Impossibility of finding Christmas presents for children that are produced ethically

[TeaAndBiscuitsAndWine]

Hands up, I’m new to this ‘ethical shopping’ malarkey, but having recently found out about what is going on in China with the minority Uigers and political dissidents being forced into ‘re-education camps’ and used as slave labour (and worse), I have been trying to find things for this Christmas that (a) weren’t made in China, (b) haven’t been shipped half way around the world with all the associated emissions / just a load of plastic that will be landfill by New Year, and (c) aren’t ridiculously expensive. It’s impossible! Tried everywhere on the High Street, nothing. Tried online, but even on Etsy lots of the stuff for kids (for ages 8-14) Christmas stockings was imported from China. I’m sure there must be stuff out there but I don’t know where. Anyone got any suggestions? I’ve been glued to the MN Christmas shopping threads but everything I’ve checked out has failed to meet the basic ethical requirements I’m trying to meet this year. Am I just being unrealistic? Is my search doomed to failure? Is Christmas cancelled this year?!

Is 'ethical gifts' what your children actually want @TeaAndBiscuitsAndWine ???

Ethical Superstore has a childrens section: www.ethicalsuperstore.com/

It's not cheap though.

Charity shops are always full of soft toys and books, some of them look completely unused. Depending on the type of crafting you mean, they are also a good source of fabric and card.

We try to buy ethically for Christmas (but don't always manage to!). We usually buy secondhand and try to buy less. For the things on your list you could try:

Books: Worldofbooks (secondhand, they list by description though and often look brand new. I've had a couple that haven't been as described and their customer service is always great)

Arts and craft: Consciouscraft (expensive but I think they offer 10% off), lots of lovely paints and things. Or if it's more sewing type crafts you could try myriad online (probably really for younger kids though, but might have some things that are interesting)

We struggle with the unicorn stuff or anything film / theme related (kids are Frozen mad here), so tend to buy secondhand for those. Same for soft toys.

For the christmas eve box you might find some useful things on ethical superstore, or oxfam online too like hot chocolate.

Will see if I can think of anything else as I'm starting christmas shopping myself too (if you buy secondhand I definitely recommend starting early as it can take ages to find the right things!)

Hmm the may be all the local and ethical you like OP, but if it isn´t what they want it is just more waste.

ethicalshop.org/gifts/children-s-gift-ideas.html
There is this site.

Bathbombs

I’m realising that a lot of what I buy isn’t so much about what the children want / need, but about my enjoyment in seeing them with their stuffed Christmas stockings and piles of gifts that I bought because I liked them. It’s kind of embarrassing to realise and admit how bought in I’ve been to being a consumer

I was exactly the same. No judgement from me!

Fortunately my epiphany came once the DC had stopped believing in Father Christmas and were starting to want fewer, more expensive gifts anyway.

Last year I made them each a little Christmas ‘brochure’ with ideas of what they might like based on what they’d already asked for or things I’d seen that I thought they’d like, space to rate each idea and space to write in ideas of their own. Yes, it took away some of the fun, but every gift they received was wanted and well used. I will do the same this year.

I did it in November so still plenty of time to shop and plenty of time for them to forget what they’d said they wanted and be surprised.

@MyPatronusIsACat

Is 'ethical gifts' what your children actually want *@TeaAndBiscuitsAndWine* ???

It really isn’t 😂 What they really want is for all the rubbish they want to somehow miraculously be ethical - if it’s an either / or choice I suspect consumerism will win, but if I can manage even half of this year’s haul being vaguely acceptable to my new found sense of what is OK, I will count that as a win!

And of course by ‘rubbish’ I mean ‘fabulous and well chosen items’...

It's sad to see all the cheap clothes and plastic tat that my granddaughter receives from the maternal side. Such a huge waste, particularly since they are not very well off. I hold my tongue but focus on giving her nearly-new second-hand clothes (mostly from Faha - they have some gorgeous stuff), lots of books (often from charity shops or World of Books) and arts and crafts materials. Plus I'm investing in an education investment fund for her. She loves getting her biannual statements from Vanguard - makes her feel very grownup!

We tend to buy second hand, or use ethical online shops such as babipur, yes Bebe, myriad

My kids love playmobil and lego. We buy just about all of it second hand either on ebay or Facebook (although both are made in the EU they still need energy to make them and are plastic).

We also give tickets for events/experiences for my older child. Which means nothing to have to keep picking up off the floor in 500 pieces!

Shops like Oxfam often have ethical stuff for sale. There's a low/zero waste shop near me and I have in previous years bought eco gifts for my slightly older DSC's from there - but good stocking fillers like bamboo socks, toothbrushes, reusable straws, etc

I think buying less is a good start, and only things that they really want or need. And make the rest of Christmas ethical and local and magical and lovely, with less focus on the gift giving.

There are some brilliant ideas here, thank you all so much! Realistically there is still going to be some plastic tat (Harry Potter merch I’m looking at you!), but it looks like the majority of Christmas this year will be a lot better from an ethical / environmental standpoint. And I can learn to love not having a house that is messy because of all the endless cr%p that the kids never put away 😆

@MakingTheBestOfIt

I’m realising that a lot of what I buy isn’t so much about what the children want / need, but about my enjoyment in seeing them with their stuffed Christmas stockings and piles of gifts that I bought because I liked them. It’s kind of embarrassing to realise and admit how bought in I’ve been to being a consumer

I was exactly the same. No judgement from me!

Fortunately my epiphany came once the DC had stopped believing in Father Christmas and were starting to want fewer, more expensive gifts anyway.

Last year I made them each a little Christmas ‘brochure’ with ideas of what they might like based on what they’d already asked for or things I’d seen that I thought they’d like, space to rate each idea and space to write in ideas of their own. Yes, it took away some of the fun, but every gift they received was wanted and well used. I will do the same this year.

I did it in November so still plenty of time to shop and plenty of time for them to forget what they’d said they wanted and be surprised.

This is such a lovely idea for the older one, and for the others in years to come.

Loads of handmade stuff on Etsy

Solid shampoo bars
Crayons made into animals or names
Food
Clothes
Kites
Make your own decorations

These guys make great cake and cookie mixes - in Yorkshire. They also sell other British made confectionery and gifts. I recommend them all over the place! 😂

bottledbaking.co.uk/

YABU to expect them to be cheap. That's pretty much the whole point.

My DCs love soft toys, and you can get recycled toys (though made in China) or hand made e.g. from Lanka Kade.
Babipur has loads of ethical stuff though for the older age range it is a bit more limited.
Clothes are relatively easy to get either made by a WAHM or fair trade (I am making this year's PJs but I have also bought organic cotton).
Lightly used books are often indistinguishable from new.
Lots of zero waste beauty stuff (I like &Keep, but loads of shops out there).

Would you consider looking at the Ethical superstore or 2nd hand toys?

giddygeese.com/

Ebay and FB marketplace all the way. I buy almost everything secondhand and resell stuff when we're done with it. Plastic last forever, so let's keep reusing it.

@Davros

https://www.goodgifts.org Let me know what you think. Probably a good idea as part of a present or for older people

Thanks for letting me know about this website. I have a problem with being given presents, I know that sounds strange but it stems from childhood trauma and guilt. If someone bought me, say, footballs for kids in Africa, I couldn't imagine feeling anything but joy. Thanks again Davros.

I get lots of my husband's gifts from Muddy Faces (he says he'd happily have all his gifts from there!) and they do stuff for kids. I can't say it's all ethically produced but many items are UK or European made. muddyfaces.co.uk/