I can’t believe it’s already November! Holiday shows are quickly approaching, so time is flying. However, before life gets too busy, it’s important to share with you my top 3 green gifts for the holidays.

Green Gift #1, Beeswax Candles

Beeswax candles are practical and beautiful green gifts for the holidays

I’ve been buying and burning beeswax candles for many years now, but unfortunately they aren’t always easy to find. I was in a major department store a couple of months ago, and they had a very large candle section. However, I could not find a single beeswax candle on the shelf. This sad realization definitely helped to inspire this post.

If you are fortunate enough to have a local farmer’s market near you, that will probably be your best bet for finding beeswax candles. Another possible place is a natural grocery store or coop. My favorite, local beeswax candlemaker is Bertie at Honeystone Candles. You can find her amazing candles at the Eugene Saturday Market in Oregon.

3 reasons for buying, burning and gifting beeswax candles

1. Candles with certain ingredients can release toxic chemicals. Most candles contain: paraffin wax (a petroleum byproduct that releases carcinogenic soot when burned), synthetic scents which contain hundreds of different chemicals and toxic wicks which may contain a lead-core. Beeswax candles do not contain any of these ingredients, just beeswax.
2. Beeswax candles have the highest melting point of any natural wax. Pure beeswax candles burn brighter, hotter, sweeter, cleaner and longer than any other kind of candle.
3. To produce one pound of beeswax, honeybees must consume at least ten pounds of honey, gathered from billions of flowers. “The sweet scent of beeswax is the subtle aroma of flowers blooming on a summer breeze!” – Honeystone Candles

Green Gift #2, Something Made by You

What do you like to create? Are you a baker, writer, painter, potter, gardener or just super creative?

Handmade items are fun to create and make very personal green gifts for the holidays

I believe everyone has a creative side, and it can manifest in many different ways. Find what makes your heart sing and share it with others. Chances are you already have the materials or ingredients you need, saving resources, time and money. Or try to make something new using a repurposed item, like DIY Repurposed Flowers Domes.

As children, my sister and I made different types of ornaments for holiday gifts. Sometimes they turned out a little funky, but other times, we made some really cute things that our family still cherishes. Even the funky ones, though, were fun to make and made people smile. So I decided to make some mini ornaments this year for holiday market. Check out this short video to see how I make opal, hummingbird ornaments out of polymer clay,

If you don’t want to use polymer clay, try putting tiny dried flowers in mini corked bottles, then gently screw a screw eyelet into the cork and add a hook. You can find more handmade ornament ideas here and watch this other short video to see my hummingbird, mushroom and mini flower dome ornaments on a mini tree: Hummingbird and mushroom ornaments, DIY, polymer clay, part 2

Green Gift #3, Local Art

Unique and eco-friendly products from local artists are perfect green gifts for the holidays. Here’s why:

1. Many small businesses try to offer locally produced art, and by supporting this, it helps your local economy and means less items are being transported by trucks and planes. You can support local artists at markets, craft shows, faith events and independent shops. This is especially important during the holidays because many artists, like me, depend on this seasonal income to sustain them through the winter until the spring market season begins again.
2. When you buy directly from the artist, for example at a market or holiday craft show, you can learn more about the art or product, like where the ingredients/materials are sourced from or what the inspiration was behind a painting. You can learn more about art and the people behind it. You might even get inspired to start making something yourself! By the way, this is a great experience for children. I love telling children how I make things, always trying to encourage them in some way at the same time. When children see a thriving market of people making a living from their art, that sends a very powerful message to them that art is an option in life for them too. It also displays a beautiful example of community for them.

3. Buying locally can also translate into less waste from excessive packaging compared to online shopping. How many times have you ordered something online and it comes covered in a huge amount of plastic or put in a big box filled with styrofoam peanuts? When shopping locally, you can skip getting a bag or box and greatly reduce your paper and plastic waste.

So there you have it, my top 3 green gifts for the holidays. Wishing you peace and happiness throughout the season and don’t forget, your choices do make a difference!

Maker of pretties, Brigitte Lyn McBride