I have always enjoyed gifts – both the giving and receiving of them. According to researchers, I am not alone. Gift giving is an important part of human interaction and psychologists say that the givers often reap the biggest psychological gains. When someone takes time to thoughtfully select a gift for me, it means so much more than a check or cash; however, I am not against receiving money. In some instances and circumstances it is a very thought and generous gift. I say that thinking of my husband who lives across the ocean. He is a practical man. For Valentine’s Day he mailed me a card filled with postage stamps.
My favorite types of gifts to give are ones that “live on” or continue to be used throughout the year. I came up with some ideas to get you thinking about how you can encourage people you care about to live greener, have fun and enjoy life.
Nature Lover. Fill a backpack with some of the items below. Attach a walking stick and some natural decorations like pinecones and holly, and it’s ready to give.
- Bird feeder
- Bird identification book
- Binoculars
- Compass
- Membership to a state botanical garden, like Georgia’s. (Your state garden may be part of Reciprocal Admission Program so you can enjoy beautiful gardens around the country.)
- Picture you made from dried flowers from your garden
- Coupon book you create for an outdoor adventure each month of the year
“Grown Locally” Around the World. Fill a basket, or other type of reusable container, with items that are “local” for you. For me these items are:
- Honey from the family ranch in Montana
- Wine from Austria where my husband lives
- Peanuts from Georgia where I live
- Meyer lemons and Satsuma oranges from my fruit trees
Gardening is fun! Fill a garden trug, basket or other type of container with items like:
- Solar-powered pathway lights
- Gardening gloves
- Potted plant, like a rosemary tree
- Seeds or bulbs
- Spray nozzle for the garden hose
- Garden weeding tool
- Book on native plants and/or pests
- Wind chime or piece of yard art
For The Recycler in You. Fill a reusable bag or container you no longer need, or use, with items like:
- Compost container
- Rechargeable batteries and a charger
- Lunch bag filled with reusable containers
- Insulated tumbler
- Bag for storing plastic bags
- Doormat made from recycled material
Safety Begins at Home. Fill a basket, bag or other reusable container with items like:
- Potholder
- Slippers with non-slip soles
- Flashlight
- LED Nightlight
- A tool that aids in getting in/our of a vehicle, like the Handybar
- Child safety locks and Yuk stickers
- First Aid kit
- UGA Home Safety Checklist
A Greener Home. Fill a bucket or dishpan with an assortment of items that contribute to improving the indoor air quality. Some suggestions:
- Gloves
- Microfiber cloth
- UGA Green Cleaning Recipe Cards
- Spray bottles with waterproof labels
- Essential oils
- Ingredients to make green cleaning products
- Green cleaning safety tips
Here’s to A Healthy Home! Fill a basket or container that can be used to hold magazines, mail or other clutter with items that promote a healthy home environment, like:
- Radon test kit
- Humidistat to measure moisture
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Microfiber cloth for cleaning and dusting
- Flameless candle
- Door mat
- Food storage containers to keep pests out
- Help Yourself to Healthy Home booklet
- Home Maintenance Checklist
Water Wise. Bucket, or other container, filled with items that encourage water conservation, like:
- Low-flow showerhead
- Faucet aerator
- Shower Timer
- Toilet tank bag or other device for displacing water in the tank
- Shower shut-off valve
- Water conservation info sheet from UGA Extension
Energy Saver. Tool bag filled with items that encourage conserving energy, like:
- An LED light and/or an LED nightlight
- Electric outlet insulators or gaskets to stop air leaks in outlets and switches
- Advanced, or Smart, power strip, designed to reduce energy use
- Cordless drill with ENERGY STAR certified battery charger
- Programmable thermostat
- Door draft stopper to place along the bottom of the exterior door
- Energy Use Meter
- Air Filter whistle (indicates that the air filter needs changed)
- Programmable light timer
For gift tags and cards, use postcards you bought and never got around to sending. These are only a few of the ones I bought and never sent.
Happy holidays from the University of Georgia Extension! For information sheets to include in your gifts, call your local county Extension office in Georgia (1-800-ASK-UGA1) or go online and print them out @ www.gafamilies.org/home. If you live in another state, find the Cooperative Extension service in your state on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website – NIFA.
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