According to one recent study, holiday spending around the world literally exceeded one trillion dollars a few years ago – and that is one trend that shows absolutely no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Have you ever stopped to wonder about what other uses that money might be good for – the ones that help make our planet a better place instead of filling it with more “stuff” that nobody actually needs?
Well, you can stop wondering.
If you’re looking for perfect Christmas gift ideas for the important people in your life, AND you want to do your part to help change the world at the same time, there are a number of truly incredible gift ideas that you’re definitely going to want to know more about.
Does Your Gift Recipient Have a Favourite Charity? Perfect!
One of the best gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season is also, for charitable organisations around the world, the most meaningful. If your intended gift recipient has a particular charity that they’ve always supported or a cause that they deeply believe in, consider giving money to that organisation on their behalf.
Not only is this a perfect opportunity to really make that special person in your life happy, but it’s also a chance to do your part to help make the world a better place. Many organisations literally depend on charitable donations to thrive and further their own causes and you should never, under any circumstances, underestimate the impact that even a small contribution will make.
Adopt an Animal on Someone Else’s Behalf
Did you know that there are just 1,500 Borneo pygmy elephants left in the world? It’s true – and they’re hardly the only species out there that needs our help. Which brings us to another one of the best ways to enact meaningful change on the world this Christmas: adopting an animal on someone else’s behalf.
When you adopt, you’re doing your part to help protect endangered animals across the globe – the importance of which cannot be overstated enough. Your action will go towards protecting an animal’s habitat, preserving their critical food supply and more – and your loved ones get the satisfaction that comes with knowing you care about them so much you were willing to make such a striking move in lieu of a more “traditional” gift-giving idea.
Focus on Reusable Gifts
To say that our already-fragile environment could use a bit of additional love and care is, at this point, something of an understatement.
If your intended gift recipient truly cares about the environment (and they should), consider giving them a gift that is either plastic-free or reusable in some way this season. Plastics pollution is one of the most pressing threats to the environment to come along in a generation and now, you can make sure that you’re helping and not harming this delicate planet upon which we live.
There are a wide range of different gift options that fall into this category, from stainless steel ice block moulds to plastic-free sunscreen and more. This is one of those situations where “every little bit” truly does help and giving one of these items as a gift lets one of your loved ones help, too.
Buy a Gift Where ALL of the Proceeds Are Going to Charity
Finally, take another look at some of the charitable organisations you support (and some of your favourite online retailers, too) to find a selection of gifts that donate a significant portion or even all of their proceeds to charity.
This is especially common during the Christmas holiday season, and again – every little bit helps. The “Every Mother Counts” French-inspired shoulder tote, for example, will allow you to help support an organization that makes pregnancy and childbirth safe for moms everywhere. Or you could buy this striking pair of floral rain boots, which will donate money to fund educational initiatives all over the world with every purchase.
Finding a gift that your special someone will love is easy, and knowing that valuable funds also went to an incredibly worthy cause will help take a great gift and make it even better!
Never Underestimate the Power of Your Support
Everyone loves getting a terrific gift on Christmas morning – but at the same time, “traditional” displays of affection by way of commercially-driven items will only go so far. If you really want to enact positive change on this planet, you need to become the change you want to see – these days, that involves making the effort to do more and to be more.
