By Blythe Copeland
Great Neck, NY, USA | Tue Dec 23 16:00:00 GMT 2008
Subscriptions are the simplest alternative for last-minute shoppers: just fill out an online subscription and buy a current issue from the newsstand for unwrapping with the rest of your gifts. Choose a green-minded magazine like ReadyMade, or Craft, which offers a $10 discount on its print volumes through the end of the month; or purchase a digital subscription, like those to Wend for paperless access to articles for a year.
Image courtesy of Craftzine.com.
Homemade gifts are easy and thoughtful, and these natural make-your-own body products are as delicious-smelling and effective as any synthetic version you'll find at the mall. Choose pumpkin foot scrub, honey-sugar face scrub, baking soda bath bombs, a milk bath kit, rose-scented lotion, or beeswax lip gloss. You can find most of the ingredients in your kitchen pantry already, and with a few inexpensive ingredients and some clean jars, the women in your life will be thrilled with your thoughtfulness.
Image courtesy of kutay tanir/istockphoto.
Gifts of food are always a hit-they're perfect for the person who has everything or the new girlfriend you've never met. If you're handy with the cookie sheets and muffin tins, try giving a batch of Christmas cookies—or, if you're extremely ambitious, offer a year of homemade cookies and deliver a fresh batch every few weeks. Share the bounty of your CSA membership with a box of unique veggies for the foodie in your life, or mix up a jug of green cocktails to help your giftee toast the holidays.
Image courtesy of Creativ Studio Heinemann/Getty Images.
We know that, this close to the holidays, the temptation to buy another random candle, picture frame, or print to finish off your list is strong. Instead, try making your own tile pictures, beeswax candle, or artsy notebook. If you have time to spare, put these instructions for mosaics to use on an old end table, picture frame, or mirror. Even if you're not the next Martha Stewart, your finished product will be better than any generic thing from a chain store.
Image courtesy of redcover.com/Getty Images.
A gift card always fits, but an electronic gift card is even better: you can order it as an unexpected guest walks in the front door and have it waiting in his email by the time dinner is served. There are plenty of websites that offer this option; some include Global Exchange, which sells products made using Fair Trade processes; Nimli, an eco-clothing boutique; Olive, which offers toys and gear for green dogs and cats; and charities like the National Resources Defense Council, where your funds protect animals and ecological systems.
Image courtesy of Courtesy of olivegreendog.com.
Who says a gift has to be a thing? Treat your grandmother to lunch at her favorite restaurant; your dad to an afternoon at the antique car show; or your brother to a year of free fashion help. Whatever your talents are, offering them—and, most importantly, your time—to your friends and family allows you to create more memories than another Best Buy gift card ever would. At No Christmas Gifts This Year you can personalize and print a coupon for time shared volunteering, cooking, playing board games, or doing something else that makes your loved ones feel, well, loved.
Image courtesy of James Blinn/istockphoto.
Gifts from the supermarket are the ultimate in last-minute ideas-but that doesn't mean they aren't thoughtful (and eco-friendly!). Look for organic wine or local beer for your newly-21-year-old cousin; a houseplant or bouquet for your hard-to-please aunt; or a bar of organic chocolate for your favorite grandfather. If you're not in a rush, put together a basket of green cleaning products or bath supplies, or selection of natural cheese and bread. Voila! The perfect gift at the perfect price-and just in time.
Image courtest JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP/Getty Images.
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