15 December 2025

It’s the holiday season and another year of advertisers urging us to buy MORE. Apart from the fact that many don’t have a lot of disposable income this year, there are plenty of reasons to consider NOT doing that.

Obviously…the planet cannot sustain all this stuff.

And more stuff makes each previous item less precious (nothing says “well, it’s a gift” like an Amazon-exclusive tchotchke from China). Did you know that Americans will spend more than $10 billion on holiday gifts this year, and more than half of them will receive a disappointing gift?

There’s still time to do something meaningful though, and you might even save some money. Make something yourself, offer your time, support ethical businesses. But, whatever you do, just THINK about the recipient. If you’re not a mind-reader (and most of us are not), the best course of action is to ask what they want! Or give cash!

Most gift-givers think they’re gift needs to be unusual or flashy, but most recipients want something that’s practical or meaningful. A unique find at a charity shop - or a special food - could be way more appropriate than the hot-item-of-the-holiday-season…because it’s personal.

The gift with long-term impact is often valued more than a gift with immediate wow factor. That explains why experience gifts are better than STUFF. It’s the gift you look forward to, sense in the moment and then remember long afterwards.

There are many other ways you can improve the quality of your gifts while being a conscious consumer. Even when I remember and treasure a gift of someTHING someone has given me, it’s usually because of the person (their thoughtfulness, or because it reminds me of them) more than the item.

Another way we have made gift-giving more eco-friendly and (dare I say) more FUN, is to enact a white elephant tradition at our Christmas. Everyone brings one gift and we blindly choose, trade or “steal” - with luck, everyone goes home with something they wanted!

There are so many options to improve your mindfulness this season. Please share strategies and ideas you intend to use.

A gift certificate for a practical plant based cooking workshop is the ideal gift - it could even be one you share with your recipient!