Gift Giving: a few ideas

I recently posted about how we are trying to make more meaningful decisions about what we buy, consume and give as gifts. I couldn't give concrete examples of gifts we purchased because it was before Christmas, but now I can share a few ideas. Here are a few things we purchased for friends and family this year.

• Locally-made and hand-made soaps, lotions, and bath salts. An awesome and affordable gift for any occasion. (www.moondancesoaps.com)
• Maple syrup from a small family-owned organic farm in Vermont (actually owned by a friend of mine's dad). (www.maplesyrupvermont.com)
• Coffee from a local company that only sells organic fair-trade and shade-grown beans in compostable bags. So yummy! (www.larrysbeans.com)
• Personalized photo books from Shutterfly. These are a LOT of work, but they are such a personal and wonderful gift and a great way to preserve memories. (www.shutterfly.com)
• Keva planks. These are high quality, made in the USA wooden building blocks for kids of all ages. This is the kind of toy you never throw out and can pass on to the next generation. (www.kevaplanks.com)
• Book-marks hand-made by Sydney for all the readers in our family! These were a big hit!
• Ornaments that the kids painted at a local pottery place called Paint Your Pot.
• Hand-made earrings from my mom and her "Penne Panache," also a big hit!

There are lots of other great gift ideas, but these are just some of the ones we gave this year. I think charitable donations in someone's name are also great gift ideas, especially for that person in your life who already has everything!!! If you have a garden then you have endless options of things you can grow yourself and gift to others (dried herbs, canned veggies, jams, dried fruits and veggies). I got a breadmaker for Christmas, so you can be sure people will be getting freshly made organic bread as gifts from me in the coming years! Mmm...

Happy New Year, everyone!