2020 Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Gifts That Give Back
2020 Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Gifts That Give Back
It’s the season for giving, in more ways than one
A tumbler and stemless cup from Corkcicle’s Unicorn Magic line. Photo courtesy of Corkcicle
A lot of things may have changed in 2020, but there’s one thing that doesn’t change: the desire to give rad gifts to the people you love this holiday season. However, if your brain’s a little fried from, you know, everything, and you don’t know where to begin, we’re here to help. All week, BU Today is providing affordable ideas for what to get everyone on your list, from the hardest-to-please to the person who’s happy with anything.
We kicked off our series Monday with gifts that will make most any living space look good, whether it’s a dorm room, apartment, or house in the suburbs. Tuesday, it was gifts that entertain, Wednesday, gifts that support local businesses, and Thursday, gifts that will make the folks on your list look good. We conclude our series with gifts that support various charities and nonprofits.
Happy gifting.
A tumbler from Corkcicle
This reusable drinkware company is everywhere right now, for two reasons: Corkcicle donates to the nonprofit Water, which brings clean, safe drinking water to people in developing countries, with every product purchased, and everything they sell is cute—like, really cute. Case in point: the Unicorn Magic collection, a line of opalescent stainless steel tumblers, canteens, and stemless cups (starting at $19). We know there’s someone on your list who’d love one.
A Four Seasons Total Landscaping T-shirt
Regardless of your political party, there are two things everyone can agree on when it comes to politics: first, people should be able to vote in free and fair elections, and second, Rudy Guliani’s November 7 press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philly is one of the memorable moments in this historic election year. That’s why we love this Shop Class T-shirt (starting at $12)—not only does it shout out Philly’s favorite woman-owned landscaping business (à la Gritty, no less), but all proceeds go to Fair Fight, an organization that combats voter suppression and advocates for election reform.
A book from Bookshop
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit a lot of small businesses hard, including bookstores. The nonprofit Bookshop has come up with some novel solutions that benefit independent booksellers near and far. If you make a purchase through Bookshop’s general site, 10 percent of the profits goes into an earnings pool distributed to independent booksellers around the country. Or, you can use the search function to find a local Bookshop-affiliated store—Boston options include Trident Booksellers & Cafe on Newbury Street and Papercuts in Jamaica Plain—and shop via its Bookshop page, where all profits go directly to that store. Love the concept, but don’t know where to start finding a book? Take a look at TIME’s best fiction reads of 2020 for ideas.
“The Future is Female” calendar from Workman Publishing
Yeah, you could order any old wall calendar for those on your gift list, but why would you when you can present them with this gorgeous calendar from Workman Publishing ($16)? Featuring vibrant illustrations alongside quotes from feminist icons old and new, including US Representative Alexandra Ocasio Cortez (CAS’11), sales of the calendar benefit Girls Write Now, a nonprofit that mentors girls and gender-non-conforming youth.
A bag of chocolate caramels from Droga Chocolates
Love bee butts? So does Droga Chocolates. This chocolatier uses honey instead of corn syrup to make its delicious Money on Honey caramels, and with every purchase made, the company donates to a group of nonprofits working to save honeybees from extinction. With flavors like dark chocolate sea salt and toasted coconut almond ($6), protecting bees (and their butts) has never been so delicious.
A pair of glow-in-the-dark kids’ Toms
They’re comfy, they’re cool, and best of all: they glow in the dark. When you buy a pair of these tiny Toms sneakers ($32), not only will you make the kiddo in your life happy, but you’ll also be helping children in need. With a slogan of “one for one,” for every pair of Toms you buy, another pair gets donated to someone who needs them—plus, for every $3 the company makes, it gives $1 away.
Gourmet food items from Harry & David
The popular gourmet catalogue company Harry & David is partnering this year with No Kid Hungry, a domestic nonprofit devoted to alleviating childhood hunger. Purchase one of a select group of food items, including chocolate-dipped fancy strawberries ($32.99-$69.99), a bakery basket ($49.99), or a poinsettia plant ($49.99), and Harry & David will donate 20 percent of the price to No Kid Hungry.
A (Product) Red iPhone Case
Why have a boring old black or blue iPhone case when you can have a vibrant red one? When you buy one of Apple’s (Product) Red cases ($59), not only are you giving someone a bold accessory, you’re also helping others: part of the proceeds of each sale supports AIDS research.
A tee that plants trees
For every tee ($38-$100) you buy from sustainable clothing company Amour Vert, they’ll plant a tree in partnership with American Forests. To date, the company has planted more than 300,000 trees in North America.
A lipstick from Thrive Causemetics
Red lipstick can’t solve all your problems, but it can sure make you feel like you can. That’s the philosophy behind Thrive Causemetics, the cult-favorite beauty brand that understands the power of a pick-me-up, no matter how small. For every product purchased, Thrive gives one to a woman who deserves a boost, like domestic abuse survivors, frontline COVID-19 workers, and women who are homeless. And speaking of red lipstick: with a built-in primer, Thrive’s Headliner lipstick ($26) will keep the bold-lip-lover in your life looking chic.
This Series
Also in
Holiday Gift Guides
-
December 9, 2022
Holiday Gift Guide: Alumni-Owned Businesses
-
December 13, 2021
2021 Holiday Gift Guide: Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas
-
December 1, 2021
2021 Holiday Gift Guide: Must-Haves from Local Boston Shops and Makers
Comments & Discussion
Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.