Jo Caird shops around for sustainable, nifty and nostalgic goods to gift this Christmas
Shopping sustainably is important year-round but never more so than at Christmas. In the month of December, British households typically spend nearly a third more than they would in an average month, according to the Bank of England, with families splashing out on gifts, Christmas favourites like crackers, and novelty food and drink items.
All this extra consumption can be harnessed for the health of the planet by encouraging households to buy greener in December, putting the focus on sustainably produced gifts and foods that will contribute to eco-friendly lifestyles.
So what are the must-have green foodie treats, homewares, skincare and pet products for 2023’s festive season?
Sustainable homeware makes the ideal gift, useful over Christmas itself and throughout the year. Take Daylesford’s natural wax Cinnamon & Clove Candles, for example – beautifully housed in blue glass jars, they summon a warming aroma that’s the perfect companion for a cosy night in or a scene-setter for an evening of entertaining. Dinner party aficionados, meanwhile, will love Jungle Culture’s Extra Large Bamboo Salad Bowl, which comes in two colourways and is available with matching servers. Ethically made using sustainably sourced organic Vietnamese bamboo, it can also be used as a mixing bowl for rustling up delectable treats over the holidays.
Red wine is a Christmas favourite, but good guests can go one better than just bringing a bottle. Those in the know can delight their red-wine drinking friends and family with Sipmate, an indispensable new product that does away with annoying teeth staining. Made from all-natural herbal ingredients, and entirely peroxide-free, this on-the-go spray protects teeth from staining when used shortly before drinking red wine and again after every couple of glasses.
Another handy out-and-about product for the foodies in our lives is Mnched’s Travel Cutlery & Straw Set. Available in six colours and presented in a convenient carry case, it’s great for picnics, packed lunches, train journeys, camping trips and more. Because the set is stainless steel, it’s dishwasher safe and will last forever. With marbled handles made from porcelain, every set is unique.
Skincare products are always a winner at Christmas, particularly for people with outdoorsy hobbies like gardening. The Gardener’s Hand Set from Seilich includes 50ml bottles of hand wash and lotion, both rich in restorative plants such as nettle, chamomile and yarrow. Or cut out the middle man and make your own products with the Natural Soap Making Kit from Yougi. Each set includes all the ethically sourced ingredients and know-how you need to make four natural soaps at home.
Our four-legged friends need pampering too, which is where allPaws Fetch Me A Bath Dog Gift Set comes in. Comprising two dog shampoos – one scent-free for sensitive skin and one with the refreshing aroma of wild mint – the set includes a fun natural rubber ball with a hidey-hole for treats. When it comes to mealtimes, there’s the Tangle Dog Bowl, a marble-effect bowl made from recycled fishing nets. Purchasing a Tangle product – the line also includes a dog lead and throw toy – helps reduce the damage to the marine environment from abandoned fishing nets, as fishers are incentivized to donate their old nets.
Finally, on the big day itself, how about opening a stocking containing HAPPi’s new Gingerbread and Candy Cane Oat Milk Chocolate bars which ‘tap into nostalgia and tradition’? Or indulging with Roots & Wings new Vegan Christmas Pudding? It’s a twist on the company’s classic recipe that means everyone can have a taste of the festive fun, including those on plant-based and gluten-free diets. There’s also a mini version, weighing in at just 100g, for smaller households. And don’t forget the crackers – Keep This Cracker has a range of reusable ones on offer, including pet-friendly crackers which pull without a loud snap, and plain white or brown paper versions that are perfect for decorating at home.
Whether treating yourself or gifting to loved ones this year, ’tis undoubtedly the season to be sustainably jolly.
Christmas trends to plan ahead for
The cost of living crisis means that households are likely to watch their pennies more than usual this Christmas, but people are still looking to treat themselves and their families in celebration of the festive period. For Celia Holt, business advisor with Hethel Innovation for the Broadland Food Innovation Centre, this will manifest in a boom year for good value comfort food with a nostalgic feel, with innovators creating savoury versions of traditional baked goods such as Parmigiano Reggiano and Cracked Black Pepper Panettone. Consumers will also be open to products that wear their sustainability on their sleeve, with a focus on, for example, ancient grains that are more tolerant of the drier climate we find ourselves living in.
Seilich – Meadow Grown Skincare
Seilich Limited
Tel: 07500 555332
E-mail: [email protected]
www.seilich.co.uk
At Seilich we make award winning natural skincare products, herbal teas and gift sets from powerful Scottish botanical’s which are carefully handpicked from our wildflower meadows in the Lothian’s of Scotland. Our products are therefore natural in the truest sense of the word; our ingredients having grown-up freely in a pure and wild place.
Created by botanist and passionate conservationist Dr Sally Gouldstone, Seilich is the only Wildlife Friendly Certified company in the UK. Our circular business model ensures we create more and more meadows for the benefit of nature each year. Handmade on the Farm … Natural … Recyclable Packaging
Ginger People Gin Gins
WFBM Healthcare
Tel: 01782 528611
E-mail: [email protected]
www.wfbm.co.uk
With Christmas just around the corner it’s time to stock up with the range of Gin Gins candies from The Ginger People.
Making a perfect secret Santa gift or stocking filler for a friend or family ginger devotee the Gin Gins range are the UK’s best-selling ginger candy while offering stomach soothing and health benefits from the high ginger content.
We would like to apologise for stock issues during the summer but are pleased to confirm that we have doubled normal stock levels to ensure we can cope with the extra demand during the winter months.
Free samples and point of sale available on request.
Reusable Christmas Crackers – you can pull
Keep This Cracker
Tel: 07950 999867
E-mail: [email protected]
www.keepthiscracker.com
Love Christmas Crackers but hate the waste?
Did you know it’s estimated that 100 million disposable crackers are pulled in the UK in one festive season alone. When laid end to end, they could stretch from the UK to the North Pole, 8 times!
‘Keep This Cracker’ is a reusable alternative made with FSC card. It pulls like a standard cracker but doesn’t tear, to reuse it simply replace the snap. Flat-packed in six’s, ready to pop into shape and fill. The packaging is reusable and compostable, the ribbons are made in UK using yarn made from recycled plastic bottles.
New Chocolate Truffle Range
Booja-Booja
Tel: 01508 558888
E-mail: [email protected]
www.boojabooja.com
A new winter selection box, chocolate truffle loglets and luxurious gift boxes are at the heart of an exciting new range from Booja-Booja. The Winter Collection is the award-winning company’s first seasonal festive product. It features delicious new flavours Yuletide Spice, Cherry Bakewell and Salted Caramel Mocha. Also new, Chocolate Truffle Loglets are extra long chocolate truffles, rolled in rich chocolate flakes to create a sensationally smooth chocolate treating experience. The new range also features two new Gourmet Selections, two indulgent rigid gift boxes for high end gifting and an array of delicious new truffle flavours.
Spicy & Woody Soap Selection (4 pack)
Friendly Soap
Tel: 01422 400282
E-mail: [email protected]
www.friendlysoap.co.uk
Spread joy not plastic and unbox the wonders of a natural soap selection box!
As you step into your bathroom, ready to wash away the day’s stresses, grab a box that promises a fragrant journey through nature’s wonders. Behold the Natural Soap Selection Box – a four-pack of soap bars that will transport your senses to blissful realms! This spicy and woody selection contains cedar wood, patchouli, tea tree and cinnamon full size, luxury soap bars.
Friendly Soap is a Living Wage Employer, registered with Cruelty Free International and The Vegan Society.
Advent Calendar
Pukka
Email: [email protected]
www.pukkaherbs.com
Discover 24 moments of wellness during the festive countdown with the magic of our delicious herbal teas. Thoughtfully crafted with no compromise to the planet, our advent calendar contains unique blends that use a balance of organic ingredients that that support your body & mind. Our inspiring tea gift crafted to spread even more love during the holiday season and help make every day special. 2023’s advent will include NEW teas including seasonal edition winter warmer blend. An alternative to chocolate advent calendars for herbal tea lovers, discover the perfect assortment of citrusy, floral, sweet and spicy flavours.
Plantable Festive Cards
Loop Loop
E-mail: [email protected]
www.looploop.co.uk
Make your Christmas more sustainable by sending plantable festive cards!
Loop Loop plantable greetings cards are made from 100% recycled materials and are all embedded with wildflower seeds. Your customers can plant the whole card in the ground and grow wildflowers from the paper. All the flowers are pollinators too, which is great for the bees. Every card is 100% plastic free, printed with vegan inks and comes with a recycled envelope. With over 10 festive designs, as well as other occasions, to choose from, your customers will love this sustainable addition to add to their stockings.
Winter warmer
Pukka
Email: [email protected]
www.pukkaherbs.com
Winter Warmer is a magical combination of organic, fairly sourced, highest-quality herbs for a deliciously warming and uplifting flavour. It has been specifically formulated as caffeine-free for worry-free consumption in the evenings. This unique blend is the first Pukka tea to contain new ingredients:
rooibos and lemon balm leaf. Rooibos, a popular South African herbal tea, well-known as a herb to make you feel warm and cosy; lemon balm leaf is an uplifting herb that can calm and enhance the mood whilst encouraging clear thinking. This is a limited-edition and will be available from September 2023 to March 2024.
Yogi Tea® Christmas Tea Organic
Yogi Tea distributed by Euro Food Brands
Tel: 01604 821200
E-mail: [email protected]
www.yogitea.com/en
Advent is a time of year to pause and look back on the past year with gratitude. To pass on some of this gratitude, YOGI TEA® supports the Kumari project, a charity that helps orphaned children, particularly girls, in Nepal. “Kumari” means princess in Nepalese and stands for the belief that every child should be respected and valued as such.
The Kumari team puts its heart and soul into providing children with a caring home and education, opening the door to a better future. With a blend of aromatic honeybush and Christmas spices like cinnamon and star anis, this is the tea for everyone who wants to say ‘thank you’.
