a list in a Google Doc or on your Notes app and share it with everyone else for convenience. You can also use online registries – while many people think of these for occasions like weddings or baby showers, they can be useful for other gifting times. SoKind Registry is a versatile site where you can make a wishlist with both material gifts and things like experiences, services, and money for specific funds like traveling. You can also make a “give list” of things you’re looking to give for people to choose from.

Give Sustainable Products

If you’re looking to give a material gift, aim to give one that was ethically and locally made or enables the recipient to live a more sustainable life. Often, these items will also help the recipient save money over time. Visiting local holiday markets is a great way to get in the holiday spirit while also supporting local businesses and finding unique gifts. Buying from thrift or vintage shops is another easy way to give sustainably. 

  • Reusable containers, bags, and beeswax wraps
  • Produce, apple cider, baked goods, or other products from a local farmer’s market
LILY'S PICK: "My favorite is loose-leaf teas and the equipment needed to make it, like a metal strainer)"

Give Handmade Gifts

Maybe you’re a great baker, or you’ve got a crafty side! If you have the ability, a handmade gift can show a great amount of love and appreciation.

  • Bath bombs or salts
  • Holiday sweets, like cookies
  • Special sauces or condiments like pesto, apple butter, or lavender simple syrup (BONUS: package these items in a reusable jar!)
  • Hand knit or crocheted sweaters, scarves, and hats
AVANI'S PICK: "My friends and family love to gift photographs in the form of collages/albums...it's something I can keep for long and has memories associated with it."

Give your Time and Expertise

Chances are, you have some sort of practical skill that would be beneficial to someone in your life.

  • Babysitting or dog sitting
  • Fixing/Cleaning things around the house (yard work, plumbing, organizing)
  • Teaching someone a skill (cooking, sewing, programming, music, language)

Give Experiences

Experiences create memories and skills that bring you together and stay with you forever.

  • Activity passes: museums, zoos, paddling, national parks, climbing gym
  • Self care: massage, facial, mani/pedi
  • Events: concerts, plays
  • Classes: art, cooking, music
  • Adventures: skydiving, bungee jumping, hot air ballooning, tattooing
JOANN'S PICK: "I skip the wrapping paper! When I'm giving a gift to a family member or close friend, I often just wrap the gift in something functional, like a tote bag, decorative tea towel, or tenugui. The giftee still gets the surprise of revealing a concealed gift but without the added waste."

Destigmatize Re-gifting

There’s a lot of guilt and embarrassment around the idea of regifting, but research shows that givers prefer regifting to the landfill and often aren’t as offended as the regifter may believe. Notably, there is definitely a difference between regifting detached, material gifts (i.e. gift cards) and sentimental, personal gifts (i.e. something homemade). But, if you have an untouched gift from holidays prior, I would encourage you to consider regifting this year!

Making your holidays more sustainable does not mean making them any less fun or exciting. Within these categories, there’s a million more possibilities; I hope you are now buzzing with all sorts of new, creative ideas for this season of giving!