Is anyone else totally over the whole holiday gift madness?
I know I am. I’ve never been a huge fan of the purchasing and gift giving frenzy during the holiday season.
Now that I have kids, I’m even less interested in participating in the consumer culture that tells me that more gifts equals more love.
I’m not opposed to gift giving.
I love giving gifts and receiving them.
What I don’t love is excessive giving. Instead of choosing one or 2 special gifts to give, we feel pressured to give #allthegifts all at once. We give plastic gifts that break easily or that our kids lose interest in quickly.
I’ve watched my two older kids so consumed with tearing open all of their gifts that they barely even acknowledge the gift they just unwrapped.
After observing that scene last year, I vowed this year would be different.
This year, we’re doing 4 gifts for each kid (and encouraging grandparents to follow suit).
A gift they want, a gift they need, a gift they can wear, and a gift to read.
I got this idea from a fellow mom blogger and I think it’s brilliant.
While we don’t celebrate Christmas, it applies to Hanukkah, too. Or to a birthday. Or to any other gift giving celebration.
I’d add that giving experiences is something I enjoy, too.
As a mama who is trying to reduce her carbon footprint and make memories instead of a messier house, I’d rather give my kids adventures to remember than plastic toys they’ll throw out a week after getting them.
So in the spirit of conscious gift giving, I’ve created a Conscious Holiday Gift Guide.
I’ve broken into the categories I’ve listed above, plus a few.
You’ll see things to wear, read, eat, play with, and do together.
All of the products I share are small companies with ethical practices. I’ve also included a few products that support a low waste or environmentally conscious lifestyle.
These are gifts for kids of all ages (and their parents, too).
Conscious Holiday Gift Guide
To wear:
Raising Tito (t-shirts and onesies)
Savage Seeds (t-shirts and babywear)
Bloom and Give (shawls, scarves, bags, and linens)
Shop Nature Supply (clothes, stickers, and other small goodies)
ShopArq (base layers for adults and kids)
Wheat Kids Clothing (responsibly made clothing for kids)
Anjali Yoga Wear (yoga clothes or just wear them because you love them clothes)
Wahi Yoga (bluesign certified yoga leggings and shirts) — use my code WAHITRIBENAOMI and receive a discount on your purchase
To read:
Little Feminist (a monthly book subscription for little and big feminists)
Kiwi Co (a monthly science-themed subscription box)
For your body, inside and out:
Pachamama Medicines (wild-crafted herbal medicines — I just got the Revitalizing Adaptogenic Elixir)
Honey Sage and Co (monthly care packages and herbal remedies. I’ve linked their stress and immune support line)
Raddish Kids (a monthly recipe and cooking subscription box for kids)
To play with:
Fact and Fiction Toys (handcrafted wooden toys — I like the state teething rings!)
Mama May I (handmade wooden toys by my amazing single mama friend Jessica)
Kids Made Modern (simple arts and crafts kits)
The Wooden Wagon (wooden toys and puzzles and other great things)
Silly Street (a fun board game for all ages)
Wild Craft (an herbal adventure game)
Low waste gifts:
Lunapads (period undies and reusable pads)
The Swag (reusable produce bags to help food stay fresh)
Abeego (reusable beeswax to help keep food fresher, longer)
Plaine Products (subscription-based refillable stainless steel containers for bath products)
Ambitalia (daily essentials to support a non-disposable life)
Miscellaneous gifts:
Fab Feminist Art (celebrating feminist badassery through prints, stickers, mugs, and other gear)
Tattly (high quality temporary tattoos by real artists)
Succulent Studio (monthly succulent subscription. my wonderful sister-in-law got me a 2 month subscription back when we lived in NM and my succulents are still thriving!)
Earth Love (a monthly subscription for sustainable living)
Yoga gifts!!!
Get a yoga bundle of classes from me! Get all the deets here.
Some of the products and companies I’ve listed are things I’ve used or tried or own myself.
A few of them are on my list of 4.
Some are suggestions from others.
Let me know what you think of conscious holiday gift guide!
Hope this helps you have a more enjoyable holiday season~
