Saturday, November 20, 2010

Christmas Gifts for Kids

One of our favourite customers, (a SAHM mother to 2 gorgeous boys) has written a guest post for us this month - a great read for anyone looking to purchase Christmas gifts for little ones.
Shellie is passionate about our Environment (and protecting it) and raises some great points below.


"This Christmas, more than ever, I am determined that we should give
the earth a Happy New Year by making environmentally friendly
choices. I find that Christmas is a time where we really are
speaking with our wallets, and thus it is so important that we buy
carefully.
So often a gift is bought just for the sake of something to give. I
feel that if you are stuck for what to buy something, it is best to
donate on their behalf instead. I have some young cousins who are
really difficult to buy for and in the past I have used the TEAR and
OXFAM websites which have many choices available such as "buying"
school supplies for children, mosquito nets, or a chook for a
family. Greenpeace is another good one where you can donate money to
protect rainforests. Orangutans.com.au offer "cards-for-a-cause" and
a search of the internet will find you many similar options.

My immediate family do a Kris Kringle where the gift has to have cost
nothing (being a farming family, we are conscious of the environment
and do not like to waste money just for the sake of giving a gift).
This year I have made my brother a photo album from cereal boxes
decorated with scraps of paper and copies of his baby photos with a
bit of writing about him. My sister is going to help my mum paint
her house and my mum is brilliant at making things from wood so i am
sure to get something great from her.

My Mum's relatives come up with a gift swapping game, where we all
put one gift into the centre. we then take turns to either chose a
gift from the pile, or to steal one off another person. This year,
the gifts that we have to put in must be something that we have at
home, but no longer use. i have plenty of things i can put in!
My dad's family too, have adopted this idea. we have our Christmas
gathering the weekend before Christmas and this year I will be sure
that I put in only environmentally friendly gifts - a notepad made
from post consumer recycled paper and a pen from
www.goinggreensolutions.com.au
Some of my other favourite sites are www.biome.com.au and
www.todae.com.au
I recently bought my kids a little solar car from
Todae ($12) which is great to teach them about energy.
I have been searching for great gifts for my kids and for the
children of my best friend and have come across many wonderful
sites.
My favourites being
www.ecotoys.com.au
www.honeybeetoys.com.au and
www.thetribestore.com.au

My kids favourite toys are organic wooden "anamalz" and each birthday
and christmas we add something to their collection.
"greentoys" make some wonderful items including a tea set made from
recycled plastic bottles (their range can be found at
www.ecotoys.com.au)

"Boon" make bath toys that are bpa free and do not have holes in the
bottom to allow toys such as ducks to fill up with yucky water which
is then drunk by cheeky children. They also have some innovative
bath toys such as a ring toss game.


My favourite new item that I am looking at for my own children is the
rainbow nesting blocks from www.ecotoys.com.au. these are brightly
coloured blocks in various shapes - square, triangle and crescent -
that can be stacked in any way that you can think of. I love these
sorts of toys for kids as it gives them a chance to really use their
imagination. The blocks are made from environmentally friendly
rubber wood. I know that I can trust ecotoys and that they only
stock good quality, environmentally friendly products. For this
reason, I have passed their website on to family who are looking at
what to buy for my children.
I also saw an idea of making your own Christmas bonbons by using
toilet rolls. I have found some great little things that can fit
inside a toilet roll - wooden pencils from "Save the children" and
some organic lip balm. I also have some brilliant family jokes to
put inside. but i wont be sharing those here!
Finally, there is nothing better after a christmas lunch that to have
a great conversation with your relatives while you wash the dishes
(no need for disposable plates and cutlery).
So, this year, lets all give the earth a Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year by making our purchases carefully."

Thanks Shellie for sharing this special post with us - It sounds as though you will be enjoying a wonderful Christmas with your beautiful family!
Jo.........