Sustainable and Alternative Ideas for Gift Giving at Christmas

The season of giving is here, and this year, why not make your gifts more sustainable? Environmental consciousness is shaping our decisions now more than ever. Over the past year, 55% of people chose to repair items instead of replacing them, and 46% opted for second-hand purchases. Additionally, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is influencing spending habits, with 18% planning to cut back on Christmas gift expenses compared to last year.

Why not change up your Christmas and stop hitting the shops for ‘things’ that may not last long or could end up in a landfill? Giving alternative Christmas gifts can mean anything from experiences to promises, to subscriptions. These gifts can be a thoughtful, sustainable alternative to giving traditional presents that sit under the Christmas tree!

Why Give Alternative Christmas Presents?

We probably don’t need to tell you that the impact of Christmas on the planet is not good. There’s the packaging (125,000 tonnes of plastic packaging), the wrapping paper (83 square kilometres), the cards (1.7 billion in the UK!) and then of course, the stuff itself – endless mountains of clothing, household goods and plastic toys. We are more aware than ever that much of this plastic makes its way into our oceans and our marine life.

But the impact on our mental health is also huge. 2 in 3 people wish they had less stuff – it’s an affliction known as ‘stuffocation’ – and having too much stuff has been associated with the cortisol patterns you would find in someone experiencing PTSD.

We all know that this way of doing Christmas is unsustainable and many of us don’t want to engage in it any more. They say change begins at home, so turn up the Michael Bublé and check out our alternative gift guide, guaranteed to inspire you to give a little differently this year.

Top Tips for A Sustainable Christmas

Here are some top tips for a sustainable Christmas that’s merry, bright, and kind to the planet:

1. Choose Thoughtful Gifts

Opt for experiences, handmade items, or sustainable options like second-hand treasures or upcycled creations. Subscriptions or DIY gifts can also be personal and eco-friendly.

2. Wrap Smart

Ditch traditional wrapping paper for reusable options like fabric wraps, newspaper, or recyclable kraft paper. Add a personal touch with twine and natural decorations like sprigs of greenery.

3. Go Local

Support local businesses and artisans to reduce the carbon footprint of shipping and promote your community.

4. Think Green with Décor

Use natural decorations like pinecones, branches, and dried oranges, or repurpose what you already have. Choose a real tree from a sustainable farm or decorate an existing houseplant.

5. Plan Food Wisely

Reduce food waste by planning meals carefully and using leftovers creatively. Shop locally and choose organic, seasonal ingredients when possible.

6. Reduce Energy Use

Swap to LED Christmas lights and put them on timers to save energy. Cozy up with candles or blankets instead of cranking up the heat.

7. Give Back

Consider donating to charities, volunteering, or choosing gifts from organizations that give back to the community or environment.

Subscriptions Instead of Presents

Why give a one-and-done gift when you can give something that keeps on giving all year long? Subscriptions are like the gift that says, “Hey, I thought of you… every single month!” Whether it’s a coffee subscription for your caffeine-crazed friend, a book box for the literature lover, or a streaming service for the binge-watching pro, there’s something for everyone. It’s the ultimate win-win: the recipient gets an ongoing treat tailored to their interests, and you get to be the gift-giving hero who nailed it without stressing out. Plus, no wrapping paper, no clutter—just pure joy, delivered straight to their door!

Top 5 Subscriptions To Give At Christmas

1. OS Maps App Subscription 

Description – Whether you are planning a walk, hike, run or ride; OS Maps let’s lets you create more adventures with trusted mapping, routes & navigation tools created by Ordnance Survey.

Great For – Walkers, Hikers, Ramblers

12 Month Gift Subscription £39.99

2. Surf Girl Magazine Subscription

Description – Treat yourself to a SurfGirl subscription. That’s TWO issues of interviews, fun, inspiration, creative ideas, surfing tips and all the news and travel stories + a beanie of your choice – whilst stocks last. SurfGirl Magazine is the ultimate source of inspiration, empowerment, and community for women who ride the waves. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just catching your first break, SurfGirl magazine is dedicated to celebrating the fierce spirit, achievements, and stories of women surfers around the world.

Great For – Surfers, Ocean Lovers, Salty Sisters, Adventure Lovers, Adrenalin Junkies

£19.99 1-year subscription From Beach Boutique

Premium subscription Surf Girl Website £13.99 a month

3. All Trails Outdoor Activity App Subscription 

Description – Handy travel app for hiking, mountain biking, running and road biking. With GPS trails, National Park Guides, downloadable maps and much more. 

Great For – Outdoor Enthusiasts, Hikers, Cyclists, Runners, Trail Runners, Mountain Bikers, Walkers 

All Trails 1 Year Subscription £35.99

4. Mr B’s Reading Subscriptions

A book hand-picked just for you, delivered every month. A reading subscription begins with a simple questionnaire about reading tastes which can be completed online, by email or over the phone. Once Mr B’s know what you like to read, they appoint one of their booksellers to be your bibliotherapist. They will go on to hand-pick and post out a beautifully wrapped book at the beginning of each month.

Great For – Book Lovers, Inspiration seekers, Readers, Those who love to learn

£50.00 (3 Books a year) £95.00 (6 Books) £160.00 (11 Books)

5. The Fine Cheese Company Gift Subscription

A delicious voyage of discovery into the world of artisan cheese. Every month you receive four hand-selected cheeses (approximately 700g) and a pack of crackers, from seasonal favourites to those that have ripened to perfection. For each cheese, there are tasting notes and a cheese card guide that will make a connoisseur of anyone. You can choose to have a subscription box delivered every 1, 2 or 3 months, and if you’re a vegetarian or not a fan of blue or goat’s milk cheeses, you can update your preferences at any time.

Great For – Cheese Lovers, Foodies!

£36.00 (Per Box/ 3 Months) £31.70 (Per Box/ 6 Months) £30.00 (Per Box/12 Months)

Give The Gift of Time Or Skills

Do you have a skill that would be really useful to someone? Maybe you’re a carpenter, a fantastic cook or an accountant. Why not give someone a voucher for your time. Heck you don’t even need special skills; you could offer an evening of babysitting or to help them paint their front room.

Alternatively, why not gift a class or voucher for you and your loved ones to learn a new skill together? Learning is great for the brain and is a wonderful thing to do with friends, family and loved ones. Whether it’s bike maintenance, pottery throwing or drywall building – there’s something for every interest!

Top Five Skills Classes To Gift As A Present

1. Pottery Classes

Learning to throw, paint or create pottery in whatever way suits you is a fun, and creative process that many find incredibly wholesome, and calming. Why not give someone you love the gift of a new skill and maybe even a new hobby. There are Pottery studios all over the country just like The Mud House in Brighton where you can buy gift cards, classes or courses to try out this new skill.

Great For – Creatives, Families, Retirees, Anyone looking for a new fun skill

Gift Cards from £35.00

2. Blacksmith For The Day

Get down and dirty and make something with your hands with experiences like Blacksmith for a Day. Forges offer varieties of experiences from Wand creation to Carving knife-making. Boneyard Forge in London offers day workshops or longer courses for those looking to learn something a little different.

£120.00 – £575.00 for day courses or longer workshops

3. Resin Workshop

Handmake beautiful art pieces by learning how to use Resin. Art studios like Resin2Art in Cornwall, offer workshops to help you become the artist. You will be making your own resin art seascape with resin and sand in the shape of a heart, circle or square (your choice) this will be yours, so it can be collected a day or so after or it can be posted at a small extra charge.

Resin Workshop £65.00

4. Ring-Making

Learn the art of wax carving and sculpting to form your very own unique silver ring, in this widely used jewellery-making technique. Carving wax gives you endless options to freely design whatever ring you want, as you are not limited to a silver wire or strip. This technique allows you to create something 3D, abstract, classic, chunky, geometric or organic, so you can let your imagination run wild! Workshops on ring making with various methods can be found across the UK, we recommend The Ringsmiths in London.

Design Your Own Silver Ring Workshop £99.00

5. Baking Class

You can choose from a range of baking classes: Sourdough Baking, Italian Classics & Pastry Viennoiserie Class. Classes can be chosen for all abilities and baking experience, across the UK. Build baking confidence and get hands-on experience to recreate your class creations at home. Classes at bakeries like The Leeds Baking Coop run in-house baking classes with their bakery team who will take you step by step through the process and share their key tips and tricks.

Baking Classes £100.00-£150.00

3. Home-made handicrafts

Crafting or creating something for a loved one at Christmas is one of the most meaningful gifts you can give. Handmade gifts aren’t just objects; they’re heartfelt expressions of effort, time, and love that carry a personal touch money can’t buy. Whether it’s a knitted scarf, a homemade photo album, or a jar of hand-mixed spices, these gifts often become treasured keepsakes because of the thought and care behind them. Crafting is also a great sustainable option as a present- using materials you already have or upcycling items reduces waste and adds a unique charm.

If you’re not feeling crafty or don’t have the time to spare, why not gift a crafting class? It’s an experience that lasts longer than a single day and gives them a chance to learn a new skill, create something meaningful, and even spend quality time with you if you join them. From pottery to candle-making, crafting brings joy, creativity, and fun!

Top Five Crafting Classes to Gift at Christmas

1. Sewing and Crocheting Classes

A chance to learn a practical new skill, embrace your creative spirit and meet like-minded people. Sewing and crocheting have become ever more popular with shows like The Great British Sewing Bee – gift the gift of crafty inspiration and buy a gift card or class for your loved one this Christmas. Check out studios in your local area, like Made and Making, a studio near Brighton offering a variety of classes for all.

Gift Vouchers £10.00 – £200.00

2. Candle-Making Workshops

Candle-making classes are a fun and unique Christmas gift! You and your loved one can craft your own personalised candles in fun scents and colours. It’s a hands-on experience that’s relaxing, memorable, and perfect for sparking creativity – plus, they’ll have something beautiful to show for it! Try something unique like the Soy Candle Workshops at Ma Lumière in Manchester.

Candle Making Workshop £49.00

3. Floristry Workshop

Floristry courses and workshops are the perfect gift for flower lovers! Give them the chance to get their hands dirty and create gorgeous floral arrangements with seasonal blooms. It’s a fun, hands-on experience that’s both relaxing and creative- plus, they’ll walk away with stunning flowers and a new skill to flaunt! The Bristol Flower School offers courses and workshops for every level from flower pressing to ornamental wreath making.

£60.00 – £100.00 Workshops/ Courses

4. Scrapbooking Workshops

Scrapbook workshops are an awesome gift for the creative memory-makers in your life! It’s a fun, hands-on experience where they can turn photos, keepsakes, and stories into beautiful, personalised scrapbooks. Perfect for capturing life’s special moments. Small businesses like Scrap Pretty in London offer courses, workshops and supplies from journalling to personalised workshops in person and online.

£12.00 (Online) – £70.00 In-Person Workshops

5. Wreath Making Workshops

A Christmas special, why not try wreath making? Fresh wreaths are beautiful gifts to hang on the door at Christmas time. There are plenty of wreath-making workshops available throughout December at florists, garden centres and other event spaces. Mary Mary Florals in Liverpool offer wreath-making workshops, bouquet workshops, and even wedding flower workshops!

Workshops From £60.00 – £350.00

Homemade Baking

Homemade baking, whether it’s a Christmas cake, a yule log, a pastry pie or some tasty biscuits are a great way to give something homemade and thoughtful as a gift. They’re also a budget-friendly and sustainable option, with minimal packaging and waste. Taking the time to bake something yourself adds a unique touch that’s hard to beat—perfect for spreading a little extra cheer this holiday season.

If baking isn’t your style many bakeries sell their wares online, you can find some of the most amazing brownies from Cutter and Squidge in London. The Biskery in Leeds sells beautiful handmade biscuits themed for the season. Or Crosstown deliver indulgent cookies and doughnuts which also come in vegan options.

Gift The Gift Of Adventure

Choosing an adventure, whether it’s creating the perfect road trip for you and your partner, buying an adrenalin-fueled experience like skydiving, or just planning a winter walk together with family or friends, adventures big or small give your loved ones something to look forward to in the new year and mean you get to spend more quality time together.

Adventure Gifts for Adventurous People

1. A Quirky Campers Gift Voucher

£50.00 – £500.00

Give the gift of adventure! Our gift vouchers let you give someone a holiday without the faff of finding dates that work and picking the perfect van! Getting married or celebrating a birthday? Ask your loved ones for a Quirky Campers E-voucher – then pool them all together to pay for a holiday away.

Choose from £50, £100, £150, £250 and £500 vouchers. If you are after a different amount than the options shown, please combine the vouchers listed.

6. Gifts for learning and growing

Giving somebody the opportunity to learn a new skill is one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give. You can choose from a variety of ideas that suit the person you’re buying for from giving the hands-on person in your life the opportunity to create their own handcrafted knife. Or how about a lampshade-making workshop, giving someone the chance to create their own wonderful piece of interior art? Or would your loved one love to learn to surf? Why not give them lessons from The Wave?

Perhaps you know somebody who would like to develop their cooking skills? ClassBento hosts a wide variety of cooking classes nationwide. Or what about a pottery-making session? Sculpd delivers pottery kits directly to your door. Or do you know someone who is building their own campervan? Our very own Campervan Conversion Guide is the perfect gift packed full of tips, advice and how-tos!

Know any aspiring linguists? How about a voucher for an online language course with Language for Fun?

8. Your favourite book

Gifting a copy of your favourite book is like gifting someone else a glimpse inside your head, it’s a meaningful and personal Christmas gift that shows just how much you care. It’s an affordable but fun way to introduce someone to new ideas, adventures, or perspectives. You can even add a personal note inside, explaining why it’s special to you or why you think they’ll enjoy it.

Every Christmas Eve in Iceland, it’s tradition to exchange books and cosy up with them alongside a steaming cup of hot chocolate. This festive custom, known as Jólabókaflóð (the “Christmas Book Flood”), celebrates the joy of reading during Christmas. As one Icelandic proverb wisely puts it, “It’s better to be without shoes than without a book.”

Choosing alternative and sustainable gifts this Christmas is an easy way to make the season more thoughtful and just as special. Whether it’s gifting experiences, handmade items, or eco-friendly options, these choices not only reduce waste but also show care for both your loved ones and the planet. By focusing on meaningful, long-lasting presents, you can create memories and spread joy while treading lightly on the earth. Celebrate Christmas with gifts that give back!

Looking for an alternative Christmas or New Year? Why not Hire A Campervan and Have a Festive Season To Remember!

Author

Laura Hammond

Laura is a professional copywriter and is the in-house writer at Quirky Campers, where she combines her love of campervans, travel and writing! When not writing she loves to find new adventures surfing, hiking and cycling.