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The office Secret Santa is one of the mainstays of the holidays at many workplaces, because it's totally fun, and sometimes epically hilarious, to sneak some special gifts to a coworker under the guise of anonymity. Get your Claus on while being eco-smart with these holiday tips.
- Give an Idea of a Thing
Instead of buying a gift like a book or a bottle of wine or a rubber chicken, give the idea instead, and spend your money on a donation to a worthy green charity. To present your...well, your present, find a picture of the gift you think would've been appropriate, or even do a little handmade drawing of what you were considering buying, and wrap that up along with a note saying "This is what I would have bought you...if I hadn't donated the money to this great cause instead." It'll make the donation seem more personal, and offer you the same chance to make an inside joke or a friendly gesture that giving the physical present would've done, while still letting you help the world as a whole. Talk about bang for your buck. - Give an Experience or an Opportunity
If you don't know your Secret Santa target very well, play it safe and green by giving them the chance to do something fun, instead of buying them a gift that'll waste resources and end up sitting unused in a closet. Almost anyone can appreciate the chance to do a fun activity, so spring for a pair of movie tickets, passes to a museum near your workplace, or another local treat. These options are both thoughtful and inexpensive, so they're definitely appropriate for a Secret Santa. Your present will be a hit, and you'll be reducing your carbon footprint by saving all the energy it would've take to make and distribute a physical object. - Use Junk Mail Wrapping Paper
If you simply must give a real physical thing, wrap it up creatively by recycling old junk mail into gift wrap. It'll have a totally one-of-a-kind look, and your eye for green design will blow your lucky coworker away.
Related Posts:
How to Go Green At Work
How to Go Green: Gift Giving
Go Green with these Gifts under $25
Want to know what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint? Find out on Planet Green TV's Wa$ted.
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