AHAALiving.com November Contest: And the Winner Is…
Congratulations Andrew Chapados!
Andrew’s was randomly selected as the lucky winner of our fantastic #AHAAGiving gift basket, valued at over $400.
We loved Andrew’s entry:
Use recycled paper from around the house (we all have it) to make a scrapbook of photos of you and your best friend; collect ink cartridges from friends/family that may only have a little bit of ink left and print in black & white using the recycled paper. Use string, or a different recycle material for binding.
Bike, walk, or use public transit to your friend’s house to produce less emissions, and bring a home-cooked meal made with fresh products with you. That way, you and your best friend can relive the memories while you eat!
Because so many of the entrants inspired us with new AHAA gift-giving ideas, we decided to share some additional entries with you:
Sean suggests some DIY beauty products:
Homemade soap. Hands down. It’s easy to be made organically, and you can make lovely lavender scented creamy soaps for women, or robust sandalwood shaving soaps for men.
Kimberly gives wine – the homemade kind:
We like to make wine to give as gifts and bring to holiday gatherings.
Stephanie and her kids suggest getting artistic:
Re-use old cards to create unique, one-of-a-kind DIY cards with the kids’ help!
We like this one from Karen:
Save the pages of comic strips from the newspaper and wrap your gifts in the funnies!
Great, thoughtful gift idea from Janine:
I like to buy second hand or vintage; it takes more work, but the recipient knows that I took the time to find something that really suited their tastes.
Cassy suggests turning a memory into a gift:
Playing pond hockey with friends and family!
Virginia makes her gifts spicy:
Mix up a couple different spice mixes and fill reusable spice jars as gifts.
Love this one from Kiersten:
I love getting people experiences as gifts, like massages, spa days, or concerts.
Mike suggests flavourful gifts:
Make your own batch of festive apple cider and gift it to friends and family in re-used, clean wine or decorative bottles.
Brilliant idea from Brianne:
We follow the four-gift rule: something to read, something to wear, something to do (hopefully as a family!) and something to eat.
Deedee swaps paper-based for digital:
Create a family holiday video post on YouTube and send the link to family and friends.
These are just a few of some of the truly AHAA-inspired sustainable gift-giving ideas we collected over the month of November. By far the most popular were DIY presents, edible presents (food and drink), and memories as gifts. Think of all the time, money, and waste that could be saved if we all embraced more sustainable gift-giving practices – that, in itself, is a gift!
Thanks to everyone who entered for sharing your AHAA gift ideas!
