Gift giving often comes with a lot of waste. A significant amount of this is the wrapping paper or gift bags, but the gifts themselves can also generate a lot of waste. Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate this without making your gift any less meaningful.
Your gift doesn’t have to be a physical object at all. Consider gifting an “experience” instead: for example, a day out at the theater to a show you know they’ll love, a pass for a museum, or dance lessons. Or, simply take time off work to be with them, or offer to help them so they can use their added free time as they wish.
For those who appreciate practicality or aren’t big on surprises, there are some additional options. Talk to your loved ones. Ask them what they want or need. It won’t be a surprise when they get it, but you’ll know it’s something they truly want. Plus, you don’t need to wrap it if they already know what it is. If your friends or family have bills piling up or a debt they’d like to be able to settle, just offer to pay it for them. But just in case they still like the gift giving nature of the holidays, try to purchase more sustainably. A good way to do this is to buy used or secondhand items. The stigma around secondhand items or regifting doesn’t really need to exist, especially if it’s something that you know the person who’s receiving it will appreciate.
Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash