Last-Minute Green Gifts: Ideas For Quick, Easy And Eco-Friendly Giving

Whether you’re expecting some last-minute additional guests at your holiday table, or you’ve just received an impromptu invitation to a holiday party this coming week, you’ll probably want to have an extra gift or two handy.

Don’t worry, though. You don’t have to elbow your way through crowds at the mall or pay outrageous overnight delivery fees to buy something online. Reasonably priced, eco-friendly, last-minute gifts are as close as your local food co-op, garden shop or your own home pantry. Consider these ideas:

• An aloe plant or fragrant herb (rosemary, basil or oregano are nice) in a decorative pot. If you can’t find an attractive planter, wrap the pot in a pretty kitchen towel or square of attractive scrap fabric (more environmentally friendly than foil or cellophane) and tie with a ribbon.
• Homemade potpourri. You can make a sweet-smelling and colorful potpourri using lemons, oranges, limes, apples and other fruits from your fridge or fruit bowl. Just slice the fruits thinly (a quarter-inch thick or thinner), spread them on a cookie-cooling sheet and dry them in the oven at about 170 degrees
• Fahrenheit for seven to eight hours. (Turn the slices occasionally to ensure both side dry equally.) Arrange the dried slices in a mason jar with some dried cloves and cinnamon sticks, sprinkle with a few drops of essential oil to boost the aroma, tie with a ribbon, and you’ve got a ready-to-give gift.
• Homemade, organic treats. One of my favorite and relatively healthful goodies is a blend of 1 cup organic peanut butter (no sugar), 2/3 cup natural honey, 2 cups dry milk powder and a handful of organic chocolate chips. Cut these into squares or shape using various candy molds, and you’ve got a quick and attractive food gift.
• Wholesome concoctions. You can make a beautiful gift of homemade bath salts as easily as combining coarse sea salt or Epsom salts with a few drops of essential oils. Lip balms and lotions are just as simple, made by melting a bit of natural beeswax, then adding almond or olive oil, honey and a few drops of almond, vanilla or peppermint extract.
• Green treats from the store. Even many grocery chains and big retailers are starting to stock at least a small selection of organic and fair-trade food items. A quick stop at the store on the way to your party or dinner can get you a nice bottle of organic wine, a box of fair-trade chocolates or a selection of eco-friendly teas. (Note: be sure which local store carries these items before you leave for your gathering; you don’t want to have to be stopping at one store after another in a fruitless hunt when the clock is ticking.)