Ethical and Green Christmas Gift Guide 2019

Gifted items.

Christmas is around the corner – well, a few more weeks left until then. This is the best time to think about your Christmas gifts (if you have not started yet) because you can avoid rush, low stocks and it gets you into a festive mood just like Christmas baking and decorating.

This year I’m kicking off the season with my Christmas Gift Guide for EVERYONE. I don’t do his, hers, children’s etc. I just make one, including everyone, as, in my view, it should happen in all corners of life. So hopefully, dear reader, you’ll find some ideas and inspiration reading this post.

I’ve got fantastic items coming from indie brands and small businesses, and most of them are also either eco-friendly or ethically produced – or both! Shopping local and with online small businesses are important for me and for all of us. They play an important role in communities and they have a major economic impact. As for the green and ethical aspect, these are very important issues for me. I’d like to create awareness, because making conscious choices when deciding about a purchase is more possible than ever these days. We can do better, by making positive choices for people and planet. Money is a vote which you can use every time you go shopping. By using your spending power wisely you can help to create a better, healthier and greener world.

With this guide I wish you a very merry Christmas season. We’re all here to make a difference and spread kindness. Peace & love.

STEM Toys from Bright Minds

As much I love wooden toys, my boy has already moved on from them. The next best thing are the STEM toys and games that are encouraging him to learn and discover more about the world. He’s really into basic science, thanks to his brilliant memory (silver lining to his autism) he picks up things that are interesting for him in no time. (Whilst he can’t hold a pencil properly…) 

So we picked some toys for him from Bright Minds that we think he would like. 

The first one was the My Very Own Solar System (£34.99) I’ve heard good things about this and read reviews. It’s an illuminated  motorised model of the solar system. The eight planets rotate on three independent orbits and can be controlled remotely, making this an ideal bedroom accessory as well as an impressive educational toy. He’s really into space now, it has been his favourite subject (after trains) for a few month and they are also learning about space in school currently. This set to be a huge hit.

A 4M Great Gizmo Kitchen Science (£12.99) was the other one and he’ll love this too knowing that he’s really into basic chemistry and this will be surely something very engaging and giving him the WOW effect.

And lastly, we picked a fabric Fiesta Crafts My Calendar (£29.99), this will be more fun for my little girl, who is just learning the about how we measure the passage of time. 

Five Dot Botanics

Five Dot Botanics has a vegan, natural skincare range with just five ingredients per product.

This Deep Feed – Green Coffee + Cacay Nourishing Facial Serum (£38) has 5 of the most powerful anti-ageing oils to tackle inflammation, reduce wrinkles and give intensive nourishment. Cold-pressed green coffee beans deliver three times more antioxidants than green tea, calming puffy and congested skin. Amazonian Cacay nut oil contains high levels of vitamins E, F and A which revitalise and soften the skin, reducing fine lines. Safflower oil stimulates skin regeneration, clearing blemishes and reducing scars. Amla fruit extract is renowned for the wonders it works on damaged skin, while Chamomile oil is a wonderful skin soother. Your face will be fresher, more radiant and deeply nourished.

VonShef by Domu Brands

VonShef products make an excellent Christmas gift for those who like cooking and entertaining. They are not only stylish and useful but a great value for the price too!

This Jigsaw Platter Board (£13.99) is made of bamboo – it’s environmentally friendly and . sustainable as bamboo is one of the planet’s fastest growing woods. Looks very stylish, can be used for both serving and preparation. It folds away neatly, so it takes up little storage space – I love this feature! 

The non-stick Sandwich Maker, Waffle Iron & Grill (£17.99) can be also very useful for anyone. Create delicious toasted sandwiches, waffles and grilled meat, veg, paninis, focaccias and more!

Little Earth Baby Organic Bamboo Blanket

Little Earth Baby is a small online shop based in the UK, selling natural, non-toxic and biodegradable baby products, that are made from plants, not plastic. The manufacturing is ethical, materials sustainable and they avoid plastics in all stages of the process, including delivery. This beautiful, soft organic bamboo baby blanket (£45) is a perfect Christmas gift for those expecting a baby soon.

Loft & Daughter Jewellery

Loft & Daughter not only makes beautiful, one of a kind pieces of jewellery, but they are also sustainable and ethical. Each collaboration and product offering has stemmed from the potential it has to impact positively on people and planet. The brand focuses on hand crafted jewellery with minimal environmental footprint (using . recycled, organic or green materials where possible, and gentle environmental processes), fair wages, safe working conditions and respectful treatment of artisans, empowering women and preserving traditional handicraft techniques.

This Floating Amulet Necklace (£59) has been carefully crafted by a small team of marginalised artisans displaced from West Bengal, who have found sustainable livelihoods through their skill in making beautiful pieces like these. They are proudly certified by the World Fair Trade Organisation. I was most impressed with this necklace and the environmentally packaging too! 

Stitch Sainte Luce 

Stitch Sainte Luce a fantastic charity called Stitch Sainte Luce, a women’s cooperative in Madagascar, which teaches embroidery, business skills, maths, sales and the English language to over 100 women so they can bring an income to families in the poorest country in the world. There are a variety of products, each one completely unique and include make up bags, purses, cushion covers and bottle carriers.

Badminton HQ Gifts

I promote everything that is related to exercise and sports and sports gear makes great Christmas gift! Badminton HQ has a big range of badminton rackets, shoes, clothing and everything you need. They are really cheap as Badminton HQ is not focused on profit, the shop is run by badminton players for the benefit of the sport.

Blunt Scooters

Scooters are a fantastic way of getting around and even commuting! They are the most effective, fun yet totally emission-free, eco-friendly way of urban transport! These Blunt Scooters from Skates.co.uk are used by some of the most respected riders too as well as are leading the way in terms of high quality completes and manufacturing.

Sous Chef Gifts

Trying to reduce food waste is important and it easy if you learn a few new ways to use up ingredients. In my view, learning more about different cuisines and traditions can help a lot with thinking outside the box when it comes cooking. Trying something new: a new dish, a new flavour combination and being more adventurous or experimental when cooking is the way forward to use up what you can.

I’m just exploring Japanese meat free meals, in a bid to move onto vegan diet and these Sous Chef gifts are lovely for anyone who loves Japanese cuisine. Sous Chef is the place-to-be online for cooks and chefs – with ingredients, equipment, tableware and gifts inspired by leading restaurants and international food.

I have received a Simple Sushi Making Kit, (£13.95) which has everything to start making authentic Japanese sushi. Sushi rice, sushi vinegar and wasabi to create authentic nigiri. And roll the sushi using the professional sushi rolling mat, (£3) and nori sheets to create authentic maki rolls. The ginger is to cleanse your palette between portions. Perfect gift for a foodie.

The Blue Star Sushi Serving Set (£29.50) is a perfect way to serve the sushi and it also makes a beautiful gift!

Cookery Class

Cookery School at Little Portland Street (from £50) is a sustainable cooking school, is one of London’s leading cooking schools. With a focus on sustainability and education, they endeavour to demystify cooking, removing jargon and celebrating good home cooking skills. The kitchen is run with the environment in mind, so they only use high quality, sustainable, primarily organic ingredients and equipment that can be found in most home kitchens.

For a great gift, why not surprise someone with a Cookery School e-voucher? Perfect for old and young alike and it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Vouchers can be used as full or part payment towards a class or course of their choice. 

Vegan Prosecco

TheFoodMarket.com is a new discovery for me. Their merchants are all small and medium-sized businesses and sell items you probably wouldn’t see in the supermarket. Their products are made with natural and high quality ingredients.

I’ve received this rather handsome looking bottle artigianale, naturan vegan prosecco (£15.49)from them. Artigianale, meaning ‘craft’ in Italian, is a natural vegan prosecco with sustainability and transparency at its heart. A low sugar prosecco with a crisp fresh taste and fine persistent bubbles from slow secondary fermentation.