The process of buying Christmas presents is often a daunting one for me. Especially because I want to buy gifts that are meaningful, memorable and mindful. These days, buying something that can only be used once makes no sense to me and it is also something I don’t want to teach my children. They need to learn to get into the habit of mindful, conscious shopping from a young age and it starts right here – with the process of buying well thought through Christmas gifts for loved ones.

KURO-Bõ water filter glassware range

The artistically stylish, minimalist range will fit in wonderfully with any kind of modern décor aesthetic and will certainly encourage (or gently nudge) loved ones to tap into a more conscious lifestyle. This range follows KURO-Bõ’s convenient water filter bottles, which offer individual water filtering mobility in your hand, wherever you go.

The 2 litre KURO-Bõ Charcoal water filter jug (R699) comes with sustainable bamboo and hand-made borosilicate glass (pyrex) with an ergonomically designed handle for easy pouring.

Or, the 8 litre KURO-Bõ charcoal water filter dispenser (R1999), which has been designed with health, beauty and eco-consciousness in mind, comes with the luxury of a metal tap and a convenient bamboo stand.

Both these 100% plastic-free filter sets include eco-friendly, reusable and recyclable KURO-Bõ Activated Charcoal Water Filters that only need to be replaced every three to six months. The ancient Japanese process of Binchotan is scientifically proven to deliver naturally mineralised and healthier drinking water.

You’ll find it at Wellness Warehouse, Faithful to Nature or on KURO-Bõ’s website.

Honeybee Heroes Adoption

This is the perfect gift that keeps on giving for nature and wellness enthusiasts. You can adopt a honeybee hive from Honeybee Heroes – a honeybee sanctuary in the Overberg, who makes it their mission to help reverse the decline of the Cape honeybee – as a Christmas gift this year.

When you adopt a hive as a gift, you’ll get a personalised hive and a gift box with all kinds of honeybee merchandise. The sanctuary offers Honeybee Adoption packages that include a personalised honeybee hive with your loved one’s name on it, six bottles of raw Honeybee Heroes honey, a honey dipper, an official adoption certificate and updates on the hive as the bees settle in. You will also be able to join them for a free beekeeping experience on the sanctuary. The basic adoption package costs R2000.

Honeybee Heroes also offers upgrade packages, including a Queen Bee box with honey-based food and beauty items, a Kidz box with kids’ toys and gifts for little ones, and a Veldskoen Box, which includes honeybee branded Vellies in your size of choice.

This is certainly a gift that keeps on giving, since every hive can provide a home to up to 30 000 vulnerable honeybees. Therefore, you can be certain that your gift is doing way more than just putting a smile on a loved one’s face.

Honeybee hives need to be adopted by Sunday, 12 December to get your adoption box in time for Christmas. Start the adoption process here or email hello@honeybeeheroes.com.

Christmas gifts from Saffron’s Garden

I am a huge fan of Saffron’s Garden, mainly because it is such an awesome business and it brings life into your home with all kinds of really interesting and unique houseplants.

READ: Surprise someone with a Mystery Plant Box Surprise

Plants – and houseplants in particular – have a way of giving you a breath of fresh air constantly, which I think is a great gift this Christmas.

Saffron’s Garden has limited stock available of a once-off Christmas box, that could arrive at its destination in the week of 21 December – 25 December if you order and plan it cleverly and quickly. The box includes a Christmas card and a selection of plants and plant-related gifts.

It costs R550 including delivery and plants that could be included are a Staghorn fern, Pilea peperomioides, Ladyfinger cactus, Scindapsus pictus, Monstera adansonii and Phildendon brasil. Examples of plant-related gifts that could be included are plant care spray, plant tags, tropical coasters, a plant care diary, a watering device and a basket from Frances Green.

Order a Christmas box from Saffron’s Garden here.

Since we cannot travel overseas for that white Christmas this year, we might as well spend a little more on mindful Christmas presents. These are three really cool and not so ordinary Christmas gifts that will keep on giving long after the Christmas spirit has withered.