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Explore our festive gift ideas as we usher in the holiday season, inviting you to embrace the art of thoughtful giving. This year, we’re dedicated to reducing the commercial whirlwind, focusing instead on a collection that truly speaks to the heart. Our 2023 Slow Giving Guide features sustainably and ethically made homewares, uniquely crafted pieces from Australian artists, and a selection of our favourite books. Each item is not just a thoughtful present but also a story of love, craftsmanship, and a testament to the joy of intentional giving. Let’s celebrate this Christmas with meaningful connections, one carefully chosen gift at a time, all while honoring our commitment to sustainability and slow living.

Festive Gift Idea: Books

Life Unhurried: Slow and Sustainable Stays
Across Australia

By: Celeste Mitchell, Krista Eppelstun, Katie Gannon

Our very own coffee-table book is an ode to all things slow travel, it’s packed to the margins with stories on 50 of Australia’s best slow and sustainable stays. Tiny off-grid cabins, rambling beach shacks, gum-shrouded country estates – there’s something for every kind of traveller to feel the pull of escape.

The-Mindful-Traveller

The Mindful Traveller

By: Nina Karnikowski

Sharing evocative stories from a life spent travelling the world and learning from the wisdom of nature, Nina provides a map for anyone looking to broaden their horizons while learning to better care for our environment – from hiking and camping to forest bathing, gardening and meditation – and to best benefiting local communities.

Books

WellRead Subscription

Diving into a good book is like the best kind of slow-life hug. With so many incredible books available, picking the perfect book as a gift can be hard! So, to make things easy for the bookworms in your circle, why not gift them a WellRead subscription (it’s between $99 and $338 – not too shabby!). It’s like having a bookish fairy godmother. They’ll send over a handpicked selection of the best reads, as often as you like. And hey, they haven’t forgotten the kiddos either – there’s a super cute option for the little ones up to six years old too.

Festive Gift Idea: Handcrafted Stationery

Jo-Olive-Christmas-Cards

Jo Olive Letterpress Products

Sharing your thoughts and good wishes in hand-written form is a beautiful way to connect with those you love and appreciate. If you are looking for the perfect stationery, let us introduce you to the pure joy of Jo Olive’s letterpress products. Jo is a letterpress printer and artist from Murwillumbah, NSW. The natural surroundings of the Australian countryside and coast inspire her work. We’re loving Jo’s range of Christmas cards here.

Letterpress-Bookmarks

Verdure – Letterpress Bookmark

We love finding quirky gifts on Etsy and seeing how we’re all book lovers, we couldn’t go past these letterpress bookmarks. Each bookmark is made from 100% recycled handmade paper, with raw (fluffy) deckled edges, full of texture. They are all individually printed in-house using an Original Heidelberg Letterpress Machine. We also love buying from a small business in Australia.

Festive Gift Idea: Ceramics

Handmade Ceramic Tumbler

Handmade in Byron Bay these are a unique, rustic, and beautiful gift idea. Stylish and practical, you can find these and other goodies for the home lover from Imprint House, a store curated by Natalie Walton, stylist and author of several books, including Home by the Sea and Still: The Slow Home. Read about the ways this shop gives back.

Personalised-Ceramic-Mug

Personalised Coffee Mug

Made by order, this beautiful personalised coffee mug is a perfect Christmas gift or care package for that someone special. Holds up to 250-260ml (full glass). Available in beautiful speckled white.

Festive Gift Idea For The Home

Handwoven-Bath-Sheets

Handwoven Bath Sheets

There’s nothing nicer than wrapping yourself in a luxurious, organic cotton towel after a shower. These handwoven bath sheets are crafted by a small Fair Trade women’s weaving co-operative in southern India. They are lightweight, quick drying and so stylish! We love The Dharma Door. Read about their journey and work with fair trade artisans.

Edith-Rewa-Barrett

Australian Artwork

Edith Rewa Barrett is an Australian-based illustrator and textile designer.  She creates hand-illustrated silk scarves and Giclee art prints that showcase native Australian plants. Edith is motivated by slow design principles. Pictured here is the Heathlandin’ Fine Art Archival Giclee Print in A3 ($95 AUD). We just love her work and think you will, too. Be sure to browse through Edith’s work – you may just find the perfect piece of art for someone you love.

Linen-Bedding

Linen Bedding

This Flax linen isn’t just about sustainability (though linen is a great choice there), it’s also about that luxurious feel. IN BED really nails it with their high quality, natural materials – plus, they’re B-Corp certified, which we love. Dive into their story and ethos to learn more. We’re totally in love with their 100% linen sheet sets, and this earthy tone they’ve got? Absolutely perfect.

Festive Gift Idea: Things To Wear

Boody

One of our Certified B Corp favourites is BOODY and we just love this organically grown bamboo ($89.95 AUD) – perfect for the warm Australian summer months. Available in dusty pink or storm, this set ticks the relaxed, comfortable and sustainable boxes.

sustainable-sunglasses

Sustainable Polarised Sunglasses

Certified sustainable polarised sunglasses from Ozeano ($99 AUD) are the perfect gift for your sun-loving loved one!  Ozeano, a certified B-Corp, is doing great work with its commitment to sustainability. Read about their impact, and then get busy choosing your favourite style! There’s a great range to choose from.

The Gift Of A Slow Stay

Wander on Kangaroo Island | Slow Stays by Life Unhurried

Life, with all its distractions, gets busy. Remind a loved one that slowing down and reconnecting can be as easy as changing their context by giving them the gift of a Slow Stay.

The Gift Of Giving

With so many sustainable Christmas gift choices out there, you’ve got plenty of ways to make a difference. But here’s a thought: why not go for something different this year? Instead of buying more things, how about making a donation in someone’s name? It’s a unique way to spread the festive cheer and do some good at the same time.

Charities like Foodbank and OzHarvest do excellent work fighting hunger and food waste respectively; WWF’s adoption program protects vulnerable flora and fauna species worldwide; land regeneration and management champs Bush Heritage accept donations all year and offer virtual Bush Gifts to send; a donation to funding platform Groundswell Giving will help fund the next generation of climate activists; and Australia’s first Indigenous youth climate network, Seed, is a worthy recipient too. Some will even throw in a bit of cheer (Groundswell will send Christmas cards to the gift recipient, for example) to make it feel more tangible. GIVIT’s Christmas appeal is also a wonderful way to help someone doing it tough with donated funds used to buy essential items and services for those in need this Christmas.

The List

Every Conscious Traveller Needs

Don’t plan any trips in Australia in 2025 before reading this list.