Whatever the occasion, I always try to give gifts that people need. Some of my favorites are toiletries, natural products, a copy of my book, or pieces from my EcoTools collection, along with some fun stuff too. It's important to me that the gifts I give are always vegan, eco, and thoughtful.

From recycled cards to crafty gifts and do-it-yourself wrapping paper, here's a guide to kind gift giving this season:

Cards You Can Plant


The crafting blog MakesandTakes.com has instructions for making your own seed paper out of flower seeds and paper scraps you have lying around the house. You can also buy pre-made seed paper here. Embellish your cards with dried and pressed flowers from your garden, a collage cut out from old magazines, buttons, beads, or scraps of fabric - be creative and use what you have!

Recycled Cards

Most importantly, if you buy new cards, make sure they are made from 100% recycled paper or don't buy new cards at all, and do what I do. I save cards as I'm given them, and cut the side off that has no writing. It's quick and easy, especially since I don't usually have time for crafty projects. I just reuse the cards I've been given!

Get Twiggy

There are a bunch of great crafts you can do with twigs or branches you may find in your yard at this time of year. These are really beautiful.

DIY picture frame from EatDrinkChic.com.


Branch photo holder from CarolynsHomework.


Twig basket from FluorishDesignandStyle.

For Your Favorite Foodie


Try making this Herb Planter from the blog NotJustAHousewife.com, made with reclaimed wood and mason jars. How great would this be in your and your friends' kitchens?


A popular way to say Happy Holidays to distant loved ones is to send homemade cookies. The Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies on page 187 of The Kind Diet would be a pretty holiday cookie to mail to your loved ones. Last year, I baked assorted desserts from my book and gifted them in boxes decorated with pieces of ribbon or wrapping paper I've been given in the past. I also included the recipes (printed on recycled paper of course), so my friends could recreate their kind treats. To see how I did this last year, check out the blog I wrote about dessert gifts here.

If you're shipping your baked goods, Martha Stewart has fool-proof cookie-packing instructions here. Get creative by using boxes, tins, or packing materials you may already have. Old newspapers work really well for insulating delicate shipments -try to avoid buying packing peanuts or bubble wrap.


If you don't feel like baking, you can still send cookie mix. Post Punk Kitchen has a pecan chocolate chip mix that you can put in a mason jar, decorate and send, along with a hand written recipe card.

Kid-Friendly Craft

This all-natural, vegan homemade play dough from Organic Authority is a perfect gift to make with your kids, to give to their friends or other kids in the family.

For the Ladies

This salt scrub from ChicandGreenDaily.com would be a great gift for your girlfriends or any groovy lady in your life! You can customize by adding any essential oil you like. Put it in a mason jar and add a handwritten tag tied with ribbon or twine.

If Crafting Isn't In the Cards:

If this year is crazy madness for you, you can find great eco-friendly gifts on etsy.com. Below are a few cute options:

Hand-painted ceramic travel mug

100% vegan lilac rose soap


100% vegan baby beanie with earflaps

For ideas about wrapping your gifts using stuff you already have, check out the blog I posted on this topic last year. Of course all of these ideas can be customized and tweaked to fit your loved ones.

What kind of gifts do you plan to give this year?

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