The holiday season is just around the corner, and however you celebrate, gift-giving is essential to show the special people in your life that you care. As the world becomes increasingly conscious of sustainable practices, our gift-giving should follow suit, ensuring our choices are eco-friendly and not contributing to global waste. That’s why we’ve put together HANAN MOSER’s guide to sustainable gifts, demonstrating how to follow the correct gift etiquette to avoid waste and gift things respectfully and with care. We’ve also included some basic do’s and don’ts to ensure this holiday season is filled with joy.
1. Stick to your agreed budget
If you have a budget or ‘maximum spend’ agreed upon in your friendship or family group, you muststick to it. It’s been set for a reason, to keep it fair for everybody and to make sure everyone can afford to buy a gift. Going over this budget will only make everyone uncomfortable. Others who haven’t spent as much money might feel guilty for doing so, and you’ll end up feeling like the bad guy!
A low budget allows you to get creative with personalized, homemade, and eco-friendly gifts—we’ll cover this a little bit later on!
2. Always provide a gift receipt
Providing a gift receipt is especially important if you’re buying clothing; it allows the recipient to exchange the clothing if the sizing is wrong or they don’t like the style—without having an awkward conversation. This approach is good gift etiquette and should be applied to allgifts to avoid waste.
Often, we’re too polite to tell someone we don’t quite like the gift they’ve bought us, so instead of exchanging it for something we actually want, we’ll dispose of it or give it away. If we all give gift receipts with our purchases, we can be safe in the knowledge that the recipient will get something they like this holiday, whether it’s the thing you chose or something they like a little better from the same shop. No awkward conversations, and everyone is happy!
3. Make sure you know their jewelry size
Jewelry is a beautiful gift for any occasion. Not only is it meaningful and personal, but good-quality jewelry can also last a lifetime! At HANAN MOSER, we make jewelry that’s luxurious in quality and feel (using 18k solid recycled gold). Just as importantly, our jewelry matches our ethos of conscious living, with sustainable lab-grown diamonds taking center stage in all of our pieces. That’s why our jewelry is a great sustainable gift idea.
How to know your sizing
If you’re thinking of giving the gift of jewelry this year, it’s vital to get your sizing right. By measuring your giftee’s current jewelry, you’ll know their necklace chain length. Decide if they prefer big or small hoops and which bracelet size will perfectly fit their wrist.
Ring size is the most difficult to get right, so make sure you measure a ring they currently wear, and be aware of which finger they’ll be wearing your ring as sizes vary (even on each hand!) If you need any help or guidance, Hanan will gladly help you out with this, so get in touch. Alternatively, check out our size guide online.
4. Don’t stray from the wishlist
If you’ve been sent a gift wishlist, it’s good gift etiquette to stick to it. You may know the person incredibly well and think you have the perfect gift in mind, but they’ve written a list for a reason. They may be conscious of avoiding waste by receiving things they don’t want or need. By sticking to the wishlist, you’re ensuring the gift will be something they actually want.
If the list goes above your spending budget, you’ve got a couple of options. For example, you could do a joint gift with others in the friendship circle or family. This way, your giftee will still receive something they want without a potentially difficult conversation! Alternatively, if you feel comfortable enough to raise the issue, you can suggest setting a budget and asking if there are any lower-cost items they’d like to receive.
See our ethical jewelry selection for Christmas!
5. Homemade gifts are great for those on a budget
Nothing is more thoughtful than a handmade, personalized gift, so it's the perfect solution if you’re on a budget. Buying a cheap gift can sometimes be mistaken for lack of care, despite not always being true. That’s why something homemade will demonstrate your thoughtfulness while also being an incredibly affordable option.
Homemade gifts are an excellent opportunity to get creative. Bake some festive cookies and decorate a jar to present them in, or make a photobook of memories together. These gifts are often much more meaningful and usually make much more sustainable gifts, as you can make them from things you already have in your home!
Read all about Kintsugi (the art of repair in Japan)
6. You can’t go wrong with a gift card
Gift cards are a great solution if you know someone’s favorite store but are unsure what product they’d like. Once again, this is an excellent example of a sustainable gift because you’ll ensure it won’t go to waste; your giftee can choose exactly what they’d like in their own time, and everyone’s happy!
At HANAN MOSER, we offer gift cards that can be used for all of our products in our online store. Gift cards are in euros (although they’ll automatically convert at checkout if you pay in a different currency) and start from €50 up to €5000. Whatever your budget, you can help someone to buy their dream HANAN MOSER piece, giving them the power to choose the jewelry that speaks to them. This is also a great option if you’re unsure of ring size or chain length.
We recommend adding your own note to personalize the gift with any gift card. Tell the person why you chose the gift card to let your thoughtfulness shine through.
7. Presentation is key
Presentation is another important element of gift-giving. The wrapping is the first thing someone will see when you hand them a gift, so you’ve got to get it right! A beautifully wrapped gift will add to the excitement of the occasion, plus it looks beautiful on a table of presents or under the tree.
All HANAN MOSER products come beautifully wrapped because we believe attention to detail is important. So when you purchase any product from our website, rest assured it’ll be wrapped to perfection.
Sustainable gift tip
When choosing wrapping paper for your gift, one important thing to consider is the environment. Using recyclable paper instead of plastic paper is very important to avoid adding to landfill waste, and it’s the perfect way to wrap up an eco-friendly gift. Brown parcel paper is a beautiful way to wrap gifts, especially if finished with an elegantly tied ribbon or string.
8. Personalize your gift with customized jewelry
If you’re buying jewelry for someone special, perhaps you’d like to go one step further and personalize it. This could be adding an engraving, a different-sized diamond, or a longer or shorter chain length.
At HANAN MOSER, we’re open to all customization options, and wherever possible, we’ll be happy to meet your request. To find out more about our bespoke service, click here to start the conversation—we’ll gladly take the time to talk through your options.
The important thing to remember is that beautiful things take time, so allow plenty of time to create your custom item.
9. Shop for sustainable gifts
Shopping sustainably means doing your research. It’s crucial to ensure the brands you buy from practice what they preach and do everything they can to reduce their impact on the planet.
All HANAN MOSER products are made with recycled gold, reducing the devastating harm caused to ecosystems by new gold. What’s more, we always use lab-grown diamonds, which, unlike their earth-mined counterparts, don’t cause massive destruction to the planet and local communities in their process.
Learn more about lab-grown diamonds
By choosing ethical brands like HANAN MOSER, you’re making a statement of sustainability that you’ll pass on to the person receiving the gift. Luxury jewelry feels even betterwhen you know where it comes from.
Whatever sustainable gift you choose for your loved ones this holiday season, we’re sure you’ll do it thoughtfully with the correct gift etiquette. If you decide that a HANAN MOSER custom piece is a perfect gift for someone in your life,get in touch today, and we can walk you through our boutique experience.
If a gift card is what you’re looking for,you can purchase yours here.
And finally,browse our collection to find the perfect, made-to-order piece for a special someone.
Happy shopping!
