Gift Guide
Post Summary: My 2023 personal gift guide featuring low waste goods, products from independent makers, and/or items we’ve found to be of great use in our home. (Note: None of the items on this list are sponsored, though I have worked with some of these products or brands in the past.)
The following is what I gift or often find myself recommending throughout the year. Some of these items are new-to-me in 2023, while others overlap with my gifting lists from previous years… because the point isn’t finding the latest thing— it’s about sharing goods that serve a practical purpose with unique style while bringing joy and hopefully reducing waste.
Guide for Avoiding Unnecessary Gifts
How to politely deal with unwanted gifts— hopefully before they’re given, but also after the fact.
This is an updated, more comprehensive version of an earlier post entitled, “How to Politely Handle Unwanted Gifting.”
It’s the time of year… for unwanted and unnecessary gifts. With the planet in crisis, folks struggling financially, and families grappling with an excess of clutter in their homes after being indoors for the greater part of two years, I’d argue that it’s time we more widely accept and respect one’s decision to firmly avoid giving and receiving gifts.
But how do we kindly tell a child’s grandparents to stop sending toys?
What do we do about well-intended friends who insist on giving “something!”?
What solutions are there for rehousing the unwanted gifts that inevitably make their way through the door, despite the recipients wishes?
And what are some unique gifts that won’t further contribute to overflowing households, and — inevitably— landfills, which have a greater impact on disenfranchised and marginalized populations?
Since living in our cottage, having our first child, and learning more about the climate emergency, we began gently telling our friends and family that the absolute best gift they can give our son is an inhabitable planet for his generation and those that follow, and that giving him random stuff doesn’t help him in the long run.
For years, this conversation was easy for us, as most people knew that we lived in a tiny house that couldn’t accommodate excessive belongings. Now, as we’re in limbo and transitioning between living environments, we’ve had to remind folks that even though we’re temporarily in a larger home, we still have the same views regarding gifting. We were hit with a wave of presents for both West and his little sister when she was born. We know that everything was acquired and sent our way with so much love, but we believe that the impact of the items (from the manufacturing, to workers’ rights, to packaging, to transport, to haphazard placement within our temporary home, to eventual disposal of some sort,) matters more than the intent.
For folks who take affront, and/or just don’t quite understand our reasoning, I suggest or give a copy of The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis, and/or Aja Barber’s book, Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism.
Of course it needs to be acknowledged that to ward off gifting of this nature is a privilege, as so many people are living unhoused and without the basic necessities. But, as Barber wrote in a recent* Instagram post, “The things which are said to us in childhood normalize living in a world with inequality… “ (ie: “Be grateful for your food / gifts, because so many people are going without!”) So instead of tricking ourselves into believing that we should simply continue to accept unnecessary gifts and keep our thoughts to ourselves, we’ve instead started pointing the folks who wish to convey their love in tangible form in the direction of nonprofits such as The RightWay Foundation, which are in constant need of financial and product donations.
We are, however, always happy to receive children’s books, knowing that our kids will explore them thoroughly for years, and that we can ultimately pass them along to other children, a library, or a local school once they’re no longer being read.
We also embrace the idea of gifting experiences, such as museum or garden memberships / admissions, Airbnb Experiences, digital subscriptions, local food and beverage, and other such presents that support an organization or small business while also providing our family or others with a new adventure of some sort.
When it comes to regifting unwanted items, I look at it this way: If a giver circles back and asks me to reveal the whereabouts of a present they once gave us, that relationship is probably one that needs some reconsidering or deep work. And besides, there are so many people, families and organizations in need of certain goods that I feel no guilt in passing along a thing we do not need here, and giving it instead to someone who can put it to good use.
When rehousing an item, we’ve discovered that it’s extremely important to first verify that an organization can indeed put it to specific use, otherwise it is statistically destined for a landfill. Hopefully the original gift-giver would understand and support that action.
’Tis, after-all, the season to share.
(*Reference to a post by Aja Barber entitled, “Where do out human rights and and others begin?”)
Repurposed Gift Wrap with a Story
Repurpose items from around your home into low waste / reusable holiday gift wrap.
(Original post from 2020)
We haven’t bought wrapping paper or gift bags in years. Even though we live in a small space and don’t have many spare supplies of any sort sitting around, it’s still surprisingly easy to shop our own home for items that can be repurposed as playful packaging.
While the end result is rarely perfect, there’s so much to love— it’s original, it’s free, and it generates less waste. (Related post: Playful Low Waste Gift Wrap)
These handmade bars of soap were wrapped with completed pages from one of West’s work booklets, and topped with salvaged ribbon and tree clippings.
What I enjoy just as much as the searching and wrapping is passing along the stories behind each repurposed ribbon, book jacket, muslin bag, or fabric scrap.
Dust jackets remain my go-to for wrapping presents for kids. (We store most of these paper covers beneath our mattress throughout the year to flatten out the lines, and then grab one whenever we need some colorful packaging.)
While the illustration art is the attraction for the recipient, there’s usually a tale behind the rest of the bundle for the parents / guardians to share.
This method of wrapping is also friendly for folks who aren’t hugely into DIYs (that’s me). Plus it’s also safer this year than going to the store, as we’re meant to shelter at home whenever possible.
Below are a few glimpses of this year’s very quickly completed wrappings, as well as cleverly designed bundles that needed no wrapping whatsoever.
Above: Brown paper biodegradable tape from Net Zero Co.
Almost everything used above has a story to tell— a ribbon that has been passed down through multiple generations and households. A remnant that once held a stone that traveled the country. A string that once wrapped the weighted blanket that helped improve my sleep habits. A spare/unused shoelace from a pair of sneakers designed by a well-known creative and dear friend.
(And, of course, customized boxes of dog treats that shows the sweet faces of our pups— why would we want to cover those up?!)
Experiencing the Holidays with Folks from Around the World While Sheltering at Home
Note: This blog post was created in collaboration with Airbnb.
As we shelter at home this holiday season, want to learn how to make recycled puppets for the holidays? Or put down the phone and make creative collages the old fashioned way? So do I. And, thankfully, there’s a safe and accessible way to do so.
Since our family isn’t traveling this season in an effort to keep my pregnancy healthy and our friends / family / community members safer, we’re turning instead to holiday-themed and everyday online experiences with Airbnb. Not only are these courses a way to learn something new while connecting with folks from all over, but they’re also a way of supporting small businesses by supporting the hosts.
Towards the start of the pandemic, I taught a handful of Live small space living classes via video from the Cottage for Airbnb Experiences. (It’s something I would’ve happily continued to do if West attended school and if parts of our property weren’t shared with neighboring homes, but our situation made it a bit too tricky for me to sustain.) I learned just how much effort, energy and expertise goes into these online classes, and how magically they can connect people from around the globe as we shelter at home.
Above: Teaching my Airbnb Experiences online class back in the summer of 2020.
Here are some of the classes I’ve added to our list— from creating recycled puppets for the holidays, singing holiday songs with a Broadway performer, Santa storytime with a children’s book author, and vegan holiday cooking, and more.
Holiday Sign Language Vocabulary (based in Athens)
Click to view
Description: Visit with Santa and let him know what you'd like for the holidays this year in Sign Language! After meeting with Santa, he'll lead you in a fun holidays themed vocabulary game! Get to learn phrases that you'll be using all holiday season long! We can also add Christmas carols to the fun as well! This is a safe environment for young adults, children, families, businesses, team building, and non-profits ages 8-100 to get an authentic experience from a Deaf professional.
Create Recycled Puppets for the Holidays (based in Berlin, hosted in English)
Click to view
Description: Together we are going to make holiday puppets from recycled materials. We will make special Christmas elves and Hanukkah puppets celebrating the festival of lights.
Santa Storytime with a Children’s Author (based in Atlanta)
Click to view
Description: Meet Santa and have an opportunity to introduce yourself. Then the host will share his journey from the world of sports to Silicon Valley to storytelling as a children's book author. Then, he’ll perform two storytime readings, cover-to-cover, of holiday classics. Afterwards, the group will explore some of the creative elements involved in bringing this book to life (world-building, color theme, character journey, mood arc, etc.) and share ways children's picture books go from idea to a finished book. Lastly, there’s an open discussion where kids and adults can ask questions about creating children's books.
Learn to Collage Holiday Edition (based in Barcelona, hosted in English & Spanish)
Click to view
Description: A fun session to learn about collage art, which is a great hobby for everyone and a fun way to explore your creativity. For 2020’s Holiday Season, the experience is adapted for making creations for friends and family.
Sing Songs with a Broadway Performer (based in NYC)
Click to view
Description: Learn a song and sing together— there’s no better way to feel connected and JOYFUL.
Vegan Holiday Baking (based in Slovenia, hosted in multiple languages including English)
Click to view
Description: Learn how to bake Almond Crescent Cookies and Fingerprint Cookies with Jam. (When you book the experience you will get full recipes with instructions in advance.)
Repurposed Gift Wrap with a Story
We haven’t bought wrapping paper or gift bags in years. Even though we live in a small space and don’t have many spare supplies of any sort sitting around, it’s still surprisingly easy to shop our own home for items that can be repurposed as playful packaging.
While the end result is rarely perfect, there’s so much to love— it’s original, it’s free, and it generates less waste. (Related post: Playful Low Waste Gift Wrap)
These handmade bars of soap were wrapped with completed pages from one of West’s work booklets, and topped with salvaged ribbon and tree clippings.
What I enjoy just as much as the searching and wrapping is passing along the stories behind each repurposed ribbon, book jacket, muslin bag, or fabric scrap.
Dust jackets remain my go-to for wrapping presents for kids. (We store most of these paper covers beneath our mattress throughout the year to flatten out the lines, and then grab one whenever we need some colorful packaging.)
While the illustration art is the attraction for the recipient, there’s usually a tale behind the rest of the bundle for the parents / guardians to share.
This method of wrapping is also friendly for folks who aren’t hugely into DIYs (that’s me). Plus it’s also safer this year than going to the store, as we’re meant to shelter at home whenever possible.
Below are a few glimpses of this year’s very quickly completed wrappings, as well as cleverly designed bundles that needed no wrapping whatsoever.
Above: Brown paper biodegradable tape from Net Zero Co.
Almost everything used above has a story to tell— a ribbon that has been passed down through multiple generations and households. A remnant that once held a stone that traveled the country. A string that once wrapped the weighted blanket that helped improve my sleep habits. A spare/unused shoelace from a pair of sneakers designed by a well-known creative and dear friend.
(And, of course, customized boxes of dog treats that shows the sweet faces of our pups— why would we want to cover those up?!)
A List of What I’m Gifting (and Why) - 2020 Edition
Post Summary: My 2020 personal gift guide featuring low waste goods and/or products from independent makers. (Note: None of the items on this list are sponsored, though I have worked with some of these products or brands in the past. This is my own roundup. )
The following is what we’re considering gifting to our close family and friends. Some of these items overlap with my 2019 gifting list, because the point isn’t finding the best “new” thing— it’s finding goods that serve a practical purpose with unique style while bringing joy.
Reusable Ear Swabs
Because LastSwab replaces up to 1000 single-use cotton swabs. Their standard swab and their makeup swab both have a soft-feel tip and are easy to clean.
Click here (and get 10% off with the code: tinycanalcottage)
Herbs for Home & Healing in the Anthropocene
Because our bodies and this one shared planet are our true homes, so we need to listen to and care for them. And I have personally come to regularly rely on these Earth Star Herbals by Alyson Morgan.
Click here
Water Carbonator
Because bottle waste — yes, even glass bottles — must become a thing of the past. These Aarke water carbonators are slim and stylish. Our helps us save between 4-6 bottles of bubbly water per day.
Click here
Children’s Audio App Subscription
Because Pinna Audio has been the single most used tool in our bag while sheltering at home with a four year old. This app / audio subscription service has a diverse selection of programming for kids of all ages.
Click here (and use the promo code PINNA3MONTHS for a free 3-month trial)
Plant Keeper Apron
Because I got Adam this apron for his birthday, and he uses it constantly. Designed by the brilliant stylist, author, designer, photographer, and plant-expert Hilton Carter, this unique apron is a valuable accessory for Spring and Summer gardening in particular.
Click here
All of Us Skin Tone Crayons
Handcrafted in the USA without any paraffin or fillers, these crayons are crafted with beeswax, carnauba wax and earth pigments.
Click here
The Naked Stone
Because these low waste moisturizing stones are for the whole body, and are a made-from-scratch revolution against plastics, pumps, and chemicals, and come in a refillable bamboo canister.
Click here
Extra Bright Portable Projector
Because we don’t have a TV or large monitor in our home, but we can watch movies and shows in an oversized format projected on our walls and slanted ceiling thanks to our little Cinemood. (Their newest model is extra bright, which is even better for daytime viewing.) We discovered first-hand what a great gift this is for parents of little ones— particularly during the isolation of the pandemic.
Click here
Planetbox
Because this stainless steel lunchbox (which comes in a few sizes/styles) is one of the most-used items in our home, and eliminates the need for baggies and multiple containers for meals on-the-go. (Our 4 year old enjoys using his daily for meals and picnics at home, too.)
Click here
Hidden Pictures Sticker Booklets (ages 3-6)
Because my 4 year old has been obsessed with these books for an entire year and is still excited to do one or two pages per day.
Click here
Safety Razor
Because we can prevent millions of plastic, disposable razors and razor heads from entering landfills and oceans with safety razors. Oui the People makes beautiful safety razors to last a lifetime, and also sells blade refills.
Click here
Steamline Luggage
Because even though we're not traveling this holiday season, these bags, which have been favorites of mine for years, are so stylish that they can be reused for a myriad of purposes and for storage around the home.
Click here (use the promo code HOLIDAY25 for 25% off* through December 31st, 2020. *Promo can't be combined with any other sales and excludes the Mini.
2021 Smells Better Candle
Because this handmade, 100% soy wax candle makes me laugh every time I see it, and it was created by a female owned small business based here in Venice, CA.
Click here
Toothpaste Bits
Because the hardest part about changing a habit is taking that first step, and 1 billion toothpaste tubes are thrown away every year. Bite bottles are refillable, and make great stocking stuffers.
Click here
Handmade Mixed-Media Mask Holder
Because this 4-in-1 handcrafted mask holder / necklace / bracelet is ever-useful as we keep our communities safer by masking up. The holders are made with repurposed/reclaimed brass and silk by Maddalena Bearzi, an Italian jewelry artist, marine biologist and writer.
Click here
Collapsible Water Bottle
Because reusable bottles have never been easier to tote. These collapsible, pocket-sized Stojo bottles even loop over a bike/stroller handlebar or around a backpack with ease.
Click here
Homemade Grape Jam & Bread
Because it’s a delicious, homemade, zero waste treat made right here by our extraordinary next door neighbors and by Adam.
Rechargeable Lighter
Because there are more than 300 uses per charge in this stylish lighter, and it’s rechargeable, eliminating the need for refills or disposables. Plus it has a safety mechanism for homes with little ones.
Click here
Plant-Based Milk Maker
Because the Almond Cow turns any nut, seed, or grain into homemade plant-based milk in moments. We use ours multiple times per week, and haven’t purchased substitute-milk in over a year.
Click here
Vintner's Daughter
Because this company’s skincare philosophy centers on offering multi-correctional performance and the belief that if one product delivers a myriad of benefits, fewer products are needed, fewer are produced, and less natural resources are utilized. Even better, the ingredients are sourced from responsible producers, many of which have used the same sustainable, organic farming practices for generations. It’s not cheap, but for the quality and all the products it replaces, Active Botanical Serum is totally worth it, in my opinion. (This company is also a generous donor to The RightWay Foundation.)
Click here
Play Silks
Because Sarah’s Silks is a family owned company specializing in Waldorf inspired sustainable toys for children. Their silks are simple and versatile, and dyed with non-toxic, eco-friendly dyes.
Click here
Braiding Sweetgrass
Because everyone could do with putting down the phone and picking up a book. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer shows that, “the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world.”
Click here
Eco-Friendly Weighted Blanket
Because many of us could use some help with anxiety and sleep these days. These Bearaby weighted blankets use zero plastic in composition and packaging. They’re GOTS, BCI, OEKO-Tex 100 and Fair Trade-certified, made of organic cotton that’s naturally breathable, 100% biodegradable, and uses 85% less water than conventional farming methods, while being free from harmful chemicals, pesticides, synthetics, or artificial softeners.
Click here
OddBird Robes
Sustainably robes made in small-batches, using 100% natural fibers and woven by artisans on century-old semi-automatic looms.
Click here
Late Sunday Afternoon Ascots
Because these responsibly-made ascots can be worn in a myriad of ways— around your neck, on your wrist, in your hair, on your bag/pack/basket, and around the brim of your hat. Our friends at Late Sunday Afternoon use locally sourced deadstock fabrics to create their ascots in-house. Any scraps are used to stuff handmade dog beds that they then donate to animal shelters.
Click here
Tiny Adventures: The Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade
Ever since we moved to the canals, we’ve been attending the annual holiday boat parade, which is my favorite neighborhood event of the year.
In the past, we’ve decorated bridges for the occasion, and in recent years we’ve begun participating in the parade from within our canoe.
This year we didn’t dress a bridge, but we did reuse two oversized peace sign wreaths (made of vines) we had on-hand.
Adam joined the wreaths to the front and rear of the canoe with the gripping poles from our over-the-table iron rod, and added two strands of rechargeable battery-operated twinkle lights. They were sweet and simple. (One sign eventually toppled over in the strong wind, but that provided us with a better view anyway!)
The boat parade is a charmingly homespun affair, as there are no motors allowed on these waterways and the collective mood is more of the attraction than the actual floats.
That’s one of the things I love so much about this event. It’s just so.… Venice.
This post includes some photos I captured this year, along with shots of our canoe snapped by my friend Sara Toufali of Black and Blooms, who rode in tandem with us in a boat generously loaned to us by a neighbor.
Here’s to those who showed up to cheer each other on, sing out in unison, and embrace the wildly creative spirit of our lil’ beachside community.
Video: The Holidays in a Tiny House
Happy holiday season from our (tiny) home to yours. This time of year can feel loud and frenzied, so I wanted to take a quiet moment to thank you for sharing this <400 sqft space with us. We wish you and yours love and happiness in the coming weeks, and in the new year. (Video by TINYLICIOUS.)
Playful, Low Waste Gift Wrap
In a recent post, I shared visuals demonstrating the simple way in which we wrap our son’s gifts. We use linen napkins, scarves and tea towels from around the house. They’re zero waste, easy for little hands to untie, and once the wrapping is no longer needed we can simply toss the cloths into the laundry bin or return them to our drawer. But what about presents that are destined for homes other than our own?
As we head into the holidays, Adam and I have somehow already found ourselves wrapping little items for our friends’ children. Instead of using linens or traditional wrapping paper, we use picture book dust jackets.
This idea is not new. I’ve seen it before, and I’ve heard it discussed and suggested a few times over the years. But now that our son is 3 and is well into picture books, we’ve accumulated enough beautiful yet impractical covers to create our own little pile of unique wrapping paper.
When we get a new book that has a dust jacket, we inevitably remove it within a day or two. I can’t bear to just chuck the paper into the recycling bin, as it’s usually so lovely. Instead, I unfold the paper and lay it under a project board beneath our mattress. (This is the best place for it in our tiny house, as none of our shelves are quite big enough to hold most unfurled pages.)
Earlier this year when the back wall of our bedroom was partially destroyed from water damage, we had to part with the covers we’d been gathering for a couple of years, as they’d gotten damp. It was a bummer, but we’ve already begun to rebuild our collection.
Once we’ve wrapped up an object with a book jacket, we use some spare/repurposed bits of ribbon or twine from around the house, and sometimes top the present(s) off with a sprig of greenery from the garden.
Is the end result perfect? Nah. But is it creative, less wasteful, thoughtful and beautiful? Personally, I believe so.
Book jacket pictured in this post: Everything You Need for a Treehouse, written by Carter Higgins and illustrated by Emily Hughes.