Shopping for vegetarian or vegan Christmas presents can prove difficult during the holidays. However, with a little help from OneKind, finding those perfect cruelty-free Christmas gifts for vegetarians and vegans can be not only kinder, but easier too! Read on for top kindhearted gifting tips by our volunteer Grayson Black.
Kind Consumables and animal cruelty-free brands
Treats and candies are almost compulsory gifts during the season. Believe it or not, finding vegan Christmas sweets and treats is simpler than one might believe! You can find sweeties such as Choceur Mint Dark Chocolate Waves and Free From chocolates in most supermarkets. Most of these avoid palm oil and can be found in the likes of Tesco and Sainsburys. Commercial chocolate shops such as Hotel Chocolat also have plenty of chocolates that are dairy-free, but it is ultimately up to you to decide whether or not you are okay with your treats being made in facilities that also manufacture animal products. There is no right or wrong answer; all you can do is the best you can do! Remember to always check the label – most places have prepared to cater to those with dietary and ethical requirements.
Often coupling well with chocolates (and maybe Cliff Richard on the radio) is a tipple by the fire. Although a lot of hard spirits are vegan, wine, beer and cider are often made with animal products. There are websites that are here to help with your quest to find a cruelty-free bevvy, such as Barnivore!
Hottie and Nice – Vegan, cruelty-free skincare
Looking to buy for those of us that wear makeup to accentuate our natural beauty? Companies such as Cover FX and ELF Cosmetics are vegan and cruelty-free. Even the ubiquitous Superdrug sells all vegan and cruelty-free makeup on their Superdrug B Range! Is fragrance also a vital part of their beauty routine? You can rest easy knowing companies such as Eden Perfumes diffuse the sweetest of smells and bring a better world with it.
As for other miscellaneous bath and cleaning products, Bio-D and Splosh not only have our ethical endorsement but are incredibly environmentally friendly as well! Regardless of whether you do your own research on vegan products, attendants are there to assist you with any questions, so never hesitate to ask if a product is animal tested or contains animal products. The more you ask, the more awareness brought to the issue, commercially and individually.
What about vegan clothing?
Whether you are searching for a farcical tacky sweater or those warm socks your partner didn’t know they needed, there are always ways to find and purchase vegan clothes! Viscose (a textile made from recycled natural sources such as plants and trees) is commonplace in even name-brand stores these days. In addition, faux-fur and pleather are in many retail stores such as M&S, Topshop, and Urban Outfitters. Stores such as Vegetarian Shoes, Koi Footwear and Beyond Skin are companies that solely sell animal-friendly apparel – meaning you’re spoilt for choice!
… Or vegan furniture?
While cruelty-free home décor and furnishings are generally easier to find, make sure to avoid gifts that made of leather, wool, and downy. Animal products can sneak their way into many facets of our lives. Pondering something artistic for a loved one’s home that reflects their dedication to animal rights? Consider the creative works of Kate Powell. We love her Robert Burns ‘The Wounded Hare’ piece, alongside her collection of prints dedicated to justice for non-human animals!
Educational books can always make an appearance, and outstanding reads such as The Blue Hare, Every 12 Seconds, Lonely Scotland, and The China Study are definitely on-brand for a kinder Christmas.
Gifts that keep on giving …
Sometimes, the best gifts are the ones not given to you directly. Consider donating to an animal welfare or environmental charity in your friend or family member’s name. Watching their face light up, knowing that their gift made a difference to the life of another being (near or far away) is undoubtedly priceless.
A One of a Kind Gift!
Nevertheless, if you are still searching for the perfect Yuletide gift, consider one that lasts season after season. OneKind’s T-Shirt Gift Membership Package is filled to the brim with animal goodies, as well as the OneKind magazine sent three times per year! Thank you for following us, and we at sincerely wish you and yours a very happy season with boundless love and kindness.
You can read more of our volunteer Grayson’s Christmas tips over on our OneKind Cruelty-Free Christmas blog post.
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