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Email 1: Make Holiday Shopping Less Scary and More Fun
Thank you for signing the pledge to Simplify the Holidays. Winter holidays will be here before your Halloween candy is gone, but we’re here to make holiday preparation less scary for you and the planet. Over the next month we’ll send you weekly emails with tips and information on alternative gifts to help you create a holiday season that’s less about stuff and more about fun.
Three in five Americans have lied about liking a gift they’ve received. Nearly a third of people who accepted a gift they didn’t like threw it in the trash. And many gifts returned to the store end up in a landfill. This year don’t let your gift be one of them.
Holiday wishlists may not be the norm for adults, but they’re a great way to ask for what you really want. The SoKind online registry lets you create a wishlist to help your loved ones identify a gift that’s great for you. And the more creative, the better. SoKind can help you ask for alternative gifts like pet-sitting, a homecooked meal, a knitting lesson or a day at the park.
Here are some tutorial videos that will walk you through creating your wishlist:
- How to create and customize a registry
- How to add gifts to a registry
- How to give a gift on the registry
If you want to learn more, join us for our webinar about how to Simplify the Holidays tomorrow, Nov. 1, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET. Can’t make it? Registering will still give you access to the webinar recording.
Please consider donating to the Center for Biological Diversity so we can continue to support projects like this.
Email 2: Talk to Your Family About Alternative Gifts
With holiday shopping right around the corner, you might be thinking about how to talk to your friends and family about your plans to give gifts and celebrate the season in a less wasteful way. Research suggests that alternative and nonmaterial gifts — like gifts of experience — result in greater satisfaction and happiness compared to material gifts. But getting your family to consider alternative gifts this holiday season may seem daunting. Here are some tips to start the conversation:
- It’s all about meaning: When proposing that your family give alternative gifts like donations, experiences and do-it-yourself gifts instead of new, material items, have a brainstorming session to think of ideas for gifts that emphasize the personal connection to the cause or gift. Consider making it into a game in which every member gets a turn in the “hot seat” to talk about something they really want. A family member who talks about their passion for cooking may appreciate receiving a cooking class or a collection of family recipes.
- Put a new twist on a familiar tradition: Hosting a Secret Santa or a White Elephant party with secondhand gifts can be a great way to add a sustainable twist to a well-loved gift-giving tradition. Try using a gift exchange platform such as Elfster to keep it anonymous.
Show off examples of alternative gift wishlists: The SoKind Registry site is full of great resources to introduce your friends and family to alternative gift-giving, including sample registries and gift ideas.
For more tips on transforming your gift-giving, check out our Better Gift-Giving guide. And remember that charitable donations make great gifts that help the causes people care about. Here’s how you can give a gift to the Center for Biological Diversity in someone’s name.
Let us know how these conversations go. How did you get your family to consider alternative gift-giving? Reply to this email with your experience.
Email 3: Go Digital With Online Thrifting
Cyber Monday is quickly approaching. Even when your inbox is flooded with the latest deals on the internet, you can still stick to your Simplify the Holidays pledge without missing out on the fun of online shopping.
Online shopping has become engrained in our increasingly digital society. But having so many new products available at the touch of a button can encourage overconsumption that contributes to environmental harm. The number of online shoppers increased dramatically with the pandemic, representing up to 15% of total retail sales in 2021, and it’s only projected to grow. Luckily, thrifting isn’t being left behind.
You may already know that secondhand and refurbished gifts are great ways to save money and keep preloved items out of landfills. But many people don’t realize that shopping secondhand isn’t limited to in-person stores. Here are some tips to help you score great secondhand gifts from the comfort of your couch:
- There are a growing number of online secondhand stores that sell clothes, tech, furniture and more — and many of them may even have Cyber Monday deals. Thred-Up, Poshmark, AptDeco, Kaiyo, eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Back Market are great places to get started.
- If you’re shopping for tech, secondhand and refurbished devices are a green and affordable way to upgrade but remember that the most sustainable item is the one you already own. If you think you may need a new device because your current device is broken, research repair options before buying new.
- While the newest trends may not be immediately available secondhand, you can find plenty of timeless items with a rich and unique history. Search for vintage goods and products made from durable, sustainable materials to find the best-quality secondhand stuff that will continue to stand the test of time.
Whether you do it online or in person, buying secondhand gifts is an opportunity to shop with intention and keep preloved items in circulation while helping out the planet. Want more inspiration? Check out our secondhand gift ideas board. Happy thrifting!
What are your favorite thrifting finds? Where do you like to shop secondhand? Reply to this email with your answer so we can share your secondhand success stories.
Email 4: Our Favorite Alternative Gifts to Give
The busiest time of holiday shopping is approaching. Hopefully you’ve created your SoKind wishlist, gotten your family excited about alternative gift-giving, and considered your secondhand gift options.
Still need some alternative gift-giving inspiration? We’ve got you covered. SoKind has gobs of alternative gift ideas for you and your friends and family this holiday season. You can even make a GiveList to make it easier for others to select a gift from a list you create, noting what you’d like to offer. Here are some of our top picks:
- Gifts of experience: What kinds of activities do your friends and family enjoy? Tickets for sporting events, musical performances, or museum trips all make memorable gifts.
- Gifts of time and skill: Is there a task someone needs a little help with? Childcare for a night out, pet care for their next trip out of town, or assistance with a household project are all amazing gifts of service you can bestow upon someone you love.
- Handmade gifts: Homemade baked goods, spice mixes, freezer jams or a collection of favorite recipes are all gifts that can be quickly made — and consumed, for that matter.
- Gift cards: Does your loved one have a favorite independent bookstore or neighborhood coffee shop? This holiday season, support local and independent businesses and those owned by folks who’ve been historically marginalized.
- Donations to charity: Are you tasked with buying a gift for the person who has everything? Instead of purchasing a gift, why not donate to a cause that’s close to their heart? Here’s where you can donate to the Center for Biological Diversity to support SoKind and the Simplify the Holidays project.
Still need more ideas? Check out our gift guides!
What alternative gifts are you giving this year? Reply to this email with your answer so we can highlight your great ideas in future gift guides.
Thanks for signing the Simplify the Holidays winter pledge. Have a wonderful holiday season, and visit the Simplify the Holidays website for year-round ideas on how to celebrate more sustainably.
Throughout the year, you can join with hundreds of thousands of Center for Biological Diversity supporters to help save life on Earth. You can update your communications preferences at any point to receive a wide variety of information and action.
Give Alternative Gifts
SoKind is a registry and wishlist service that encourages the giving of homemade gifts, charitable donations, secondhand goods, experiences, time, day-of-event help, and more. Here's to more fun and less stuff!