Sustainable Gifting for Ethical Holiday Fundraising
Jun 18, 2024
Holiday Season Eco-Friendly Guide: Ethical Consumerism and Green-Gifts
The Holiday season embraces many Americans with festivities, excitement, and positivity. Friends and family regardless of age look forward to the traditions of exchanging of food, drink, company and very often gifts. Many seek to find that perfect gift which will surprise their recipient.
Aside from the normal stressors of planning around the holiday season, the frenzy of this season creates other issues within households such as poor budgeting, overspending, stress about gift selections, shopping difficulties, and associated guilt about adding to landfills.
Overspending and Guilt on Holiday Gifts
Over the holiday season, Americans will spend their hard-earned dollars on parties, food, decorations, and gifts for just the period between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. Inflation and increases in the cost of goods have put a burden of stress upon the gift giver’s shoulders. These pressures often lead to guilt and stress upon the shopper, which in turn, creates negative feelings around a generally joyous occasion. In addition to the monetary cost of these items, there are many who feel guilty due to the amount of excess waste that is generated during the holiday season; between Thanksgiving and New Year's Americans will throw away approximately 25% more trash with a percentage of this being unwanted gifts that are simply discarded.
Choosing a Better Holiday Gift Option
If you are one of those individuals that feel this way, you’re not alone! Instead of thinking of all the individual gifts that need to be planned, budgeted, and ultimately wrapped, there are thoughtful and greener options available. Planning an event that the whole family can enjoy is one memorable option, such as a trip to the zoo or a show. A family book of beloved recipes is another great idea. Or, purchasing a gift for the household, such as a Christmas wreath, centerpiece, or Tabletop Tree is a beautiful, green alternative that a family can enjoy for several weeks.
Our Green Gifting Options
Chances are that you have seen one of our wreaths sold by your local nonprofit fundraiser, such as a Boy Scout member. For over 40 years we have partnered with fundraising nonprofits across America to offer a solution to their fundraising needs and to offer their local communities access to a green gift giving option. Our cultivation of these relationships has been pivotal for advancing charity and philanthropy in a sustainable manner.
One of the things we at Mickman Brothers love to share with our customers is how all our live boughs are sustainably harvested, with minimal excess waste. In addition, all our direct purchased gifts, which can be shipped throughout the continental United States, include the planting of a sapling in honor of the gift recipient. We are proud to say that through this stewardship, we have sponsored tree plantings in 49 states throughout the nation. Our gift options are easy to budget for, as a purchase can benefit the entire household. In addition, most of the live décor can be composted and the rest recycled.
Gift-giving can be a stressful endeavor, especially for the budget and the environmentally conscious shopper. However, there are plenty of ways to creatively think of a solution to make the holidays bright.