Mindful giving: eco-friendly gift ideas for health and wellness
Gift-giving is a traditional and enjoyable part of the festive period; but our Christmas excesses don’t always bring joy to the world. Plastic-laden presents often made on distant shores have an environmental impact that’s easily overlooked in the unwrapping frenzy, and the discarded paper can pose a problem for the planet.
 |
 |
To help you on your eco-gifting quest, we’ve put together some gift ideas for supporting health and wellness – something that many of us would probably appreciate!
Time Out
Sustainable candles that use natural wax and fragrance and fully recycled packaging can help create a calm space to relax and unwind, and they’re better for the environment and for health than petroleum-based paraffin wax and synthetic fragrances that can release harmful chemicals and contribute to indoor air pollution.
Two to try:
Run with Wolves candles – made from natural, eco-friendly, sustainable soy wax, which they say burns cleaner and longer than any other wax. They also use therapeutic grade essential oils to create their scents and every candle is 100% plastic free, including all the packaging.
Ralph’s Orchard repurposed candle – inspired towards a zero-waste ethos, this company has a collection of candles that use vintage repurposed vessels to promote reusing and recycling to minimize the demand for new materials. Ralph’s Orchard’s candles are natural, clean-burning and biodegradable; all ingredients are cruelty-free, phthalate-free, vegan, and sustainable.
Skin deep
What you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it. Some conventional personal care products contain chemicals that may not be great for our health or the environment, so look for eco-friendly, natural and organic alternatives that are free from parabens, sulphates, and synthetic fragrances.
Two to try
Wild Sage + Co handmade soaps - inspired by a move towards slower, more considered living, Wild Sage was born out of a desire to work in harmony with the natural world. The mother and daughter run small business manufactures handmade soaps and natural skin care from their cottage in Herefordshire, UK. The soaps contain no artificial colours or fragrances and use eco-friendly packaging.
Castorvida castor oil packs – this cold-pressed, organic, and hexane-free oil can be applied topically to moisturise and nourish the skin, promote wound healing, and reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks, but it’s purported to have other healing properties too. The compresses are a convenient and mess-free way to harness the benefits of the oil and are made from organic fleece cotton with a waterproof, non-toxic backing.
The festive season can sometimes leave us short on shut eye – whether it be due to too many late nights or too much stress. But it’s vital we get enough sleep to maintain our physical and mental wellbeing – especially when we have a multitude of tasks still to complete and want to avoid the seasonal lurgies. Plus, a lack of sleep can also encourage unhealthier eating habits such as an over- reliance on caffeine, sugar, and carbs to get us through the day, which further impacts our health.
 |
 |
Fitness fever
Sustainable and ethically produced activewear made from natural and organic materials may inspire loved ones who want to keep fit, whilst helping to minimize the environmental impactof the clothing industry. Look out for environmentally responsible brands that can back up their green credentials.
Two to try
Sundried – this is a vegan-friendly activewear brand founded by triathlete Daniel Puddick. The company believes that clothing should last a long time, instead of being cheap and disposable, and the Eco Core range is made from recycled coffee grounds and recycled plastic.
BAM – a bamboo clothing company that aims to have a net positive impact on people, nature and the climate by 2030. They use lower impact raw materials like bamboo and organic cotton, and all their packaging is sustainable.
The festive season can sometimes leave us short on shut eye – whether it be due to too many late nights or too much stress. But it’s vital we get enough sleep to maintain our physical and mental wellbeing – especially when we have a multitude of tasks still to complete and want to avoid the seasonal lurgies. Plus, a lack of sleep can also encourage unhealthier eating habits such as an over- reliance on caffeine, sugar, and carbs to get us through the day, which further impacts our health.
Eat well for less (waste)
Over a billion tonnes of food goes to waste every year, which has a huge environmental impact. Wastage happens for many reasons – and disregarding ‘wonky’ fruit and veg that don’t meet the aesthetic standards of supermarkets is just one example. A veggie box subscription can be a great option for waste- and health-conscious foodies, and so too can gifting them the tools to create their own environmentally-friendly garden.
Two to try:
Oddbox – the fruit and veg in these boxes come from farms where they have a surplus or the produce doesn’t meet supermarket requirements. Eco-conscious practices include: never flying produce in; prioritising local growers; only adding packaging if helps cut food waste; using fully recyclable boxes; and delivering overnight and planning routes carefully to keep emissions low. Oddbox don’t deliver across the whole of the UK yet so use their postcode checker before ordering.
Love Growing - this company is ‘on a mission to make growing your own easy, in the most environmentally friendly way, whilst raising funds for community projects’. Their hand packaged kits make lovely presents, with 3x packets of different vegetable, fruit or herb seeds, reusable bio-degradable pots, wooden seed markers, nutrient-rich compost, easy-to- follow instructions, and inspiring recipes. All the products are either biodegradable or recyclable.
 |
 |
Happy thinking
For friends and family members who are feeling stressed with the demands of life, think about gifts that can help encourage more mindful, positive thinking. Mindfulness may help to ease anxiety, stress, and symptoms of depression and to promote happiness and calm, whilst daily gratitude practices can help nurture a happier mindset by directing attention towards the positives in life, no matter how small.
Two to try
Headspace Mind Gift card – this 6-month prepaid membership card gives access to the full Headspace Plus Library of audio and video exercises on everything from stress to sleep. It’s a great way to help loved ones incorporate meditation and mindfulness into their lives without gifting them additional clutter.
The Green Gables – this eco-happy stationers has a ‘live happy’ section that includes a year-long gratitude journal/notebook to write down all the good things about the day. Each page has space to write a week’s worth of gratitudes with seven ‘Today I am thankful for…’ sections, and space to jot down what you appreciated the most at the end of the week. All the green gables stationery is designed and printed in the UK.
The gift of time or experience
If you want to move away from giving physical items that may end up unused and unwanted, consider gifting your time, or an experience such as a spa day, a massage, or a foraging or cooking course. This can be a lovely way to connect with loved ones if you choose to do it with them, or to offer your services so they have time to focus on some self-care. Either way, it has benefits for mental health and wellbeing.
Two to try
Childminding hours – some parents of young children rarely get the chance to spend quality time together, and self-care sometimes becomes a luxury that can’t be fitted in. Gifting your time for a day or evening might be just what they need – and it doesn’t need to be wrapped up in plastic packaging, a win-win!
UK eco-getaways – spending some time away with a loved one at an eco-conscious setting can do wonders for the soul. There are lots of places across the UK to choose from, each with its own unique green credentials, from compost loos, wood-fired hot tubs and showers, solar bikes, and local produce. A search for eco getaways on the Cool Places website may
provide some inspiration.
