2018 Gift Guide: Give A Gift that Gives Back this Holiday Season

There is so much to be thankful for during the holidays. The season comes with fun family gatherings, an excuse to eat plenty of delicious food, festive decorations all around and gift exchanges with friends and loved ones. There’s no doubt that it’s better to give than to receive, but getting the perfect present for your Secret Santa may have you feeling a bit overwhelmed. Worry not! We are here to help you choose a gift that will not only bring a smile to the recipient’s face but will also pay it forward to an important charity or cause.

2018 Gifts That Give Back

Why not give a gift that will also help someone else this holiday season? Perhaps you can help others in need, or give towards an organization you or a loved one feels strongly about. Making a difference while making your loved one feel special is possible. Check out how you can give a gift that keeps on giving to everyone on your holiday list this year.

Roma Boots

Roma Boots offers eco-friendly vegan rain boots that are perfect for any fashionista in your life. These super stylish boots are made from natural rubber and knitted cotton. Gifting these boots does good for more than just one person. For every pair sold, the company donates another pair to a child in need. In addition, 10 percent of all proceeds fund educational initiatives around the world. The company has donated over $2,248,020 worth of boots in their mission to help people struggling in poverty.

Roma Boots start at $19 a pair in children’s sizes and $49 a pair in women’s sizes.

Cuddle and Kind

You can never go wrong with gifting a doll or stuffed animal to the special kiddo in your life. Cuddle and Kind hand knits beautiful dolls that come in a variety of different characters from mermaids to reindeer and penguins. No matter the child in your life, there is a doll to fit their personality. You can help this company meet their goal of providing 1 million meals every year to hungry children in 65 countries. For each doll purchased, Cuddle and Kind provides 10 meals to children in need.

Hand-knitted dolls start at $50.

Lux Woods

Shopping for your dad, your husband or adult son can be time-consuming. However, save yourself the headache this holiday season by purchasing the unique craftsmanship of a Lux Woods handmade wood watch for the hard to shop for man in your life. Lux Woods is an organization that is committed to a “Buy one, feed one, plant one” model. They are working to end worldwide, childhood hunger by collaborating with Feed the Children. In addition, the company has partnered with Plant a Billion Trees to plant 1 billion trees by 2025.

Men’s watches start at around $70.00.

Love Your Melon

Who doesn’t like to feel warm and cozy? Gift a beanie that can be worn with pride from Love Your Melon. This company’s mission is to improve the lives of children battling cancer in America. Love Your Melon contributes  50 percent of net profit from all products including beanies, headbands, scarves, blankets and more goes to the Love Your Melon fund to support nonprofit partners fighting against pediatric cancer. Additionally, those profits benefit charitable programming initiatives for children battling cancer and their families. To date, Love Your Melon has given more than $4.7 million dollars towards the fight against pediatric cancer.

Beanies start at $35.00

Good Spread

Do you have any peanut butter lovers on your holiday shopping list? If so, Good Spread organic peanut butter is a gift that will not only fill their tummies but their hearts as well. Each year, nearly 2.6 million children under five years of age die from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). For every Good Spread purchased, a treatment of MANA Ready-to-use Therapeutic Food is sent to a malnourished child. This Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food has completely cured 96 percent of children treated with the product in less than six weeks. To add to the warm feeling of helping a child in need, you can track where the MANA packet is headed by using the unique tracking code on your jar.

Good Spread is available for $6.99 a jar.

Thistle Farms

Thistle Farms provides a second chance at life to survivors of human trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. This company not only employs women who are recovering from life on the street, but they also provide residential programs providing housing, food, healthcare, therapy, and education at no cost to the residents. Once the women leave the program, they are not alone. They will continue to have access to counseling education assistance and assistance with financial emergencies. You can be a part of changing someone’s life for the better by purchasing a product handcrafted with love by women survivors, as every single sale will benefit them. In 2017, there were 1,300 survivors employed and 9,000 nights of safe housing for women in need. Products range from bath and body products to home goods and accessories.

Gifts are available for purchase as low as $5.

Yoobi

Even the children who you are shopping for this holiday season can take part in receiving a meaningful gift that will help others in need. For every item purchased, Yoobi donates a school supply item to a classroom in need in the United States. Not only does a lack of school supplies affect a child’s schoolwork, but it also damages their confidence. Yoobi in partnership with Kids in Need Foundation has been able to impact over 4 million children by providing them with fun and unique school supplies to improve classroom behavior, grades, and self-esteem. These stocking stuffers with a purpose are the perfect way to teach young children how important it is to give back to the less fortunate.

Gifts start at $5.

Warby Parker

Sunglasses are a gift that many people on your list would love. Warby Parker works with a handful of partners worldwide to provide glasses to people around the world who need them but don’t have access to them. For every pair of glasses sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need. Warby Parker has given over 4 million pairs of glasses to alleviate the problem of impaired vision.

Sunglasses available for $95 a pair.

Rescue Candles

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Do you have any dog lovers on your nice list this year? Rescue Candle handcrafts eco-soy candles with fragrances like Pup’kin Spice and Mango Mutt. The company donates 15 percent of all proceeds to animal rescue shelters. If you or your human friend have a shelter close to your heart, you have the opportunity to handpick the shelter that will benefit from your purchase. If not, your purchase will still be included with a donation card that tells you exactly where your donation went.