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Tips for green presents

EDIT November 30th, 2022: Hi there! I published a newer version of this article on my new blog, thegreentouch.net. Check it out!
 
 

Bonne année! Godt nytt år!

A good resolution for 2012 would be to write more on this blog (and find a job, but that's another question), especially because I have many things in mind. A topic I should definitely develop is home made soap. Remember? I started in June because I was looking for laundry soap, ecological and palm oil free and I didn't find any in Norway; that's why I started to make my owns. And I liked it so much that I decided to make more, to use in the shower and to offer.

Here are some of the soaps I gave away for Christmas.




And speaking about, I whish I had had time in December to tell you about my Christmas philosophy. I know it's a bit late but it somehow applies to birthdays too.

What I don't like about Christmas is that it is so materialistic! It's like you're forced to buy something, even if there are many chances that the person won't need/use/like it. But you have too anyway.

Some pieces of advice, for when you're looking for a present:

- don't buy at the last minute: you know you'll take whatever, so you don't come empty-handed. That is bad. A good gift is a well-thought gift. Take time to think about what will really please the person you offer it to.

- think second-hand. Doesn't mean it will look "cheap" or it will be in bad shape. The market is full of perfectly good products people don't want anymore, and it's a shame to buy and import a new one when what you need is available there. It's also a way to offer good quality/expensive gift you could not have afforded otherwise. We offered a small bike for a little girl's birthday ; we could afford it and she was the happiest in the world.

- think outside of the box, think virtual. Concert tickets, cinema, theatre, or even your time (massage, home-made meal and other favors). For christmas we offered: a one-hour skin care, and a meal in a very good restaurant. Two non material gifts that were very much appreciated.

- think home made. That's what was new in my philosophy this year and that is why I had no time at all to write in december: home made soaps, cosmetics and knitting. And I really felt christmas spirit since each of those gifts were especially made for one person. You can't put as much love in home made gifts as in other presents.

I will show you the gifts I made and other I received and found very inspiring.

The other bad side of christmas is the huge amount of waste created by present paper.

- if you don't rip the paper off, you can use it again (and again and again).

- think recycled material: catalogue pages and newspaper make very nice packages


 - by using strings and yarn you can avoid to use scotchtape and make very cute packages.


 I made the labels with old free postcards.

Hope all these tips will be useful and used in 2012. Happy new year!
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