Haven't you written your letters to Father Christmas and the Three Kings yet? Running short of ideas? It seems the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas comes from the pagan origins of the Saturnalia in ancient Rome, when from 17 to 24 December, during the winter solstice, King Saturn, god of Agriculture, was honoured with a festival and an exchange of presents to wish good luck for the coming harvest.
Wherever it comes from, I'm one of those people who loves giving gifts (and receiving them too, mind you). But not gifts given out of obligation: gifts given from the heart, with a story behind them, so that I know the person receiving them will feel that, besides the present itself, they are getting a little of your time, your affection and the care you put into choosing it.
At NEF, our Networking en Femenino group, we have women with wonderful projects behind them, and this year many of my gifts will come from here. So, since "sharing is caring", I thought I'd leave you a list of original ideas, committed to social and sustainable projects, in case it's useful to anyone:
Amate para Amar
If someone among your friends or family is single (separated, divorced, free, no partner and no commitments) and would like to find love, give them a "Te encontré" (I found you) matchmaking voucher.
What does it involve?
In-person meetings with the person the voucher is for and a compatibility test to understand what they are looking for in a partner. Over the following 6 months, they will be contacted to be introduced to single men or women with the same interests and the same wish to find love.
And if they are not looking for love but are hurting from a past relationship, give them a pack of three or five coaching sessions by writing to
Carminar
Psychology, coaching and feminism. Give something with no tangible physical form (a real treat for Marie Kondo fans!) that leaves a lasting mark: a 2-for-1 voucher for Carminar sessions, where they will guide you step by step to grow and move forward in your personal and professional development from a gender perspective.
Club Miboky
Giving a child a book is always a good idea, but something more original is to give them a subscription to a children's book club, where they will receive a surprise bag at home with 3 books chosen for them, together with a sticker album in which they can collect the covers of the books they read. They can enjoy those books for as long as they like and then ask to swap them for new ones. This way we teach children the value of sharing books with other children, instead of leaving them forgotten on a shelf or in a drawer and never reading them again. In return, they get access to many more wonderful books to imagine, dream and learn with.
Incerapi
Handmade eco-friendly items, made with love to look after our planet and the bees: plant pots, crochet and botanical-print textiles. The creator of this lovely project tells us all about it:
With the help of our grandmothers and aunts, using recycled materials and wax from local beekeepers, we gave birth to a sustainable, plastic-free dream that we hope will reach your homes. Incerapi pots are multifunctional: on the one hand, as the fabric is waterproof thanks to the beeswax, they make perfect, fragrant pots for your favourite plants; on the other, you can use them however you like: they are a perfect container for cosmetics or necklaces, for serving bread, for Christmas hampers or for hanging things or plants around your home... You can keep anything useful in them at home, in a restaurant or in the office.
Lotería Aguilar
Numbers are with us all day long. From the moment you open your eyes and see the alarm clock, to the microwave timer when you heat up breakfast, the button you press in the lift and, why not, that lottery number that marks an important date in your life, brings back a fond memory, or simply "calls out" to you and makes you think of the person you would like to share it with. Giving lottery tickets is giving hope.
Marmitas y redomas
Another staple at this time of year is cosmetics, but at Marmitas y Redomas you can give not only natural cosmetics but also training, so that as well as using healthier products to care for your body, you can go one step further and become an active part of the change: take charge and acquire the tools that let you look after yourself. Do you know the relationship between scents and emotions? Do you know how essential oils are extracted from plants?
Mipoppins
If you're one of those people who can never find the keys in your bag, you need a Mipoppins. These bags are made from Piñatex, an innovative, sustainable and vegan alternative to animal leather, where looks and function go hand in hand. Mipoppins is a project that has had social and environmental awareness in its DNA from the very beginning, which is why 5% of the profit from each bag goes to non-governmental organisations working to improve the lives of women in different parts of the world.
Narvaltesanas
If what you fancy is a gift to look even more beautiful, you can choose from the original earrings, necklaces and brooches handmade by the women of Narvaltesanas. And did you know most of them are made from recycled materials? Earrings, a necklace, a brooch? If you look through their catalogue, I'm sure that friend you'd like to treat will come to mind. You can order at
Pintando el tiempo. Purposeful illustrated calendars
This initiative by the Escriña graphic communication studio uses beautiful calendars to bring together companies' and institutions' commitment to their corporate social responsibility with non-profit organisations' need to raise awareness of their mission and raise funds to keep their work going. This year, among the work they have done pro bono, they present the calendar of El Valle Encantado, an animal sanctuary they have collaborated with free of charge. You can buy this original and humorous calendar by writing to
Was I right or not? They're all super original ideas, committed to our society and our planet. So hurry, there's still time to add one to your lists or surprise a loved one.
I'll take this opportunity to wish you all happy holidays: may we step back a little from runaway consumerism and become more aware of our small gestures and actions.
Merry Christmas!
Ruth Zamorano