We live in a disposable world, where cheap manufacturing means we no longer need to think about the longevity of our purchases.
“We live in a disposable society. It’s easier to throw things out than to fix them. We even give it a name -we call it recycling.”
Neil LaBute
There is no getting away from the fact that Christmas increases consumption and waste, whilst there isn’t any reliable statistics from research, many cite high levels of unwanted gifts, huge clearouts before xmas to make room for new gifts and alarming proportions that simply end up in the bin.
The impact we have been having is increasingly at the forefront of people’s minds, and we are all increasingly looking to lessen our impact on the planet in as many ways as we can. We’ve created some tips below to make Christmas a less disposable one this year.
1. Look for durability
Before buying a new product, research its durability, remember, the cheapest choice is not necessarily the best one, after all if you have to buy it again it will end up costing you more money in the long term. If budget is a problem, buy fewer gifts or check out our Christmas gift ideas on a budget for some ideas.
Look for product guarantees, read product reviews, try to avoid those cheap amazon products that look so attractive on the face of it.
2. Give things that won’t age
Try and think of those things you got given as kids and still have today.
Classic books – Buy them a classic book or boxset that they can read again and again, or a particular special version of a classic book such as an illustrated harry potter edition. They’ll treasure it forever and maybe read to their kids in the future.
Games – You can’t go wrong with a classic board game, a pack of cards or chess and backgammon sets. Great fun to play over the Christmas period and will last forever.
Jewellery – For slightly older kids choose a nice piece of Jewellery, something that will stand the test of time and could happily be worn as a teenager and adult.
Sports Equipment – A decent football or tennis racket will last years.
Clothes – Not always the favourite gift to receive by kids but a decent piece of clothing can be handed down through the family or passed on to charity shops. Try to choose natural materials such as organic cotton or wool.
Lego – Always a winner, lasts forever and keeps its value, especially if you keep it’s box!
3. Gift experiences
Many gift experience companies offer Specially tailored experiences for children. common kid friendly experiences include animal encounters, Treetop adventures, indoor surfing, zip rides, rafting, chocolate workshops, car driving (yes!) experiences and football stadium tours.
You could also think of something yourself or they may well have a suggestion!
4. Re-gift, hand me downs etc
Don’t be worried about giving a child a pre-loved gift, as long as it’s working they won’t mind. Also if it wasn’t loved, even better as it will probably still be in its box!
5. Think about materials
Look at the materials gifts are made from and keep sustainability in mind. Ensure wood and paper are made from recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified materials, avoid single plastics items that can’t be recycled.
6. Care for your toys
Encourage kids to look after their gifts, put them away, don’t leave them on the floor etc and they’ll last much longer. Also worth pointing out to them that they will have a much better chance of being able to sell on when they outgrow them if they’ve been looked after.
7. Ask them what they want
Whilst it can take the joy out of giving a surprise, this is the easiest option to guarantee your money won’t be wasted and your gift gratefully received. Of course doing this properly means you need to let them know your budget.
8. Let them choose by giving them cash or a voucher
One very straightforward option is to give some cash or a cheque. It might seem impersonal, but you could suggest how it’s used or buy them a voucher at a shop you know is relevant to their interests. Much better it goes towards something they really want or need.
9. Don’t buy anything – less is more
When kids have too many things to play with they actually stop enjoying them and don’t know what to do with themselves.
If you regularly exchange presents with friends or relatives, perhaps purchased directly from an Amazon wishlist, consider if it’s really in the spirit still. Maybe agree to not buying presents this year. You could even suggest spending the cash on meeting up for a catch up meal instead.
