Sustainable Christmas gifts: people and nature will be delighted

Finding sustainable Christmas gifts can be very easy. You just need to know what's important:

Even in ancient times, gifts were exchanged to establish, maintain or deepen relationships with others. When we come together today - such as at Christmas, weddings or birthdays - it's no different: we use gifts to express our bond with our loved ones. We use them to say thank you, express our wishes or symbolically say "I love you."

With sustainable gifts, we go one step further. We not only show that we care about other people, but also about our planet. But what actually makes an ecological gift? We've collected tips and ideas to make it easy for you to find suitable sustainable Christmas gifts.

Sustainable Christmas gifts - What makes a gift sustainable?

Sustainability has many facets. This is no different with ecological gifts. There is no "one sustainable gift", but many ways in which a gift can become a sustainable gift. The basic idea is always that the environment is less burdened.

What points should you pay attention to? Sustainable Christmas gifts fulfill at least one of the following points:

zero waste
recycled
fair trade
produced in an environmentally friendly way
made from sustainable, natural materials
reusable
long-lasting, high quality
nothing material
supports a good cause

But before you start googling and shopping through various online stores, remember that it's not just about what you buy, but also where you do it when searching for sustainable Christmas gifts.

When strolling through the city or over the Christmas market, you will not only get into the winter mood and enjoy the bright decorations. You also support the stationary specialist trade at the same time.

Sustainable gifts - The best tips for giving eco-friendly gifts

Whether it's an unusual sustainable gift that no one expects or a very specific wish that makes your heart skip a beat - you have complete freedom when it comes to eco-friendly gifts. Not sure how to get started? Here are our tips:

#1 Less is more

Sometimes we feel like we need to give a lot of gifts to show how much the other person means to us. However, the magic formula for sustainable Christmas gifts is not: lots to unwrap = lots of love. On the contrary. Focus on one gift and put all your feelings and thoughts into it. Avoid "odds and ends" that may be nice at the time of gift-giving, but will end up in a drawer after a short time without being noticed. These are unnecessary resources that we can save our planet and our wallets.

#2 Fulfill a wish

Wondering what that "one lasting gift" you should focus on should be? Simple: Listen to your loved ones. As the holidays approach and the first wishes are casually expressed during conversations, make a note of them. Orask directly.

#3 Family Secret Santa under the Christmas tree

To avoid piles of presents under the sustainable Christmas tree pile up, you can introduce a new tradition to your family that is incredibly fun: Gift giving with sustainable Christmas presents. Everyone gets exactly one gift that fulfills one of the above-mentioned "eco-points" (fair trade, long-lasting quality, etc.). On Christmas Eve, you then get out the dice and play for your presents. There are different variations and rules for Secret Santa. Pick your favorite and create lasting memories of a fun evening while laughing.

#4 Homemade

It gets really personal when you make gifts yourself. It's sustainable if your DIY gifts are useful items and you perhaps even use materials that you already have at home. For Christmas, for example, you can knit socks from sustainable yarns .

#5 No wrapping paper

At Zero Waste is about "zero waste". The less waste we produce, the more we protect our environment. Zero waste is easy when it comes to sustainable Christmas gifts: simply leave out the packaging or choose one of the alternatives to wrapping paper.

#6 Nothing lying around

Sustainable gifts are above all those that create lasting memories. The best way to do this is not to give something material, but a shared experience. How about taking the Germany ticket on a trip through the Allgäu region, planning a day of hiking through nature or going to yoga together for more mindfulness?

Sustainable gift ideas - everyone will be delighted!

We've already told you about self-knitted socks and suggested we go on a trip together. Now we're getting a little more specific and giving you our ideas for sustainable Christmas gifts

#1 plants or tree donation

Many people thrive in nature. But they often don't have the time to get out and about. Sustainable Christmas gifts can therefore be trees or plants for your own garden, balcony or home.

What we think is particularly cool: Giving the gift of trees via Grow My Tree. Starting at just 4.80 euros. In 2023, together with you and the Berlin-based company we planted a small forest ourselves and were delighted that we became so active in stopping the artificial greenhouse gas effect.

#2 Sustainable coffee-to-go cups

Whether on the way to work or on a walk with a friend:inside - who doesn't love drinking freshly brewed coffee outside the home? Unfortunately, hot drinks are often sold in disposable cups with plastic lids when you're out and about. In Germany, around 2.8 billion coffee-to-go cups are used and thrown away every year. (Source: zeit.de) That doesn't have to be the case. Give reusable thermo mugs made of ceramic, glass or cork as a Christmas present. In the "Avocadostore", for example, you have a large selection. You can give away aromatic fair trade coffee that you buy from your regional coffee roastery to go with the mug.

#3 Homemade baked apple jam

Are you looking for a sustainable Christmas gift for someone with a sweet tooth? You can easily prepare this baked apple jam yourself and fill it into a recycled screw-top jar. If you buy the apples for the recipe from the farmer next door or at the regional weekly market, it will be even more ecological.

#4 Natural Soaps + Soapi

This tip for a sustainable Christmas gift has double the benefits: The natural soaps from kaikua are vegan, plastic-free and made by hand in Hanover. A perfect match: the magnetic soap holders from soapi, which are made from 90% recycled fishing nets.

#5 Bed linen from the textilwerk

Warm through the winter with a sustainable Christmas gift that feels like a hug: At textilwerk you can order bed linen on demand. You select the design, the material and the dimensions and only when you click on "Order" does the sewing start in the factory in Poland. This avoids overproduction and conserves raw materials.

#6 linen napkins

Let's stick with textiles for a moment - but move from the bedroom to the dining room. Here, it's particularly nice to sit at a decorated table with everyone at Christmas time. Placemats and napkins made from certified linen are wonderful for this - and also the ideal sustainable Christmas gift. We really liked the zero-waste napkins from Linen Tales especially liked.

#7 Fair Trade Chocolate

Especially at Christmas time, we love to snack and share our passion for sweets with others. Fair trade chocolate is a great eco-friendly gift that can bring a little joy to everyone. There are now many manufacturers of more sustainable chocolate. Our favorites include: Nucao, Tony's Chocolonely, Gepa and - especially - Gleem, Germany's first natural patisserie, where founder Anna makes the most delicious chocolates by hand.

#8 animal sponsorships

Tigers, elephants, whales, rhinos - for animal fans, the WWF has come up with some very special gift packages. You can give an animal sponsorship including poster, certificate and desk calendar as a gift. For as little as 15 euros a month, you can contribute to the protection of habitats, help to expand protected areas and effectively combat poaching.

But that's not all: a sponsorship is an unusual, sustainable gift that is also an adventure in which the recipient receives reports, videos and insights into the work on site.

#9 Sustainable suitcases

The best gift for travel enthusiasts is a sustainable suitcase. The shell of our IP1 trolley is made from 46% recycled post-consumer plastic, while the lining is made from 100% recycled material. The hand luggage case comes with an integrated USB port so that the recipient can charge their cell phone on the go. All that's needed for green power: a solar power bank from WakaWaka.

#10 Journey to the Recreational Forest

The trolley can then be taken directly to a recreational forest. A sustainable Christmas gift can also be a travel voucher that promotes sustainable tourism "Waldbaden" is a relaxing trend from Japan that invites you to engage with all your senses in the nature that surrounds you. However, your voucher doesn't have to take you to faraway Asia. The so-called "Shirin Yoku" is also known in the Hochschwarzwald - and Freiburg is easy to reach by environmentally friendly train.

#11 Clothes made from sustainable materials

Your eco-friendly gift is for a fair fashionista? Fashion brands like Armed Angels are on a mission to make styles that are the least harmful to our environment and counteract climate change. As bad purchases are not very sustainable, we recommend giving a gift voucher.

#12 Our book tip for more awareness

As soon as the book came out, we devoured it and are happy to pass it on as a gift tip: "The day we stop shopping" is a plea for voluntarily giving up consumption - as a contribution to climate protection. And just so excitingly written. You can buy the book second-hand from, for example medimops buy.

#13 Off to the Klimahaus

Finally, we present something that belongs in the "unusual sustainable gifts" category: a trip to the Klimahaus Bremerhaven. Here, young and old can learn all about the climate, climate change and our weather. Knowledge is brought to life here on 5,000 square meters. There are no vouchers, but there is the "Flexticket", which can be redeemed on any day within three years.

#14 Sustainable travel gadgets

One of the unusual, sustainable gifts for globetrotters are travel gadgets that make every vacation a little 'greener'. This could be wooden sunglasses, a toiletry bag made of natural cork filled with plastic-free hygiene products, walnut wood charging cables from Woodcessories or an environmentally friendly sunscreen.

Sustainable Christmas gifts - have fun giving

And now the most important tip from us: Don't stress when it comes to sustainable Christmas gifts. The most important thing during the festive season is to spend time together in a relaxing atmosphere.

Your gift to your loved ones could also be something that creates a particularly cosy atmosphere. Perhaps with a poem like "The Christmas Mouse" or a story by Loriot.