Sustainable holiday gifts are more than just a trend: they are a way to celebrate with intention, reducing waste, and making the season more meaningful in new ways. In recent years, the focus has shifted from spending extravaganzas to thoughtful, eco-conscious choices that bring people together. 

Each year, the holiday season brings warmth, celebration and –unfortunately- a mountain of waste. Americans generate 25% more waste during the holidays than any other time of year, with over 1 million tons of Christmas cards and 4 million tons of gift wrap and shopping bags ending up in landfills.  

Today’s blog is meant to help us rethink how we give, decorate, and celebrate. With this in mind, we hope that you will find it both inspirational and useful. 

Rethinking holiday cards

As a sociable solution, you can host a card-making afternoon with recycled materials. It’s a great way to have a social event with kids, neighbors, or coworkers. 

Now let’s look at some great gift ideas! 

Sustainable gift ideas that bring joy

• Reusable kitchen tools that you had not considered (glass or stainless steel food containers, beeswax wraps) 

• Zero-waste self-care options (a gratitude journal, shampoo and/or conditioner bars, reusable cotton makeup pads) 

• DIY gifts (see below!) 

• A gift of an experience: museum memberships, homemade dinner coupons, babysitting for a couple’s kid-free night out, or a playlist of shared memories. 

Easy DIY gifts that feel personal

• Homemade lip balm from DIY Natural or One Little Project. Note: You can make these vegan, too! Just substitute the beeswax for plant-based wax like carnauba wax, soy wax, or candelilla. 

• For baker friends: Sourdough starter from The Perfect Loaf or Joshua Weissman on YouTube. 

• Friends who read? Try pressed flower bookmarks from First Day of Home or One Little Project.  These are easier than you think!  

• For just about anyone... recipes in a jar! Fudge Brownies from Melissa Knorris or Hot Cocoa Mix from The Home Cook’s Kitchen. 

Budget-friendly sustainability tips

• Wrap with care: Use scarves, newspaper, and reusable tins and boxes instead of wrapping paper. 

• Shop secondhand or local: You’ll support small businesses and reduce shipping waste. 

• Decorate naturally: Pinecones, acorns, dried citrus, forest evergreen branches, and handmade ornaments/decorations beat plastic every time.

Hosting a holiday dinner sustainably

• Share the meal, quite literally: Potluck. Have everyone say what they’ll bring and make sure that one person brings drinks.  

• Plan mindfully: Confirm your guest list early and coordinate dishes to avoid excess and duplicates (make sure someone makes/gets bread!). 

• Too many cooks? You can also leave one “no dish” option for someone to help clean up after dinner. 

• Choose reusable tableware: Skip disposables in favor of real plates, cloth napkins, and borrowed extras if needed.  

• Decorate naturally: Use greenery, dried citrus, or candles in jars for a cozy, low-waste table. There are dozens of DIY holiday decor sites online.

• Planning for leftovers: Ask guests to bring containers so they can take food home, and compost scraps when possible. 

• Share your values: Let guests know you’re planning a more sustainable holiday season, as it might inspire them to do the same.