Meaningful Christmas gift ideas

Year after year we are spoilt for senseless gift choices: the sweet stuffed animal from China, even more home decorations or better the cup with the witty one-liner?

The original spirit of Christmas has little to do with our short-lived joys under the Christmas tree. Here are a few ideas to make the gift giving this year more impactful.

Zero Waste gift package

Zero Waste Austria wishes – if not a white Christmas – at least one as green as possible. Their Christmas specials are a way to realize that aim: A zero waste card with sustainable goodies such as beeswax cloths, bamboo toothbrush or “Danke, ich brauch kein Sackerl” cloth bag.

With the Zero Waste card made of wood, you become a member and support the association in its mission to protect the climate. A nice side effect is that you get discounts at over 60 Austrian companies that focus on sustainable, regional and resource-saving consumption. A membership package starts at €39. But be careful, you can only order it until December 21st. Another Zero Waste gift idea are the workshops, which range from women’s circles, home medicine courses and natural soap production to zero waste training.

Give time to others & your friends

If your free time is the rarest commodity on this planet, you could just give it as a gift. For example, to a friend who has always wanted to volunteer in a certain area. Doing community service together is not only fun, it also creates a bond and costs nothing but time.

Social Held offers the option “Go with a friend”, which can give you the necessary push to give yourself a try.

Hobby sponsorship

If you are looking for a present for someone who is particularly fond of children, the Vienna Hobby Lobby is the right address. It has set itself the goal of using games and fun to support young people in exploiting their potential, while at the same time ensuring equal opportunities and fairness in education.

With a sponsorship gift for 50€ per semester, you support the 4-person team in creating a program for balanced leisure and interest-finding for children. From basketball courses to street art workshops, there is something for every taste.

Music lessons for refugees

Not only the biblical birthday child at Christmas calls for altruism, but also the organization Open Piano for Refugees. Their secret recipe for integration and solidarity is music. The music lessons are financed from the donated 50€ per sponsorship. In the “Pay as much as you can” concept, the aim is to strengthen the social participation of refugees and people from all walks of life: “A musical instrument becomes an instrument of integration”. In order to show their learned skills, the students have the opportunity to play in front of an audience at the open piano concert evening. A public square and a grand piano accessible to everyone is all that is needed. The concerts are free of charge and are also financed by donations.

Visiting a performance together is of course a must for this musical Christmas present.

Volkshilfe online shop

Anyone who would rather go back to material gifts with a charitable meaning under the Christmas tree will also find Christmas gifts in the Volkshilfe online shop: cards, scarves, ties, masks and much more. In addition to the affordable, stylish little things, you can of course also purchase a membership for €25.

Donate while gifting a jewellery

For gifts for jewellery lovers, it’s worth visiting the Child Destiny Foundation‘s online shop. Here you can find a variety of colourful, handmade jewellery from Austria.

The profit from the accessories sold is used to finance the organization. It has set itself the task of supporting disabled children and their mothers in Kenya.

A (Christmas) tree for the climate

After stealing a small member from the forest for Christmas decorations, it’s only fair to plant a new one. This is particularly necessary in the Wald-, Wein- and Mühlviertel region, which has been weakened by persistent drought. The reforestation project Wald4Leben collects tree donations and wants to make a contribution to climate protection. For just 30€ they plant a deciduous tree and a conifer, which offsets part of our CO2 emissions.