Stuck for what to give your nearest and dearest this Christmas? The Goodtrippers Christmas gift guide is full of bright ideas for those looking for eco-friendly, sustainable or charity gifts….now, it’s time to start shopping!
For kids…
Plantable Christmas trees – £5
Printed on seeded paper, these hanging decorations can be used over the festive season, then after Twelfth Night, plant them and help create more trees for the future. Buy from www.sciencemuseumshop.co.uk
Rockin’ Baby Penguin PJs – £26
These cute PJs are just a part of the excellent Rockin’ Baby range for boys and girls. We love the fact that for every item bought, Rockin’ Baby donate an item of clothing to children in over 30 countries, in partnership with ChildFund International. Buy from www.rockinbaby.com
Eco-friendly wax colouring crayons – £11.99
This set of cute dinosaurs will brighten up the post-Christmas thank you cards. Made of non-toxic wax, they come in a set of 24 assorted colours. Buy from www.yourssustainably.com
For foodies…
Pomora olive oil subscription gift – £29 or £39 per quarter
Support small, local growers in Italy by adopting or fostering an olive tree for a loved one through the Pomora subscription service. Each quarter they’ll receive three 250ml tins of premium extra virgin olive oil direct from the producers, including rosemary, lemon and white truffle oils. Buy from www.pomora.com
This delicious craft cola is made with real cola nut and the best organic and Fairtrade ingredients, also available in Gingeralla and Lemony Lemon. Named ‘The World’s Fairest Trader’ in 2014 by Fairtrade International, Karma Cola not only tastes good, it’s doing good, making a big difference for a small village in Sierra Leone, rebuilding itself in the aftermath of war and benefitting the farmers of the sacred cola nut directly. Buy from www.waitrose.com
Reusable food wraps – £6.99 each
Leave that dull clingfilm at home, these gorgeous fabric sandwich wraps will add style to any lunch al fresco or ‘al desko’. With waterproof lining these reusable, washable wraps can help you cut down on wasteful food packaging. Buy from www.yourssustainably.com
On the go…
St Mary’s X-10 Sailcloth Laptop Bag – £60
Just one of the bags from the Quba Sails range of laptop bags, weekend bags and washbags, all vegan-friendly and made from reworked sail cloth. Buy from www.quba.com
The incognito luxury travel combo – £45
Perfect for treks in the tropics or camping on the Scottish coast, this set for ‘bite-free’ holidays is 100% natural, biodegradable, chemical-free, achieves an overall recycling rate of 95% and won the Queen’s award this year for its efforts in sustainability. Buy from www.lessmosquito.com
BRITA Fill&Go bottle – £14.99
Help save on plastic bottle waste with the Fill&Go. This sleek bottle is BPA-free and each filter disk can filter 20 litres of water, saving 40 plastic (500ml) water bottles. The Fill&Go has an straw enclosed in the bottle, making it easy to drink from when running. Buy from www.brita.co.uk
wee PAL rechargeable power bank – £25
This portable charger powers up any device that is compatible with a USB (phones, Bluetooth speakers, cameras, games controllers) and can fully charge an iPhone 6 in just 1.5 hours. For each wee PAL purchased, social enterprise Power a Life delivers a solar light, free of charge, to a child living without electricity in Africa to help them do their homework at night. Buy from www.poweralife.com
Yogabellies luxury eco yoga mat – £59
Don’t leave this beautiful eco-friendly yoga mat at home! It’s made from 100% natural tree rubber and uses water based inks. It’s free from latex, silicone, toxic glue and phthalates and contains no PVC or chlorine. This means that it’s safe to use for pregnancy and practice with your baby. Buy from www.yogabellies.co.uk
For fashion and style lovers…
This lightweight and vibrant cotton scarf has been handmade in Ethiopia by dedicated craftswomen of a small, women-led business. Buy from www.danaqa.com
Handmade using lead-free pewter and inspired by the wildlife of Norfolk, this dragonfly brooch will add an original touch to any outfit. Buy from www.folksy.com/shops/yljewellery
Neroli necklace by Liz Earle Jewellery – £180
This beautiful necklace is part of a botanics collection made entirely of fairtrade and ethically-sourced materials. The Neroli necklace is available in 24ct rose or yellow gold vermeil and 100% certified Fairtrade. Buy from www.credjewellery.com
Don’t forget the charity gifts…
Christmas really is the time to give back and help those less fortunate. There are so many charity gifts available but some of our favourite ones include Good Gifts (so much choice, great categories and we love the cartoon gift cards); animal adoption schemes such as snow leopard adoption from WWF; Oxfam Unwrapped gifts helping those in poorer countries; or buy a gift for someone you’ll never meet (even though you will be making them feel special this Christmas) via the Salvation Army’s Christmas Present Appeal (check the website for details of local appeals in your area – hurry, ends soon!).
And relax…
After all of that shopping for everyone else, how about a little something for your Christmas wish list? We’ve picked a stocking filler and a ‘star gift’ that are both guaranteed to help you relax after the festive season.
Olverum bath oil – from £23.50
This gorgeous natural bath oil will relax you even before you slip into the bath! Releasing a gorgeous aroma under running water, its scent will instantly turn your bathroom into a luxury spa. It’s packed full of natural essential oils including lemon peel, geranium flower, rosemary, lavendar, lime, ecualyptus and verbena to leave you uplifted (and with silky smooth skin to boot!). Buy from www.olverum.com
We love this innovative take on the traditional hammock. Just hang from a tree or secure a hanging position indoors, and create your very own chill-out zone. With enough room for 1-2 adults or 4-5 children, add a few cushions and you’ll be battling to keep the swing bed to yourself! It also packs down into a tidy, lightweight carry bag so you can take it with you on holiday too. Available in natural white, natural green or natural taupe. Buy from www.tiipiibed.co.uk