Low Waste Christmas Gift Ideas

I tried to think of as many low waste ideas for Christmas this year. The best part (in my opinion) they’re extremely cost friendly! Now many of these might be a little too late to have ready by Christmas time for this year, but hopefully they can inspire you to plan for next year!

There are affiliate links in this post.  Read my disclosure policy to learn more.

1.Loofah Gourd Sponges:

We grew these in our garden this year. Aside from the seed packet, they were practically free! You can find them on Ebay or Etsy to order as gifts for this year’s Christmas. They can be used in the bath, added to soap as an exfoliant, and to scrub dishes! Bonus! They’re completely compostable once they have been well used.

2. Reusable Cloth Produce Bags:

These produce bags were made from an old sheet I picked up at an estate sale this summer. I loved the floral pattern and couldn’t pass it up. I made two sets of three different sizes and still had plenty of material left over for future projects. I used some left over cotton yarn, wooden toggles from another project, making this another super in expensive gift! I started using cloth produce bags last year, and love pulling them out at the store and pass up those rolls of plastic bags that usually year right away.

3. Dried Garden Flower Ornaments:

I came up with this idea on a rainy, cold fall day. It was one of the last days the garden before a hard frost claimed the rest of my flowers. I ran out in my raincoat and cut as many as I could. For several days the entire kitchen was covered in hanging flowers as they dried. Thankfully, my husband is so patient with all my hair-brained ideas! I am SO happy with how they turned out. They were filled with zinnias, hydrangeas, yarrow, cosmos, mini rosebuds, and calendula. The glass bulbs were $4.97 for 8. Another super inexpensive gift! You can find similar ones on Amazon through our affiliate link! We do receive a small portion of commission when you purchase through our links, while you don’t pay any extra!

4. Plant Propagations:

Another free gift! (If you have houseplants already. Otherwise, it’s a good excuse to pick up a few for your house. I know, I know… I’m a plant pusher!) This is a Tradescantia geniculate “Bolivian”. I picked it up at a local nursery this summer for half off. It was advertised as an annual outdoor plant but I knew better! These gifts will not only be a warm addition to anyone’s home, it was also beneficial to the mother plant, she was definitely in need of a haircut. I struggle with propagation; however, cuttings from this plant have always rooted very well without rooting hormone and have rooted in water or when planted directly into soil. I use emptied glass spice jars for my propagations, but you can purchase a uniform propagation station through our affiliate link! I thought this one is simple and totally beautiful!

5. Homemade Vanilla Extract:

I made vanilla extract as gifts several years ago. The easiest way I found to do this is to take your vanilla beans, slice lengthwise along each bean, and place them right into a bottle of at least 80 proof vodka. If you want to give several small gifts out to several people, the easiest way is to get the glass bottle of Smirnoff (750ml) and place your vanilla beans directly inside. I usually use 12 beans per 750 ml bottle. Full disclosure, vanilla beans are EXPENSIVE. We’ve ordered three packets of these in the past for our projects. It takes about 6-8 weeks for the vanilla to soak in the vodka before use. You can use the beans multiple times for more extracts! I usually use them about three times before composting them. Decide how many you plan to gift and bottle them as you please!