GTKY: Holidy Gifts

YellowLily2013

How are you staying Ecofriendly during the holidays?

I bought bulk facial clay masks and need to buy some cute glass jars and make a little spa kit for all the ladies in my life. I wanted to sew little cloth bags too, but I doubt that'll happen, I'm pregnant and lazy. Maybe some cute recycled bags?

I haven't given up wrapping paper, but we do that over bags. And the paper lasts forever in our house, again no kid yet. So this could change.

What's everyone else doing?

Athena0809

I don't have a lot of gifts to give this year so it should be easy--my big family is doing something like secret santa, we're all responsible for just one present, that way it's easy on our wallet and everyone gets at least one good present. So I'll decide depending on who I get (I'm hoping a woman so I can do homemade body care products). We are not including the kids, but that's easy; two teenage girls, a 6 y.o girl and two 1 1/2 toddlers. For the girls I'm planing on doing, scarfs or bracelets or, berets with recycled t-shirts and for the baby (the other one is my own) I plan on doing a teddy bear out of a recycle sock--but for the baby I will add some nice clothing I'll prob buy at baby gap. And probably I'll wrap everything in either recycled xmas paper or I have my eye on other eco options--all from pinterest!

tjkdlhb

DD is getting a few wooden toys. I've also got a aluminum bottle that turns into a sippy cup and then a sports bottle for her. 

DH and I want to do some camping next summer with DD, so I got him a tent from me and a LED lantern from "DD".

My mom has a lot of health issues, so she finds it hard to clean her house.  DH and I are giving her a basket of cleaning supplies (ok... baking soda, vinegar and some gerber prefolds for rags...not sure what else) and a "gift certificate" for a weekend with two cleaners (ie us) so she can have some help cleaning the harder to do stuff like walls, scrubbing floors etc.

My siblings and I have decided to only give to the kids this year... so that cuts back on some...

For my charity donation I did up a starter kit for Cloth Diapering to give to a local diaper drive with some prefolds/covers, CD safe cream/detergent, a wetbag, etc.

ETA:  I'm re-using gift bags and also thinking about using brown paper to wrap gifts... at least then I can compost it.  When DD is older, she can decorate it, it might be fun!  And lots of times large pieces come in boxes from online shopping.

Ms.Jade

We do a couple of things;

1. Use recycled wrapping paper. It's easy to find and affordable at Amazon. If we use the brown kind we use lots of colorful ribbon and reuse the ribbon for future gifts. 

2. Limit the stuff. I don't even look at my SILs list for her kids which is full of plastic crap from Toys R Us. I try to buy everything on Etsy or similar and still create a nice gift not Made In China. For example, my niece is into Disney Princess crap and cooking. I ordered her a personalized apron and chefs had on Etsy, included wooden utensils, and a Disney princess cookbook. They still get what they want, but I try to be more creative about it and not just buy plastic junk.

3. DD only gets 3 gifts. It was good enough for baby Jesus, it's good enough for her - LOL. This year it's a Radio Flyer ride on, a handmade doll from Etsy (her first doll) and an art station which includes a wooden table, chairs and quality, eco art supplies. 

4. No gifts with friends and family. We decided this years ago and it's so freeing. I am hand-painting  cookie plates for a few families and piling them high with my chocolate chip walnut cookies. 

5. We always buy a real tree. Much greener than a toxic manufactured one shipped all the way from China. And our decorations are nature based - pine cones, strung cranberries etc. Though we have bulbs and stuff too.