With Christmas rapidly approaching, the shopping season will be in full force soon and we will all be busy choosing presents for our family and loved ones. Love it or hate it, the reality is that being vegan can put an additional layer of stress on your shopping list.
If you follow a vegan lifestyle you may find it difficult (or not want to) buy non-vegan products for your family and friends.but you may be worried that they will be dissapointed if you give them a vegan gift. We all want to give the perfect gift at the end of the day!
The good news is, you don't have to compromise! Here we have put together a list of vegan alternatives to the most popular gift items at Christmas and they are so good that they won't even know (or care) they are vegan! Keep reading to find the perfect gift this festive period.
1. Candles
Nothings sets the mood like a candle and it's hardly surprising that candles are one of the most gifted items at Christmas. According to this report, Brits buy an average of seven candles per year spending over £1.9 bn and the sector keeps growing every year.
When looking for a vegan candle, there are two many ingredients to watch out for: beeswax and stearic acid. Beeswax is used in high quality premium candles and it's usually sold at a high price point. It goes without saying that beeswax is not suitable for those following a vegan lifestyle as it is an animal product; beeswax is produced by worker honey bees to create the structure of the honeycomb and bees need to be kept in captivity and used in order to obtain beeswax for candles. Stearic acid is used instead of beeswax in some lower quality candles and it can also be derived from plant sources but the animal type is the cheapest and therefore the most frequently used in candles. You can read all you need to know about vegan candles and the ingredients to watch out for in our blog post Are Candles Vegan?
The good news is that there are plenty of vegan and cruelty free candles in the market. Choose one made from rapeseed, coconut or soya wax for a vegan and eco-friendly option and chances are you (or the person receiving the gift) will not even realise it's vegan! Below are some of our favourite vegan & cruelty free candles from small businesses this season:
2. Food Hampers
Hampers are a really popular gift at Christmas time and food hampers make a great gift as you can personalise it to the taste of the person receiving it. You can make savoury hampers, sweet hampers, snacks, drinks or a selection of everything! Putting together a food hamper with vegan products may seem like a difficult taks at first but it is not at all! Search your local supermarket for a huge range of vegan foods to include in your hamper, or even better source the products from independent vegan businesses.
If you are buying for a vegan friend, find out their favourite products or if you are making a hamper for someone who is not vegan you can search for accidentally vegan products and treats that are so good they won't even care are vegan! Our collection of Sweet Treats is a great example!
Do you prefer a food hamper that is already packed and ready? We have you covered! Search our Gift Sets Collection for unique gift sets, from plant-based cheese selections to festive brownie boxes or beautifully packed handmade jams.
3. Beauty Products
Beauty products are hugely popular as a gift at Christmas, especially between close family members and spouses. If you are giving beauty products as a gift, make sure you know the specific needs of the person receiving the gift, their skin type and any skin conditions they may have.
In any case, natural and vegan beauty products are a geat alternative to commercial brands that usually include chemicals and animal ingredients in their products, Choose independent makers to ensure small batch products made only with natural, organic ingredients and always check that they are cruelty-free as well as vegan (no, it's not the same! You can read the differences in this article).
Explore our beauty collection to find amazing natural beauty products and gift sets for both men and women.
4. Clothes & Accessories
Buying clothes for someone else can be a tricky task but jumpers, tshirts and pyjamas are always popular gifts at Christmas time. Even more popular are accessories like gloves, scarfs, earrings or watches. Make sure your gift items are as sustainable as possible by choosing products from independent makers.
Vegan leather watches, jumpers made with recycled materials or handade vegan yarn gloves are some great alternatives to mass produced clothing items in the fast fashion industry. Check out our collection to find lovely products that would make unique gifts for your loved ones.
Your one-stop for vegan gifts they will love
Whether you are shopping for your partner, Mum, children or friends, if you are looking for a vegan and cruelty free gift from a small independent businesses this Christmas, our vegan online marketplace has you covered!