A conscious holiday gift guide: supporting community
End of the year often marks holiday season for many, a time when gift giving is often integrated into rituals of celebration. Gift giving can be a beautiful act of love when practiced with intention and conscious choice. Over the years, I’ve asked myself how can I participate in the holiday cheer yet also make a shift to life in greater alignment with my heart and Nature. We live in a world influenced by capitalism, consumerism and convenience. Of course I am no stranger to this, but in the spirit of trying to be more mindful of the impact of my choices and how I spend my money, I wanted to put together a resource for others who might be striving to make the same shifts.
This holiday gift guide has 3 parts
How yoga & ayurveda are woven into giving
Local gift ideas & my favorites by small businesses, conscious entrepreneurs, artists and makers
DIY gift ideas for you to create
Weaving Yoga & Ayurvedic principles into holiday gifts
There might possibly be infinite ways to weave these ancient teachings into the holidays. However below are some ways we can re-imagine the landscape of gifting.
Support local when possible. “Local” has many layers to it. When we shop locally, we lesson our environment footprint (think about all the factors that go into shipping a product such as packaging, gas for transportation and more). This is a way of honoring Nature, which Ayurveda teaches we are a part of and practicing ahimsa or non-violence on the planet.
Support fair trade items
Uplift small business, artists, creators and makers. In yoga and ayurveda, intention is everything. Prana or life force rides on intention and when we create from a place of heart the medicine is more powerful. Hence why I love buying from herbalists, artists, makers, creators and small shops that are offering their goods or services from a place of love.
Practice discernment and moderation. The Yama or ethical constraint of brahmacharya holds many meanings but we can understand this as practicing moderation and wise energy management. The other principle Santosha reminds us to practice contentment. We live in a culture of ‘more’ and as Ayurveda teaches us, often disease occurs from improper digestion i.e. overconsumption. And this occurs not just in the physical food we have but the material and subtle aspects of our living. When buying a gift, perhaps ask if it is truly necessary? Moderation and abundance are not mutually exclusive. You can be an abundant gift giver and still discern if the gifts you are giving will indeed be digested, integrated and used or if they will accumulate in a pile for spring cleaning.
Re-use and recycle. Prioritize gifts that are reusable. Use recycled materials for wrapping. You might find recycles wrapping paper, or you could use your own paper products (i.e. newspapers, magazines, grocery store bags) to wrap your gifts. If you have gifts that go in a box, consider saving the boxes for next year to reuse. This also follows the idea of wise energy management.
Check out second hand or thrift stores
Gift Ideas from Small Businesses & Wellness Brands I love
If you are looking to purchase gifts, here some ideas and humans and brands I absolutely love for a myriad of reasons (the love behind the creations, the integrity of product or service, and more).
Local Ideas
Gift certificate for bodywork, a massage or wellness sessions such as acupuncture, ayurvedic consultation or treatment
Gift certificate for a package of classes to a yoga / movement / fitness studio, or a private 1:1 yoga class
Experiences such as a restaurant gift certificate, local theatre, a show, pottery classes, workshops, cooking classes, local outdoor adventures
Entry to a botanical garden or museum
Shop at your town’s holiday bazaar or market, they usually feature local artists
Explore a used bookstore for classic reads or poetry
Ayurveda Gifts
Paavani Ayurveda: A women-owned business out of Grass Valley, CA that makes a variety of amazing Ayurvedic ritual products, skincare, bath and body, aromatherapy, teas and more. 15% off with the code GABY10
Banyan Botanicals: Another favorite resource for all things Ayurveda wellness and self-care essentials. Shop herbs, teas, and more. 15% off with the code GABYC15
Wellness
Saturn’s Moon Botanicals by Living Heart Wellness aka. Rhea Borromeo. Body oils, teas, herbal bath blends, home candles and wild women shirts.
Attune to Joy by Danube Jacobs offers Medicinal Flower Essences, QHHT Past Life Regressions, Energy Healings. All available remotely.
Artists
Bevie LaBrie Art. Created by a Spokane-based process art therapist, wilderness lover and incredible woman. There is so much soul in her work. Shop prints, yoga mats, phone cases, greeting cards or commission a piece of art
Kristin Arzt is an incredible Natural Dye and Textiles artists. She not only sells beautiful dyed goods but also offers dying kits, online and in-person workshop.
Writers
Kaitlin Curtice is a poet, award-winning author and citizen of the Potawatomi Nation who writes on the intersections of Indigenous spirituality, identity, and decolonization. I loved Living Resistance and Native. Here are her books.
DIY Holiday gifts
If you are crafty by nature or enjoy making things with your hands, here are some home-baked gift ideas you might consider!
Write (and or make) a thoughtful card
Cook a delicious meal
Make medicinal or herbal infused body oils
Make a body salve
Create fermented goods like sauerkraut or pickles!
Propagate cuttings from one of your abundant home plants
Plan a volunteer date (i.e. support a local non-profit during the holiday season)