Celebrate Green Blog

by Lynn

January for me signals a start to my year’s gift buying and making list. I have a list of everyone and every occasion I buy or make for throughout the year. Then when I spy something I think would be a good match, I write it next to the person or occasion. I’m never at a loss for what to buy or make. (Of course I don’t always get around to doing it, but give me credit for trying!)

These monthly “favorite things” lists have served me well as I move through the year looking for gifts for my friends and family. Hopefully it will help you too.

1. I’m a sucker for polka dots. Something about them just makes me happy, so when I saw this blue dot bag from EcoWrap.com, I had to use it to kick off this post. I know most people would think this would be a great bag for a baby gift, but if you’re listening, it also would be a great bag for a gift for me!

2. If you’re a coffee fanatic, why not extend your love of the bean to the paper you write on? Yup, that’s right, this paper from EcoPapers.com is made from combining tree free agricultural bio-products, i.e. coffee, with 100% post consumer content. If you’re looking for treefree papers, Ecopapers has others as well. Banana paper anyone?

3. One of our favorite family activities for holidays is rolling beeswax candles. Kids love to make their own for birthday parties and at Christmas every year, our entire family rolls them to make candles we burn in remembrance of those who have passed away. This kit from one of our favorite stores, A Toy Garden, provides a variety of colors for every celebration. Buy a kit now and you’ll have supplies for gift making and decorating for the whole year.

4. I’ve been obsessed with items made from rolled magazine pages ever since I first saw them a dozen years ago. I keep telling myself I’m going to make something from them, but haven’t gotten around to doing it. And in truth, why bother when you can pick up items like this one, found on Ebay’s World of Good. Knowing its Fair Trade and its sale helps to improve the lives of women and children in Vietnam, makes its purchase all the more valuable.

5. From Craftsbury Kids comes this entirely unique handmade tea set. Created from recycled sweaters and felt, this adorable combo sets the perfect mood for creative play.

6. Glass is such an amazing material and when something is made from recycled glass, it has that extra quality I treasure. This plate is just one size available from RecycledGlassworks.com, in a spiral pattern I find mesmerizing. If I were starting my married life again, I’d definitely add these dishes to my registry.

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, and founders of Green Halloween®.