The truly sustainable holiday gift guide: Zero-waste gifts people will actually LOVE

Americans generate 25% more waste during the holidays than the rest of the year — about 1 million extra tons, according to the EPA.

That’s a mountain of packaging, novelty trinkets, and plastic-wrapped stocking stuffers destined to live the rest of their days in a landfill.

And the wild part? 

Most people don’t actually want more stuff… 

Survey after survey (like this one) shows that what people genuinely value is time, connection, and feeling seen. 

So this year, what if holiday gifts didn’t require supply chains, batteries, or bubble wrap?

What if they generated zero waste and maximum joy?

Keep reading for the holiday gift guide for people who care about the planet, and the people they’re buying for.

It’s creative. It’s thoughtful. It’s rooted in sustainability. And it’s exactly the kind of forward-thinking approach we live by at OE Electrics, where intentional design, sustainability, and long-term stewardship of the environment guide everything we create.

Most people make the mistake of getting expensive “eco gifts” if they want a more sustainable option. We’ve got 13 cheaper, easier, and more effective ways. 👍

Ready? This year, let’s give gifts that don’t end up in the bin.

Freshly baked bread + seasonal spread

It’s cozy. It’s personal. It’s universally beloved.

Bread is one of the few gifts that feels luxurious without being wasteful. For a complete experience, pair it with something special and seasonal like:

• Cinnamon honey butter

• Cranberry-orange jam

• Rosemary olive oil

If you’re not a baker, hit up a local bakery instead. Wrap the loaf in brown kraft paper or a secondhand tea towel (thrift stores are treasure troves for these). Zero waste. Maximum heart.

And unlike the sweater that might be their size, this one never gets returned.

A reservation…fully planned

A gift card is nice.

A prepaid plan for quality time is stellar. 👌

Instead of handing someone a gift card to a restaurant, book a January reservation for the two of you and give them the confirmation.

You’re not gifting food, you’re gifting something far rarer: something on the calendar to look forward to.

And for the chronically overloaded among us (hello, fellow parents), that mental load removal alone is worth its weight in candy canes.

A year of fun: 12 envelopes, 12 months of joy

This one is pure magic and it works for any age. I gave it to my nan a few years ago and when I say it made her year, I mean it.

Stuff 12 envelopes (bonus points if you assemble this into an aesthetic holiday wreath), one for each month of the coming year. Inside each envelope is an experience you’ll share together. These can be:

• High-budget (a weekend getaway, a big trip, a concert)

• Low-budget (a coffee date, a homemade brunch, a bookstore wander with a book of choice at the end)

• Totally free (watching home movies, a sunset walk, a board game night)

If you don’t live near your loved one…each envelope could include a solo adventure prompt instead. Think something that nudges them out into the world: “Visit a new park,” “Try a restaurant you’ve never been to,” “Call someone you’ve been meaning to reconnect with.”

The beauty of this gift is that it gives them a whole year of things to look forward to, which research consistently shows boosts happiness and wellbeing. And there’s no clutter. Just anticipation, connection, and twelve tiny sparks of joy.

(If you’re giving this to children, check out this Instagram reel for loads of great ideas, including the comments!)

A “one-night-off cooking” token

This one is deceptively powerful. Gift someone a voucher you make yourself:

“One night off cooking: I deliver dinner.”

It could be homemade.
It could be takeout.
It could be breakfast-for-dinner because we’re all adults and pancakes absolutely count.

Choose the option that fits your budget, time, and culinary skills. Whichever way you do it, this gift is cozy and nurturing and saves them from the drudgery that is dinner prep. What’s not to love?

Wine…made interesting and sustainable

We all love the classic bottle of wine at the holidays. But let’s upgrade the classic by skipping the wasteful gift bag and making it more interesting, shall we?

You can wrap the bottle in a thrifted tea towel or cloth napkin, something they can actually use again, not toss in the bin.

Or slide the bottle into the sleeve of an old sweater for a vibe I call “fireside chic”.

Or wrap it in a reusable tote or produce bag, and the packaging becomes part of the gift.

Bonus points if you pick a natural wine from a local or sustainable vineyard. But go with what works for your area and your budget.

Memory project

There are guided journals like My Life in a Book where someone answers weekly prompts about their life. After a year, the answers are compiled into a keepsake book.

For grandparents or parents? This is emotional gold dust.

No clutter.
No plastic.
Just stories that would otherwise disappear into the ether.

You could also do a free version of this where YOU email a question to the person every week (or month, if that suits you better). Or host a regular phone call where you offer a prompt for the person to tell you a meaningful story from their past.

You’re giving the gift of listening, or presence, or caring enough to hear their story. And that is such a beautiful gift…for both of you.

Babysitting

If your loved one has kids, this one is unbeatable.

Offer:

• A day/afternoon/night/whatever! of babysitting

And if you want to ramp it up, you can also include (though it’s not necessary)…

• A gift card to their favorite spa, movie theater, cafe, restaurant, etc.

It’s sustainable because it’s based on service, not stuff.

And trust me, as a single dad to a seven-year-old, this is the sort of thing that makes you consider writing someone into your will.

Speaking of kids…

Homemade playdough (never fails for kids)

I’ll tell you one thing for sure…

My son is never never NOT elated with a fresh, soft, not-mixed-with-a-hundred-other-colors-already ball of playdough.

All it takes is:

• Flour

• Salt

• Cream of tartar

• Water

• A dash of food coloring if you’re feeling fancy

Pair it with old cookie cutters you no longer use. Kids couldn’t care less if something came from Target or from your kitchen. They care that it’s fun.

And playdough is the rare gift that invites creativity instead of passively entertaining them.

Find a fail-safe playdough recipe here.

Nature-based experience

Nature produces zero waste and 100% wonder. You can gift:

• A guided hike

• A sunrise coffee picnic

• A stargazing night

• An entry ticket to a state or national park

• A “first camping trip of the year” plan in spring

Research consistently finds that time in nature reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and improves mood. Show me a pine-scented candle that can do that. (I’ll wait.)

A skill-session voucher (taught by YOU)

Think:

• “I’ll teach you how to make sourdough that’s light and airy.”

• “One hour of bike repair lessons.”

• “A basic car maintenance tutorial.”

• “Show me that spreadsheet thing you’re weirdly good at.”

Skill sharing is a wonderful form of giving, but it’s strangely lacking in our Google-driven world. Maybe it’s time to bring community learning back into the picture.

It’s quality time.
It’s human.
And it genuinely improves someone’s life.

A personalized “favorite things about you” list

I know it sounds cheesy and admittedly it’s not for everyone on your list. But hear me out! Because this might be the most emotionally impactful gift you’ll ever give.

Write down 10–20 things you adore about someone:

• Moments you’ll never forget

• Qualities you love

• Ways they’ve changed your life

• Inside jokes

• Character strengths you see in them and admire

It’s intimate, meaningful, and keeps no footprint whatsoever — except a warm one on the heart. (Too sappy? Perhaps. But accurate.)

A local membership or class

With loneliness being an epidemic in our culture, let’s explore gifts that get people out into the local community, like:

• Botanical gardens

• Local museums

• Pottery courses

• Woodworking workshops

• Rock-climbing passes

• Yoga or meditation class credits

This gives the gift of something fun while also getting them out into the world. Who knows, they might just meet a new friend or romantic partner…or at least a nice neighbor who also enjoys a Saturday morning Vinyasa session.

Donation in their name (but not the generic kind)

Instead of the default “here’s a donation,” try this…

Pick a cause hyper-aligned with their passions.

• Animal lover → sponsor a wildlife rescue 🐻

• Teacher → donate books to a classroom 📚

• Environmentalist → plant trees or restore habitat 🌱

• Techie → fund STEM programs for kids 🧮

The key? Make it a story, not a receipt. Explain why this donation says something about them.

We all like to feel seen. Show your loved one that you SEE the part of them that loves animals or is obsessed with tech, and thinks that it’s special. A donation positively impacts others, and that will give your loved one the warm fuzzy feeling this season is really about. 

Why this matters (and why OE cares)

Sustainability isn’t a branding exercise for us, it’s a mandate.

At OE Electrics, we:

• Prioritize modular, repairable designs to extend product life

• Build products adaptable to 60+ countries, reducing wasteful redundancy

• Focus on resource-saving, energy-efficient charging technologies

• Integrate sustainability into every stage of design, manufacturing, and distribution

Zero-waste gifting is the same philosophy: thoughtful choices today that create fewer problems tomorrow.

It’s not about perfection.
It’s about care, intention, and a bit of creativity — the same traits that make both good engineering AND great holiday gifts.

This year, skip the stuff. Give connection.

Give calm. Give memories. Give time. Give relief. Give joy.

And if anyone complains they didn’t get something physical…well, you can always give them bread next year. It’s hard to argue with bread.

Happy gifting. And even happier not throwing anything away.