However old you get, it can be hard not to feel a thrill at the thought of Santa’s super sleigh soaring through the air towards your home. That thrill diminishes somewhat when you think about how many of the things he fills your stockings with are plastic or disposable.
If all you want for Christmas is eco-friendly stocking fillers to give your family all the excitement of unpacking a bulging stocking, with none of the bulging landfill bags on January 1st, look no further! What’s more, these stocking fillers are all under £15, so they can also work as a secret santa gift for that hard-to-buy-for colleague.
#1: Wood Soap Dish
Forget filling the stocking with a bunch of plastic bathroom miniatures; buy something that people will actually use! A simple and attractive wood soap dish means soap or shampoo bars will last longer as they can drain and dry. Why not get a shampoo bar to go with it? With our 5 tips for switching to a shampoo bar, they'll have no problem making this plastic-free switch.
Above: A reclaimed wood soap dish helps prolong the life of your solid shampoo
#2: Homemade Truffles
Of course, the best option for eco-friendly stocking fillers is always going to be something you don’t even need to buy. Truffles are surprisingly easy to make, for example, and are fancy enough for a present – try Anna Jones’ recipe and put them in a pretty box (reused or upcycled, of course).
Above: Homemade chocolate truffles make for a delicious and thoughtful gift
#3: Stainless-Steel Spork
Who says environmentally friendly stocking fillers can’t have a novelty factor? Sporks can be a bit of a comedy item, but they are actually useful! Light and portable, the recipient will never need to opt for plastic cutlery again.
Above: Never use disposable cutlery again with a stainless-steel spork
#4: Reusable Bowl Covers
The best kind of eco-friendly stocking fillers are the things people see all the time and think “I must buy those” yet never get around to buying for themselves. Voila, cotton bowl covers! The perfect alternative to wasteful cling flim, with cute patterns into the bargain.
Above: Cloth Bowl Covers - a prettier alternative to nasty cling film!
#5: Plastic-Free Lip Balm
Christmas is mid-winter, so soothing lip balm is never going to go amiss. But so often the packaging is plastic, the flavour is synthetic, and people never use them. The solution? Get them a lovely, vegan product that they can’t bear to lose.
Above: Avoid the guilt of plastic waste with vegan lip balm in compostable packaging
#6: Voucher
We don’t mean endless WH Smith vouchers encouraging people to buy more things, of course. Instead, make your friends or family a voucher for something you can do for them (no X-rated suggestions here, please!). It might be a freshly-baked cake, work in the garden, or a deep-clean of the top of the fridge – whatever will make them happy!
#7: Reusable Face Rounds
Everyone who uses these swears by them, so use this Christmas as an excuse to convert some more people! They’re eco stocking fillers that are bound to please, especially as they mean not having to buy endless disposable cotton wool pads and gross wet-wipes.
Above: Remove make-up with reusable face rounds like these ones from Tabitha Eve
#8: Lunch Recipe Book
For people who go to work, having a varied and healthy zero-waste lunch can be challenging. With the best will in the world, if you don’t have a lot of lunch recipes to choose from, you’ll soon get bored and revert back to Pret. That’s why The Little Book of Lunch is the eco-friendly Christmas gift that keeps on giving. With a range of easy and tasty lunch recipe, the lucky beneficiary of this stocking filler will be the envy of all their co-workers! A perfect Secret Santa gift!
Above: Give the gift of great zero waste lunch ideas all year around
Are you a sustainable gifter? What do you like to give as eco-friendly stocking fillers? Share your ideas in the comments below!