The 2023 Ethical Holiday Shopping Guide

Nov 25

A starting point for shopping ethically, sustainably, and/or locally during the 2023 holiday season

The 2023 holiday season is upon us! While we want to gift our loved ones with something meaningful, ongoing humanitarian crises have made the concept of “holiday shopping” complicated. How do we pour into our families without pouring into companies that don’t deserve our dollars?

We’ve put together a few suggestions that will help us rethink how we go about “giving” this holiday season. With some craftiness, creativity, and intention we think the guide below will be a great starting point to use as you plan your gifts this holiday season

1. Give the Gift of Giving

Ideals of collective care and activism are often passed down between generations. Carry on an existing tradition of activism through making a donation in your families name. Local community organizations can always use financial support and many organizations have emerged in recent months to aid those in need from Gaza, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and beyond.

The Panzi Foundation, The Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Friends of the Congo, and Medical Aid for Palestinians are just a few organizations we’ve encountered that are doing amazing work. We encourage you to look into these non-profits and others during the holiday season.

2. Something Nostaligc

Recent years have shown us that everyone loves a bit of nostalgia. Music is often a go to reminder of our younger years and instantly takes us back to childhood. Vinyl record players are a great gift for older generations who loves music and a blast from the past.

Websites like Mercari and Ebay boast a large collection of high quality vinyl players that are gently used and significantly discounted. With a bit of vetting, cleaning, and repackaging, this is a great gift for someone in your life. Add in a few vinyls from your local record store and you’ve got the perfect gift.

3. Rest and Relaxation

Many of us have a person in our life who cares for everyone but themselves. Finding a gift that they will both like and actually use is always a challenge, but gifting them rest is often the best solution.

If you are familiar with their barbershop, hair salon, or nail salon, give the location a call and see if you can purchase a gift certificate or pay for their next few appointments in advance. Looking into local spas and massage parlors can also be a great option. Many cities have independently owned Massage Envy franchises that offer services at a reasonable rate.

4. Give Time and Add Value

For busy parents, the holiday season can be the most stressful time of year. If you have someone in your life who rarely gets time to themselves, it may be wise to get them something that will allow them to do just that.

Gift someone a bit of peace and quiet with a prepaid hotel reservation at a nearby location. Not the staycation type? Paying for a visit or 2 from a local cleaning service or trial for a meal kit delivery service can be a great option to help take away some of the day-to-day stress. When they finally decide to use it, they’ll be thankful for the saved time and energy.

6. Get Crafty

Put your artistic talents to good use and gift your loved ones something you’ve created with your own two hands. Do you paint? Draw? Sew? Making even just a few of your own gifts this holiday season will be environmentally and financially wise. Even if you are not particularly crafty, handmade photo albums and recipe books also make great keepsakes. Plus you give the receiver the opportunity to brag that “someone made this for me!”

If you want that crafted feel but don’t have the skillset, sites like Etsy and Uncommon Goods can help you find small businesses that meet your needs.

7. A New Hobby for the New Year

2024 is right around the corner, and people are always searching for new activities and interest to start in January. If someone in your life has a passion they’ve been wanting to pursue, investing in that may be just what they need.

Do they want to start sewing or rug tufting? Buy them a gently used machine from Mercari or Ebay! Do they have fitness goals they want to pursue? Pay for a few months of a gym membership or personal trainer so they can get started without the initial financial burden. Want to get back into reading? A gift certificate to a local bookstore can help them begin.

8. Cold Hard Cash

The ongoing recession has been felt by so many in recent months. Its very tempting to want to give “stuff” to everyone, but don’t underestimate just how much people will appreciate a little extra cash during this time of year.

If you have an extra 50 dollars you’re planning to spend on a gift, consider just buying a card, writing a nice note, and enclosing the cash so they can put it towards travel, bills, or anything else they may need.

Holiday shopping doesn’t have to be stressful, expensive, or wasteful. We hope this list serves as a great starting point for you all to find was to give to your loved ones while being a little more mindful of where you’re investing your dollars.