The holiday season is a wonderful time to create new expectations around gift giving. By planning ahead and rethinking our relationship with our stuff, we can tap into local resources for creative gift buying and make this holiday season a resourceful one. View our Green Holiday Guide for more ideas.

Give the gift of experience

• Pamper friends and family with a massage, pedicure or restaurant gift certificate.
• Tickets to the zoo, OMSI, aquarium, art museum, a play or movie are great for those who like to explore.
• For the adventurous, purchase a gift certificate for kayaking, rock climbing lessons or membership to a gym, yoga studio or spa.
• For the creative types on your list consider art, music, sewing, carpentry or cooking classes.
• Memberships to sharing organizations, like tool libraries or local swap shop, make great gifts for the do-it-yourselfer.

Be creative with handmade gifts and holiday décor

• Sew or knit a present.
• Bake, can or pickle gifts of food.
• Gift a lesson in one of your talents like knitting, sewing or carpentry.
• Sew or make table coverings that can be used year after year.
• Decorate with items you already have – gather a stack of favorite holiday books, a bowl filled with toys and another with game cards – so you’re ready to entertain.

Give local crafts and vintage finds

• Shop at school and church craft bazaars, Saturday Market or stores that sell locally-made items.
• Find vintage and second-hand items that have memorable stories of how they were found or discovered.
• Estate sales and garage sales are great options for one-of-a-kind gifts.

Reduce holiday clutter by borrowing, sharing or renting

• Borrow or rent dishes, flatware and linens for larger parties and gatherings.
• Rent equipment for skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing if planning a day at the mountain.

Consider wrapping and packaging

• Choose items with reusable, recyclable or limited packaging.
• Use reusable cloth bags instead of wrapping paper – you can even sew your own.
• Consider purchasing holiday gift wrap at estate sales. Old maps are an excellent alternative for wrapping materials.
• SCRAP offers materials to make gift wrap personalized and unique, including craft items like fabric pieces, bottle caps, corks and dozens of others. Save bows, ribbons and gift bags to reuse next year.

Metro offers more gift ideas and resources on how to have a sustainable holiday.

The City does not endorse or assume responsibility for businesses, companies or organizations listed by the Be Resourceful program.