With the holidays fast approaching, I’m sharing some of my favorite gift ideas—inspired by my debut novel, Shipped! From wares that celebrate (and preserve!) wildlife to eco-friendly versions of useful, everyday items, there’s something for everyone on your list. Check it out!
This bracelet is *the coolest!* It’s gorgeous and it comes with information about a real-life sea turtle you can track in the wild. Plus? A portion of proceeds from sales go to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and providing protection to sea turtles around the globe!
Help a loved one ditch the single-use plastic soap bottles and buy them a Blueland Hand Soap Starter Set! Foaming hand soap is created by filling the reusable glass bottle with warm water, dropping in a tablet, and voila! Foaming hand soap that smells great and is great for the environment. The Starter Set comes with 3 tablets, and additional refill tablets are only $2 each.
Want a loved one to get their blue feet on like the coolest bird in the Galapagos? Buy a pair of blue-footed booby socks from the Blue Feet Foundation and support species conservation. The neat thing about this nonprofit—apart from the fact that it was launched by two teenaged brothers!—is that all profits go toward efforts to preserve the blue-footed booby. Comfy for a good cause.
What better way to show someone you care (about them and the planet!) then by adopting a species in their name? The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) offers symbolic adoption kits for over 140 species that help protect wild animals and their habitats—plus the $100 kit comes with a super-cute plush and species information. For the serious plush lover in your life, consider a Build-Your-Own-Bucket of three 8″ wildlife plushes, available with a $75 donation to WWF.
Who needs plastic straws when you give them a set of Klean Kanteen’s Stainless Steel Straws? Made from high quality stainless steel with a food grade, removable silicone flex tip, these are a terrific alternative to single-use plastic straws (which, by the way, often end up in the ocean). Bonus: Klean Kanteen is a certified B-Corp, which means they’re a cream-of-the-crop eco-friendly company with a proven track record of using their business as a force for good in the world.
Did you know that artisan handcraft production is one of the most important sources of income for people in the developing world (Galapagos included)? So by purchasing fair-trade certified crafts, you’re helping an artisan somewhere in the world keep themselves and their family out of poverty. I love this sea glass ombre candle from Ten Thousand Villages, but there are oodles of fair trade shops you can peruse online to find that perfect gift.
Give a loved one a yearlong gift of the sights of Galapagos with this beautiful 14-month wall calendar from the nonprofit Galapagos Conservancy—all proceeds from your purchase support land-based and marine conservation programs in the Galapagos Islands.
Okay, I seriously *love* these. I’ve tried several types of reusable food storage bags, and these are hands-down my favorite. Sturdy, easy to clean, and with a zipper that holds on tight, Stasher bags have essentially replaced Ziploc bags in our household. Eco-friendly & cost effective!
Help a loved one stay hydrated, no matter where their adventures takes them (even if it’s just to the backyard or neighborhood park at the moment), with a reusable, eco-friendly water bottle from Hydro Flask. With a lifetime warranty and technology to keep beverages cold for up to 24 hours, this water bottle is sure to please.
Is there an adventurer in your life? If so, consider gifting them a subscription to National Geographic. An annual subscription includes 12 print issues plus access to natgeo.com and its 130+ year archive of stories. Or you can ditch the paper altogether and gift a digital-only subscription for $12/year. And for the kids in your life, check out National Geographic Kids magazine, perfect for children ages 6-9 to help foster their curiosity about the world.
So, what do you think? Are you going to give any of my gift ideas a whirl? If so, let me know which one(s) in the comments!
Note: this list reflects my own personal recommendations; I’m not a paid spokesperson for any of the companies or organizations featured above.
*Pssst* Have you pre-ordered Shipped, yet? My “laugh-out-loud debut about love on the high seas” (Publishers Weekly) comes out January 19th, 2021, so give future-you the gift of a romantic adventure by pre-ordering today!
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