Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells……can you believe it is only a few days until Christmas? Eek!! Now this isn’t my normal type of post, but I thought I would share with you some eco-friendly gift ideas and some of the brands I am loving right now. Plus it’s last minute, because it’s the time of year to be unorganised.

(*Please note, I am not in any way an affiliate of any of these brands and I have purchased all products with my own money. I just genuinely like them and want to give them a shout out. Because I believe in supporting others.)

Here are some of my favourite gifts to give and some amazing companies doing amazing things for some last minute gift ideas.

Shop with Intention.

Before even hitting the shops make a plan. Who do you need to buy for? Have and sit down and really think about what you need. the person you are buying for and your budget (if you have one).

Shop Local.

There are so many amazing local markets on at the moment. You can pick up some great locally made produce, preserves and handmade items. Which means you get to support local business and get something a little different than the stock standard shopping centre items. With any luck, there will be less packaging too. Win. There are some great ethical, local brands online too.

Gifts

Bake it or Make it Yourself

Is there anything better than homemade baked goods? I don’t think so. One of my favourite gifts to give is homemade baked goodies (my family could be sick of it by now LOL). There are lots of recipes out there to suit all skill levels and needs. If baking isn’t your thing, you could make something. Again so many ideas out there - We have Pinterest for a reason. One year my SIL made my daughter a noughts and crosses set. She painted little stones with rainbows and clouds. They looked awesome. You could DIY some beauty products - Body Scrubs are super easy to make for example.

Green Gifts:

Literally. Plants make lovely gifts and they last for (hopefully) years to come. Packets of seeds can make great gifts for littler gardeners. Even more special if the plant is one you have grown from seed yourself or propagated from your garden. Another really nice idea is potting up a herb or salad bowl using seedlings. If you are unsure about the persons skill level - mint, lavender and rosemary are super easy to grow and very hardy plants.

Some of my favs:

www.bopowomen.com - One of my favourite skin care brands going at the moment. Beautiful on the skin, natural ingredients and a positive message as well. Hurry though I think xmas shipping ends soon.

www.loveisyourcompass.com - ok this one is if you are looking for a special gift for some one. Beautiful pieces of jewellery.

www.lemoncanary.com.au - AH-mazing smelling candles. You can also make up your own beautiful hampers to send to loved ones who don't live as close.

www.stanleyparkdesign.com.au - Cute t-shirts for little ones and adults alike. These hand printed tees are designed and made in Melbourne. Ethically sourced and earth friendly. Stanley Park designs has teamed up with Tandum.org as a way to give back - purchasing one of the items in this range helps Tandum to create long lasting, sustainable solutions in Kenya.

www.floraandfauna.com.au - For all your eco friendly presents in one place. Beeswax wraps, eco straws, bags, beauty - the list goes on.

Need some help coping with the stress? Sonesence has created a meditation just for this time of year! You can find her “Coping with Christmas” Meditation here: www.sonesence.com

A time to give:

Christmas is a time to give and I thought I would share a couple of my favourite charities

The Winged Horse Equine Welfare Inc. : If you follow my insane stories you would know that I volunteer here when I can. This group does so much good work and I love supporting them. Any donation is greatly appreciated, but you can sponsor a horse. If you purchase any of my coaching packages 10% goes to The Winged Horse.

Horse Shepherd Equine Sanctuary: Another horse welfare group doing great work. This is the group that Poppy was adopted from. The shop makes it easy to make a donation, purchase items the sanctuary needs (like a bale of hay) or buy some merchandise as a present for some one else.

Share the Dignity - If you missed their “In the bag” campaign you can still donate to this excellent charity. Supporting women who are homeless or victims of domestic violence.

However you celebrate this time of year - I wish you a very happy holiday

xx