A sustainable gift giving guide from Among The Trees
As we head into the end of the year, it’s a common season to be thinking about gifts for our loved ones. Here at Among The Trees, we’ve been putting our heads together to think about what sustainable gift giving could look like, both in our store and for yourself at home, and have put together the following list with a few of our ideas.
Purchase local
Be mindful of where you purchase - choose local and handmade over big chains, support / show some love for the small businesses and makers in your community. Check out local markets and don't forget that most makers and shops sell giftcards.
Crafty gift ideas
It’s no surprise that we’re into doing some crafting, and while it’s nice to buy something hand made for a loved one, it’s extra special to make something for them. As we head into the end of the year, there’s no better time to practice making things and do a few practice rounds.
We of course love making things out of timber, but there’s an almost limitless number of things you could make from all sorts of reclaimed or reused materials. We’ve had a lot of customers come through the shop to make gifts for people – chopping boards, coasters, spoons or spatulas, small pieces of furniture, carved items, and more!
Acts of service
One of our favourite things to do is offer to help out someone with some jobs or tasks they need or want to do, either that they can’t do alone or just would benefit from a second (or more) sets of hands. Got a friend or family member who’s been meaning to clean out their shed, do some renovations, tidy up a lawn or garden, or move some items in or out of storage? Give them an IOU – it could be for 1 day hard labour, or an afternoon of yard work, or anything else. You can even sweeten the deal and throw in lunch or afternoon tea of their choosing and make a day of it!
Gift an activity
We all know that person who is impossible to think of gifts for, and we love opting for an activity or shared project over an object when the decision is too difficult. We have a range of excellent courses at Among The Trees for people of all skill levels and almost all ages, including several half day courses for those who just want to dip their feet into an activity.
If in doubt, a gift card can go a long way
If you’re totally out of ideas or time, we have gift cards available all year around, and a fantastic makers market coming up in December for some last minute gift ideas.
