This post contains affiliate links.
The holidays are all about spreading love, kindness and giving a helping hand (something we should remember to do year-round).
This holiday season we encourage you to make it your most conscious one yet by being more mindful of your thoughts and actions and how they may be affecting those around you.
This can mean being more patient and understanding about behaviours that might annoy you. Someone walking too slowly for your liking? Realize that they may be tired or disabled and that they have the right to walk at whatever speed is best for them. Someone driving too slowly for your liking? Realize that they may be looking for an address or that they're just following the speed limit and you might be speeding.
Our personal favourite tip is to make your holiday dinner a vegan one so that your celebration remains a high-vibe, truly joyous, peaceful occasion devoid of any death and suffering.
And when it comes to gift shopping, we encourage you to shop from conscious stores committed to giving back so that your hard earned money can spread joy beyond just the person you're buying for and also make a difference for someone in need.
Here's a list of 9 brands that can help you make the most of your holiday shopping through their one for one programs. And be sure to check out our full directory for more conscious shopping inspiration.
1. Amour Vert
You can never go wrong with basics. For every purchase of a tee, Amour Vert will plant one tree!
2. Bixbee
Purchase a backpack and Bixbee will donate a backpack with school supplies to a child in need! With a backpack as cool as this, heading out to school in the morning will become an exciting adventure for your little one.
3. DIFF Eyewear
This style is all the rage right now. For every pair of sunglasses they sell, DIFF will donate a pair of reading glasses to someone in need!
4. Hand in Hand
With every product purchased, they'll donate a bar of soap as well as a month of clean water to a child in need!
5. TOMS
Glow in the dark shoes like these make for an ultra cool gift. What's even cooler is that for every pair of shoes you purchase, TOMS will donate a pair to someone in need! And if you buy a pair of glasses, TOMS will provide someone in need with an eye exam and any necessary treatment!
6. Tree Tribe
Tree Tribe will plant 1 tree for every purchase you make! Their signature leaf leather items like this wallet are the perfect gift for your nature loving friend.
7. United By Blue
United By Blue's one for one program isn't like the others on this list. Instead of helping out someone in need, they've decided to help out the planet. With every purchase they'll remove one pound of trash from the world's oceans and waterways!
8. Yoobi
Yoobi's got tons of fun, unique school and office supplies like this Scratch Art Notepad. They donate one Yoobi item for every item purchased to a classroom in need!
9. Yuhme
Did you know this water bottle is made out of sugar cane?! For every bottle purchased they'll donate 6 months of clean water to someone in need!
Written by: The Change District