Tis the season of giving! Gifts that give back are one of my favorite ways to support worthy causes while finding something meaningful. They can make a present extra special by picking a cause that is important to the recipient. Gifts that give back also add a thoughtful element that anyone can appreciate. So if you are still looking, here are few ideas that really tie in the spirit of Christmas.
- Cuddle + Kind Dolls – The sweetest heirloom quality doll/stuffed animal. Cuddle + Kind has a wide selection of animals, colors, and two sizes of each doll to fit anyone on your list. All dolls are 100% handcrafted and fair trade. They are made stitch by stitch in Peru by a handloom, then embroidered and crocheted using knitting expertise that has been handed down for generations. One Cuddle + Kind doll provides 10 meals to children in North America and around the world.
- ONE HOPE Brut Sparkling Wine – The most beautiful bottle of wine. They have a wide range of wine varieties and special holiday bottles. ONE HOPE has donated over $5 million to many different causes. This specific bottle will help childhood hunger by providing meals to those in need. Some of their other bottles support veterans, LGBTQ youth, arts education, Alzheimer’s research, Ovarian cancer prevention, and many more worthy causes.
- Hand in Hand Sugar Scrub – Scrub-a-dub-dub! Treat someone to extra smooth silky skin. Made with fine sugar, organic coconut oil, and extra moisturizing shea butter this scrub is the perfect treat yo’self gift. They have a number of different products too if you wanted to make a whole gift basket. For every item purchased, Hand in Hand Sustainable Suds will donate one bar of soap and one month of clean water to a child in need.
- Grounds & Hounds Coffee – Coffee for pups? Do I need to say more? 20% of all Grounds & Hounds profits help fund rescue initiatives. They have organic and eco-friendly specialty coffees. Each coffee has tasting notes, a roast level from 1-5 and a graphic of their favorite ways to brew that type. They also have cute merch with sayings like “Happiness can’t be bought but it can be rescued.” And “Sip Coffee. Save Pups. Rub Bellies.”
- Silicone Spatula for No Kid Hungry – A fun gift that gives back for the chef in your life. Williams & Sonoma picked several celebrities to design the artwork to go on spatulas. This one is by Kris Jenner and I loved the cute, cheeky saying. 30% of the proceeds benefit Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry.
- “A Christmas Wish for Corduroy” from Out of Print – Books are always one of my favorite gifts for kids. This Christmas classic would be perfect. Out of Print has a selection of book-themed items from socks, tote bags, journals and more. Each purchase helps to fund literacy programs and book donations to communities in need.
- DOUGHP Cookie Dough – Life is raw. Cookie dough helps. If you have a friend with a sweet tooth this would be a fun gift for them. They have a pack of bestsellers including, rainbow sprinkles and chocolate s’mores. 1% of the proceeds are donated to support mental health and addiction recovery.
- Bombas Socks – A great stocking stuffer that is customizable to what the recipient likes to do. They have socks for all different activities like hiking, golfing or just everyday wear. I picked these compression socks which are good for long flights or a nurse. Bombas donates one pair of socks to the homeless for every one purchased.
- BRANDED Collective Necklace – A beautiful, delicate 14k yellow-gold filled necklace. BRANDED empowers survivors of human trafficking through meaningful work and economic independence. Each necklace is unique because it is branded with a number and the initials of the survivor who made it. You can read about the survivor on their website and register your number with an added message of hope. This necklace is perfect for any jewelry lover.
- Scripted Fragrance Candle – Gorgeous packaging. Hand-poured. 100% soy wax with a lead-free cotton wick. There are four different collections for you to make this gift extra personal. Each collection gives a portion of the proceeds from each candle to a specific charity. State & City (Feeding America), Birth Flower & Seasonal (The Conservation Fund), Pets (American Kennel Club), and Wellness & Meditation (National Alliance for Mentally Ill of NYC). You can even get a custom box with 4 mini candles to include all the things that fit your loved one. For me, I’d get California, Beagle, Mindfulness & June.
- The Giving Key Necklace – A thoughtful gift for someone in need of a word of encouragement. Each key has a word on it like strength, hope, or love. The idea behind The Giving Key is to gift a piece with a word someone might need a little extra of. They can embrace the message and wear it for a while, then pay it forward by regifting to a person who needs the same word. Every product you purchase supports a job for individuals transiting out of homelessness. They provide full-time jobs at a living wage in Los Angeles. They also offer benefits, paid-time-off for housing, education and case management appointments, and a supportive caring environment.
- Cozy Joggers by Girlfriend – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you can never have too many cozy lounge outfits (especially in 2020). I would never be upset about this gift. These joggers are made with 91% recycled polyester sourced from 29 plastic bottles. They are also recyclable through their garment take-back program, ReGirlfriend. These don’t give back in the typical sense but definitely give back to our environment which I love.
- World Wildlife Fund Adopt an Animal – What little one doesn’t love a cute stuffed animal? What person doesn’t want to help save amazing animals? The WWE offers a symbolic animal adoption that comes with a real-life photo of that animal, a species information card, an adoption certificate, and a plush stuffed animal. There are a lot of animals to choose from, however, I love that they group the animals from extinct to least concern so you can choose an animal that is critically endangered or vulnerable to really give back to the ones that need it most. This was my dad’s Christmas present last year and he loved it. I had just got back from Africa and had learned rhinos will be extinct by 2023 if poaching continues so it was very fitting. He also loves his little stuffed rhino so if you have a big softy for a dad, this could be good.
- CauseBox – Sustainable, ethical box of goodies. Similar to a Fab Fit Fun box, but all products go with their mission of “creating a greener, fairer, kinder way to shop”. The winter box has 6 full-size items and 5 are customizable. Everything from kitchen items, to cozy and self-care items. Who doesn’t love an assortment of curated goodies?
- Glass Vase by The Little Market – A beautiful, hand-blown, and hand-etched recycled glass vase. Perfect for anyone who likes entertaining or fresh flowers. The Little Market has a variety of great gifts and each item has information on the artisans who made it and where they are from. This company works to help close the global poverty gap, empower women, support small and preserve traditional techniques.
I hope this list helps you find some great gifts for your loved ones and inspires you to find gifts that give back in your future. If you are looking for other gifts check out My Favorite Things Under $30 Gift Guide and stay in the know by subscribing here.
Cheers!
Xo, Tracy