Tree Gifts

Now that we are done digesting the turkey and are almost sick of turkey soup, it is time to get serious about Christmas shopping. This year shopping, like everything else in 2020, is colored by Covid. Instead of flocking to big box stores and the mall, many people are shopping in the safety and comfort of their homes. But endlessly searching the net can be deadly dull for some people, and rife with a-lot-of-the-same for everyone. So, if you are a tree lover and/or are shopping for one, I have done some of the scrolling for you and curated some cool choices. But, don’t think only of tree aficionados while looking through these choices, anyone who loves Nature in general will enjoy one of these. 

When you get right down to it, the best present for a tree lover is probably an actual tree and these days there are a variety of ways you can gift one:

• Trees that someone else plants: For someone who doesn’t have the place or desire to plant a tree, you can donate to a non-profit and they’ll plant one for you. The Nature Conservancy is not fooling around. This well-respected organization plans to plant a billion trees, much of it funded by small donations. Another option is the nonprofit Donate A Tree To The World. They are fighting climate change and helping disadvantaged communities in Mexico and Colombia through reforestation. They will send you a picture of your tree and follow its growth for you. One of their projects is working to build the numbers of pine nut trees, whose struggle I wrote about in my last blog. Pine nuts are not just important to people around the world, according to this article by the World Wildlife Fund, pine nuts are essential to tiger survival in the Russian Far East. 

• Trees to grow from saplings or seeds: It takes real optimism in your recipient’s commitment to give a tree seed as a present. But, should you choose to do so, Seeds of Life has the stuff for you. They sell seed packets, seedlings, and gift trees. Many other outlets, like FastGrowingTrees.com and Bower & Branch, sell a great variety of small trees ready to be gifted. 

Still unsure about giving a living tree? This short article has some ideas about why you should, trees for different occasions, and additional nonprofits that plant trees.

If you think having a tree planted from afar seems less-than-personal for a Christmas gift, perhaps you’d prefer to buy a present that you can touch, and still plant a tree. There are more and more businesses that position themselves as eco-friendly and many are getting their hands in the dirt to prove it. Companies like Save Lands offer cute gear and entice you to buy with their tree-planting mission. For Save Lands, it’s twelve trees planted for every item sold. Here is a list of nine other companies that do something similar. This trend of driving e-commerce with feel-good consumerism is not universally accepted. Here is an article from Canada that explains some of the reasons why.

Some retail sites have outstanding selections for the tree lover on your list. Here are some standouts:

• Soul Flower – Their things are very I-wish-it-was-the-60’s, Boho-Hipster Chic. But in a good way.

• Popular Science - I know – Popular Science? This is not really a retail site, but, Eleanor Cummings has put together a thoughtful collection for tree huggers. 

• Uncommon Goods – This site has an uncommonly good selection of tree-themed gifts.

Misty Mountain Clock

• Wildlife Wonders - Their goods can be pricey, but they're clever and beautiful. Even if you don’t have deep pockets you should take a scroll through this site just to admire what they have. And there are some deals to be found.

Large retail sites like Etsy have seemingly endless items under their tree-themed sections. If you’ve ever been on Etsy, you know the stuff ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous. For not-expensive gifts, I particularly like the pinecone key chains, the misty mountain clock, and the handmade fir tree soap. The tree wall art is also very nice if you have the right person with the right space to give it to. Another potential Etsy gold mine of tree presents is the multitude of Tree of Life designs – jewelry, art pieces, textiles, you name it - I think I even saw a knitted cap in there.

As I’ve been looking at tree-centric gifts, I’ve noticed all the family trees that keep popping up. They are clearly wildly popular these days, and with good reason. As more and more people do their DNA, interest in ancestors has grown and family trees are a great way to showcase all that. But, the variety of styles and cost-points is nearly overwhelming. You can get a kit from Family Locket that can be done with the kids and makes a felt family tree. Or you can get a pretty black metal tree that you add engraved magnetic leaves to from Personalization Mall. Or you can get a wall hanging that shows your family fanning out in a beautiful tree from this Etsy vendor. Or you can go to Branches and get a fully custom family tree made, including framing. Or (my personal favorite) get your family tree put on an actual piece of wood from Foxbairn. If this is something you think you want to do, you should act fast as custom pieces take extra time to create.

Finally, I’d like to recommend an ARBICO Organics gift certificate.  While it’s true that we don’t sell trees or tree-themed merch, we do cater to people who care for trees. So, if your tree lover walks the walk by growing trees, we have something they can use. And, of course, we have something for anybody who loves to grow anything. 

Christmas is meant to be a happy time of year, but this year is bound to be challenging for many. If at all possible, try to make the one thing you can control –your gift-giving – as simple and enjoyable as possible.

Take Care.

Submitted by Pam

                                                                

5 Fun Things You Can Do Besides Holiday Shopping And Still Pick Up A Gift

Want to opt out of the whole darn shopping thing this holiday season? I highly recommend taking that stand and would like to suggest a little less time spent shopping for someone and little more time spent with them. All of the activities below are excellent opportunities to put down your electronics and look someone you love in the eye. If, however, you would like some time to yourself away from your people, all these things can be enjoyed solo.These activities can also produce gifts so you don’t have to take another step to shop.

1) Go to the zoo

This time of year is an exceptional time to visit your local zoo. There may be fewer animals on exhibit, but you won’t have the high-summer crowds. After all, you’d like to see the animals and not someone’s back as you stand three deep at an enclosure. Many zoos across the country (and the world) have embraced zoo lights as a way to bring in much-needed winter revenue. Most children will be entranced by the combination of animals and lights and you can get a break from the “buy me that” commercialization of the season. Of course, always make sure that you are patronizing a zoo that is actively working in conservation (see a list here).
Gift idea: Zoo tickets or memberships and/or any number of cool items in the gift shop.

2) Go to an improv show
Holidays are nothing if not stressful and laughter is a stellar way to reduce stress. Make some time for silliness (it’s good for the soul), support local performers and engage with others in your community. Very little brings people together like a good laugh. To find a theater near you, check out this list. Many theaters are surprisingly affordable and offer family-friendly shows; my family loves the one they do at our local improv (Unscrewed Theater).
Gift idea: Take someone out for a nice evening as a gift and make the show a part of it. Or buy tickets to an upcoming show, CD’s, T-shirts or other bits of swag.

3) Have some kitchen fun

Okay, you may have to do a little shopping for this one; but, it is grocery store shopping, which you have to do anyway. This is the perfect time to experiment with new foods or to fine-tune your holiday menu. Get a bottle of wine (or warm up that blender) and a cohort or two (optional, but highly recommended) and dig into your kitchen. You can go old school, with a Betty Crocker cookbook propped up on the counter (those recipes speak to many childhood memories) or find the just-right YouTube tutorial. This is also the perfect time to clean out your refrigerator by making a soup - it will free up space for all the incoming holiday goodies.Try this recipe or make one up as you go along.
Gift idea: There are a great many easy food gifts you can make and nearly everyone responds to food. But there is also a hidden gift in this activity – the gift of an aromatic house on a crisp winter day. So cozy!

4) Go play some pool
Grab some friends and find a place to play pool. Or find a place to play pool and make some new friends (just challenge a table). It’s virtually impossible to play pool without witty repartee and other fun types of human interaction. Hit up a sports bar and you will also be able catch some late-season football while you play and have a room full of like-minded sports fans to enjoy it with. Don’t like pool? The idea is to get out and play, what game you choose is up to you. Places like Dave and Buster’s and Culinary Dropout, here in Tucson, offer many game choices. There are also places where you can play more cerebral games such as chess. Learn where to find a chess game here. Just go and relax and enjoy the company of others, that’s the key to this activity.
Gift idea: Gift certificates, of course. But, also use the chance to get to know your companion/s a little better and try to ferret out things they really like (such as a team preference or something they wish they had, like new darts). Some of these things you may be able to get right where you are.

5) Get out in Nature

Weather permitting, of course, get out and just enjoy the season around you. Take a companion or two on a drive and have an old-fashioned picnic or eat at a quaint restaurant. If you live near an ocean, put some layers on and walk on the beach. There is a unique beauty to the beach in winter. Can’t get that far away? Get those kids bundled into the car and drive them around the neighborhood to check out people’s decorations.
Gift idea: This activity is really just about the time spent in the season; but, keep an open mind and gift ideas could pop up anytime during your excursion.

Submitted by Pam