Gifts that Give
I know this time of year, you are overloaded with gift guides from bloggers and brands alike. But I wanted to put together a gifting guide that actually makes a difference. With each of these 10 gifts, you can give back to different causes. I chose a variety of causes but items that are actually CUTE and things I would genuinely enjoy receiving as a gift.
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1. For the entrepreneur: Kiva
Instead of a giftcard…. Give a micro-loan to someone in poverty. When you give money to Kiva, it’s not a donation, it’s a loan. So what does this mean? It means you pick a business. Then you pick how much to loan them. They use the money to start or improve their business and then pay it back. 96.8% are repayed. Once the amount you loaned is repaid, you use it to pick another business to help! And so on. What I love about it too is that there are SO many different businesses on the site from so many different countries. You can chose to invest in art, refugees, agriculture, education, just women or whatever you are interested in! Cool huh?
2. For the homebody: The Company Store
The Company Store is an amazing brand that makes amazing bedding. They also do things like towels, bath products, etc. Every time someone purchases a comforter from them, they donate a blanket to a homeless child. This is the perfect gift for someone who is a new home owner, a home décor lover, or someone passionate about helping kids.
3. For the fashionista: Luxanthropy
OK guys – this idea is genius! Christmas is the time for a big purchase right? Wanting to splurge on that new Gucci bag or did you ask your mom for Louboutin’s for Christmas? Well you can still rock your favorite designer pieces but feel amazing about the purchase too. They have everything from Cartier to Burberry to Theory and so on. The pieces are VERY gently worn and donated by the brand, stylists, or a celebrity. The seller then chooses a charity to donate to, what percentage they want to give, and then Luxanthropy donates 5% of the profits on top of that to the same charity. Pretty cool right? Use this company when making your big holiday purchases this year!
4. For the bookworm: Out of Print
If you are shopping for a book lover, this site is for you. They create merchandize with book inspired themes… Think The Great Gatsby, Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice, Vonnegut, and so forth! They even have kids ones like The Little Prince, Olivia the Pig, and Eric Carle. For every item sold, they donate to children’s literacy programs around the world. For someone passionate about reading, this is a no-brainer.
5. For the humanitarian: L’occitane x Unicef
L’Occitane is one of my all-time favorite skincare/ bath & body brands. Now you can buy their products and give to Unicef at the same time. Most of you have probably heard of Unicef but they support humanitarian efforts all around the world. They have had numerous celebrity spokespeople like Audrey Hepburn and Selena Gomez. L’Occitane now has a soap that with each purchase, they will contribute 1 year of vitamin A to 3 children in developing countries to help fight childhood blindness. Wow. So powerful! Give the gift of sight with soap.
6. For the environmentalist: A composter
OK so this purchase wouldn’t give to a charity but rather directly to our planet. We know that our environment is suffering now more than ever from excessive pollution and waste. One way you can give back to the earth is to help it grow. Instead of putting your product scraps into a landfill, use it to enrich soil in your own backyard or garden. When you use a composter you get nutrient RICH soil perfect for growing your favorite plants. Your fiddleleaf fig, tomato plants, or new lawn will appreciate all of the minerals and grow even stronger. A composter is a project and I personally love taking care of it and using it as a daily way of giving back to Mother Earth! After all, we only have one planet.
7. For the feminist: Luba by Hannah Payne
I have talked about Luba a lot on my Instagram – I wore their Kimono matching set to NY Fashion Week! Just to recap – they give a portion of every sale to local domestic violence women’s shelters. They believe that “every woman has the right to be safe, empowered, and free from violence.” We couldn’t agree more! I love getting high-fashion pieces by Hannah Payne while also giving back to such an important cause.
8. For the animal lover: Chubi Bobo Candle
The candle with a cause! This gift is perfect for a girlfriend, your mom, or as a housewarming gift! For each candle sold, a $2 donation will be made to the ASPCA that helps Humane Society Shelters throughout the U.S. The candles, of course, are cruelty free and soy. They come in this darling packaging, perfect for someone with a pet they love.
9. For those with a sick loved one: Bravelets
I love bravelets! They make jewelry to combat various medical conditions (including Gastroparesis!). What’s cool about them is you get to PICK which medical condition you want to give to. Maybe someone in your life has breast cancer… Or someone you love suffers from congenital heart disease… There are bravelets for just about every condition! Each of them says “be brave” on them and that makes them the perfect piece for someone wrestling with a medical condition.
10. For the wine lover: Rascal Wines
Everyone has that wino friend… This is their perfect gift! These wines are made in Oregon and every bottle sends proceeds to The Humane Society as well as local animal shelters in both Oregon and Florida where their wines are made. They say that they “believe in giving back to all Rascals.They pick up our day with unpredictability, contagious joy, and innocence even when causing a little mischief!” Love it.
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Today it is hard to feel like you’re really making a difference. It is easy to feel hopeless. But the holidays actually give you a chance to put something positive into the universe! You should use it.
x
Antigone