As a student, my money is usually spent on food and school. This time of year can be tough for students, but over the years I’ve found really fun ways to enjoy gift giving that watches the wallet and the environment!

If you’re unsure what to get your friends and family this year, here are a few things I’ve given and received in the past!

Homemade Baking or Cooking

                 

Between you and me, as a student, I always appreciate the gift of food. There are unlimited amounts of holiday recipes floating around on the web. By choosing a few to follow through with, you can bake or cook gifts to give! All you need is a reusable box or tin to put these delicious gifts in (the dollar store is always an amazing place to look). Baked goods are my personal favorite during the holiday season and it only involves some research, a bit of shopping time for ingredients and time spent at home!

Donation Gifts
What better time to donate than during the holidays? And what better way to donate than on someone’s behalf? Although this isn’t the gift to give for everyone, sometimes helping a charity or an organization is incredibly fulfilling. If the person you’re buying for says they don’t want or need anything you can always donate to awesome organizations that support amazing causes like your local food drive or seasonal toy drive!

Heirlooms or Hand-me-downs
Even though I haven't personally given one of my own heirlooms or personal items as gifts, I’ve received some treasured items that I frequently make use of. Jewelry is the first thing that comes to my mind in terms of handing something cherished down as a gift to another person. This might also be a gift within the family, but if you keep this idea in mind for the future someone will be very grateful!

Antiques or Collectables
As an avid thrifter I have spent a lot of time browsing through vintage shops. If you know the person you’re giving for is looking for something in particular, always keep that in mind and you may find what they’re looking for in the least likely antique store! This is also great for people who collect things such as mugs, tea cups, spoons or anything in general! Last year I received a used wall shelf that was perfect for my nail polish collection.

Experience / Service Gifts

If you have someone that says they don’t want or need anything each year, this is another gift that is great to give. By purchasing a spa gift card or a day trip to an exciting destination you can give a service or experience to a loved one!

Homemade Gifts

This is probably one of my favorite gift ideas of all time. Homemade gifts are incredibly fun to make and give! By researching do-it-yourself (DIY) craft ideas, you can customize gifts to different people in your life! One of my favorites is making jewelry for friends and family, or even useful household or personal gifts such as an organic body scrub! Homemade gifts have no boundaries and the internet has limitless resources.

Remember to keep it green this holiday season!

Sustainably yours,
Tami