It is the start of exam season here in South Africa. I have two cousins…
Conscious Christmas gifting 2020
I have always looked longingly at other bloggers gift guides and thought it was such a helpful, creative guide. So I finally decided to create my own gift guide just in time for the beginning of December. Most of the brands are local and South African. This is not just a foodie gift guide but for everyone that wants to live a more sustainable, thoughtful life and not be swept away by mass consumerism.
- Help a mommy friend out with our Meal plan guide from Wooden spoon kitchen. It takes the thinking out of what is for dinner. With shopping lists and 20 fabulous, healthy recipes that even children will love.
- A recipe book is always a great present for a foodie. I love Sarah Graham’s recipe books. Make it extra special and wrap in a linen towel and add a utensil, string and foliage.
- My delicious monster is a food and lifestyle hub, recipe blog and curated online store. They have put together amazing South African hampers together. Order online.
- The counter is known for their amazing fudge but they also curate wonderful gift and Christmas hampers.
- Cotton and linen towel blend for the kitchen from Mungo. Use it as gift wrap or as a gift with a homemade present.
- These monochrome, minimalist placemats from Zana will make a friend very happy and will turn any table setting into a festive celebration.
- Trendy prints for the kitchen also from My delicious monster website.
- Amazing collagen gift boxes from the Harvest Table for the friend that want to invest in their health.
- Move over nut butter, sunflower butter is the new thing! How cute are these three mini’s? You can order online from Blooming butter.
- You can buy Dalhia tubers online from Adene’s farm flowers. Dalhia’s are amazing flowers and it will be a gift that keeps on giving year after year.
- Herb planters illustrated by Riana Mostert, are so beautiful. Herb seeds are also included. Order via e-mail or WhatsApp 0832347911 Hello@rianamostert.com
- Beautiful baskets, order online from Basketly and gift a beautiful plant with it.
- Beautiful watering cans from Takealot
- Books are always great gifts especially if your friends or family wants to learn more herbs then this book from Janes Delicous garden is a treasure trove of knowledge.
- Online plant shopping has never been this easy, order indoor plants from Plantify.
- Cute plant labels from Faithfull to nature that will last.
- Organic plant spray to keep pesky pests away from Hermerakai
- Soft pots for plants to brighten up any space from Zana
Workshops are great gifts because it does not add to the gift clutter, you can learn a new skill and create memories with friends and family. Not all of these classes have dates yet for 2021 but email them and find out if you can buy a voucher for the next workshop.
- Indoor plant workshop by HerMerikai
- Vos en Ink creates magic with her water colour illustrations and do a few workshops a year.
- Want to learn how to make cheese, visit Grootplaas near Hartebeespoortdam for a lovely outing. Harties has so many gems make a weekend of it.
- Umami food studio in Midrand host amazing Korean classes and sells dumpling kits and cordials. Get in contact with Rany to book a class.
- Babette is an expert in sourdough bread making and also hosts workshops in Johannesburg.
- Lilian Gray hosts amazing paint nights for couples or friends throughout the year.
- Winston and Julia offers chocolate workshops in Stellenbosch
- Learn to make your own butter from Cream of the crop butter they offer a few workshops a year in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Contact them via email creamofthecropbutter@gmail.com
- Join me Wooden spoon kitchen for an ice cream workshops at the lovely Ganico farm in Muldersdrift. The next date is Sat 16 January 2021
- Dish and bowl covers from Spaza store. I have had my eye on them for a while. Use these beautiful covers instead of clingwrap. Functional and pretty.
- Reusable kitchen towels form Seva sustainable in funky patterns and colours to be used again and again.
- Stasher bags are just amazing, they last forever and you can add some sweets, dried fruit, cookies in them as a gift.
- Green surface cleaner from Rawco, the bottle can also be re-used again when making a DIY cleaning spray.
- Buy a voucher from Unwrapped co for a friend that is also a zero-waste warrior.
- These string shopping bags are so pretty and functional and fit in a handbag buy them online from Living Eco.
- Consol glass jars make great gifts, fill them with cookie ingredients or a manicure set. They can be used again and again and is great for the pantry.
- I swear by this Boerseep from Antjies. It takes any stain out. Gift this as part of a cleaning cloth and beautiful cleaning bottles.
- This does not have anything to do with zero-waste but buying less stuff and investing in learning. Buy a friend a month subscription to Skillshare for $10. Buying a book on Audible is also a great gift.
- Lemon curd makes a great gift in a jar. Also, bake some shortbread with it and make a beautiful label.
- Chocolate chip cookies in a jar is a thoughtful gift and the jar can be re-used.
- Dulce de Leche is a delicious sauce that is so easy to make and needs few ingredients. Make a few jar fulls and gift with some cookies.
- A quick recipe from my blog, fill a tin or box with Peanut butter biscuits
- Candied nuts are a quick recipe to make to fill a jar.
- Biscotti is so easy so bake and less time consuming than baking rusks. By using interesting flavour combinations or dipping Biscotti in chocolate and nuts make this biscuit a luxury gift.
- Savoury biscuits and chutney with cheese is a great gift for a hostess. If you could make it yourself even better.
- Limoncello, this Italian drink is time-consuming to make but so therapeutic and could be used in desserts, gins and cocktails. Make a large batch and fill some pretty bottles for your friends. A great idea when you have a lemon tree in your backyard.
- Plant cuttings, a gift that will not cost you a lot is to create your own plants through propagation. If you have never done this watch this great tutorial by Sadia from Pick up limes.
- How sweet is this flower press kit from Cabin kids? Encouraging children to get back into nature.
- I love this book, Help yourself; Cookbook for kids because it is different, very cute illustrations but also includes vegan recipes with lots of fruit and vegetables.
- Little people big dreams, let’s teach our children that they can fulfil their dreams with the Little People books range available from Make Believe co
- These teepee tents from My Tiny Teepee are all kinds of magic. Your children will love to play imagination games in them.
- Bee hotel available from Faithful to Nature welcome bees in your garden and see how they flourish in your own backyard.
- These wholesome paper dolls from Honest toys are a great gift for endless hours of play.
- Dough ray me Christmas box, a beautifully curated box with play dough, stamps, set of cards based on the theme and nature elements.
- Stumped wooden toys are great for the development of little fingers. The little gardener’s box is my favourite.
- Colour me skin colour pencils will be great stocking fillers and teaching children about the diversity of our rainbow nation.
Hope you enjoyed this guide and find it useful. May Christmas be a time of joy and peace for you and your family.
Thank you for this awesome gift guide Ankie! You are a genius…
Happy holidays!
Hi Natalie
Nice to hear from you:)
Thanks so much! I am glad it can be of help.
Have a lovely and blessed Christmas
Ankie