SUSTAINABLE CHRISTMAS GIFTS
SUSTAINABLE CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Christmas is sneaking up on us and after the exam period you might find yourself in a race with time to buy gifts before the 24th of December. But fear not, Tuntreet got you with their sustainable gift ideas. We contacted Future in our hands, which recently started a local chapter in Ås, and got some tips from them as well. In today’s consumeristic gift race it’s often easier to buy an unpersonal mass produced gift that can tear at the student budget, but if you wish to give something more unique, budget friendly and sustainable then we have the gift ideas for you!
Journalist: Marie Tjelta
Illustrator: Anna Bjørke
Translator: Ida Haraldstad
Web-distributor: Martha Evensen
Experiences
Buying a less materialistic gift can be more sustainable and more meaningful for the recipient. Instead of giving material goods you’ll create excitement and memories. If the experience is something you and the receiver do together it’s something that can strengthen your relationship! For example: a cabin or camping trip, interrail, cinema date, eating out, have a picnic, go on a café-date, make a 3-course dinner or going skating or skiing.
Personalised gift cards
A creative and fun gift is making a personalised gift card. You can cut and glue your way to a card with a list of services they can check off. This might be perfect for a partner or best friend. Examples: doing the dishes for them, buy cinema tickets or a dinner, go for a walk, give a veto on movies or give a massage.
Homemade gifts
A homemade gift adds a much more personal touch and shows that you have invested time and effort in the gift for the person, rather than buying something in a store where it comes pre-packaged and all. Examples of this can include: Crafts such as knitting, crocheting, embroidering, or macramé-ing a gift. There are no limits to Christmas is sneaking up on us and after the exam period you might find yourself in a race with time to buy gifts before the 24th of December. But fear not, Tuntreet got you with their sustainable gift ideas. We contacted Future in our hands, which recently started a local chapter in Ås, and got some tips from them as well. In today’s consumeristic gift race it’s often easier to buy an unpersonal mass produced gift that can tear at the student budget, but if you wish to give something more unique, budget friendly and sustainable then we have the gift ideas for you! what you can create with a ball of yarn. A cozy and warm sweater, a cardigan, a trendy mini scarf, a net for a bottle of wine, a tote bag, a plant holder to hang in the window, placemats, or a balaclava.
Many people also have leftover yarn that they want to give away or sell for cheap on platforms like Finn. You can also always contact your local knitting enthusiast or grandmother and ask if they have any leftover skeins. If you’re not the type to work with thread, we also have tips for you! For example, you can go out to Vollskogen and collect thick or thin branches; these can be used to make a variety of cool Christmas gifts. How about weaving them into a wreath or basket? Or using slightly thicker branches to create a rustic bookshelf, hooks to hang coats, or wrapping fairy lights around for a cool lamp.
Homemade food
To give away something delicious that you’ve made from scratch shows both thoughtfulness and can be a cozy Christmas activity for you or your group. If you’re doing so, it’s important to keep durability in mind. Examples could be: Homemade pesto, roasted almonds, and homemade hazelnut-chocolate spread (also known as Nugatti); these can be given in empty jam jars. You can also bake Christmas cookies such as oatmeal cookies, coconut macaroons, and gingerbread cookies.
A thrifted gift
Nothing is more sustainable than giving a used item a new life as a gift. If there’s a specific item you want to give, you can check if you can find it used at a thrift store, on Finn, or Tise! Often, you can get it at a much more affordable price. You can also visit the free store at Pentagon 1 and find used clothes completely free! If you have a boring pair of pants or a sweater, you can embroider on it and get a completely new unique garment. Perhaps last Christmas you received a gift you already have or don’t need; pass it on to someone you think might need it this Christmas!
Consumer goods
Items that may be boring to buy for yourself, but certainly don’t have to be dull as gifts! Examples of this could be: Alcoholic beverages, such as a bottle of good wine or sparkling wine for New Year’s celebrations, coffee, a nice tea blend, toothpaste, a toothbrush, good olive oil or balsamic for salads, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, lip balm and hand cream, fragrant soap bars, warm wool socks, and mittens.
