Soulful Giving Guide

There are so many ways to give to our loved ones and the holidays this year hold different energy. And, like much of time this year, December really snuck up on me! So, for anyone still looking for gift ideas this year, I put together a soulful giving guide that includes 9 gift ideas, both DIY and purchased. I also have gift certificates available for Intuitive Readings now and have included a sample at the end of this blog post. Just purchase a reading and let me know you’d like a gift certificate emailed or sent hardcopy to you or the recipient.

Soulful giving just means giving without any attachment and reflecting on gifts we can give that foster connection, healing and joy. We can give our time and attention to those we love too. Giving isn’t about the monetary value but rather about the act itself, the intention that drives it. Lifting one another up right now in whatever way we can creates a ripple effect of generosity and kindness. I love giving gifts and we have the opportunity to not only make gifts for people, but also to consider where we buy from and what we’re supporting in the process.

1. Compostable Phone Cases

We depend on our phones more than ever, and in this time of pandemic and other stressors, they help us stay connected (even though we need to put them away sometimes too). I’m a huge fan of Pela phone cases. They have beautiful designs, and are plant-based and compostable. They also have a zero-waste screen protector and an EMF protector that goes inside your phone case. Pela has raised more than $250,000 for their 1% for the Planet partners, helping to protect our coastlines, oceans, parks and wild animals. They have all sorts of sizes to fit your phones including iPhone and Android. I also love that during the year they did a two-for-one sale to encourage people to keep their phone cases clean and safe. Habitat by Pela is also worth checking out - plastic-free bodycare that is biodegradable, compostable and vegan. Switching to their products helps remove 2 lbs of single-use plastic from circulation.

2. Sustainable Throw Blankets and Robes

Giving a throw blanket is like offering a hug, and right now when so many of aren’t able to hug those we love, it’s a wonderful idea. We’re also at home at a lot more these days, so giving a gift that makes that even better seems like a pretty great idea. Coyuchi has been making organic and sustainable textile goods for thirty years and continues to deepen their commitment to environmentally conscious production and products. Their blankets and robes are so beautiful and cozy! And someday I’d love to try their sheets. All their cotton is Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which is the highest standard in the world. They also partner with White Buffalo Land Trust and Fibershed to support Regenerative Agriculture. Coyuchi isn’t the only conscious company in this area, so have fun exploring other options too.

3. DIY Herbal Tea Blends

Many of you know how much I love working with herbs and plants of all kinds. A wonderful gift is to create herbal tea blends for the people in your life. In my last blog post I shared some recipes for Fall inspired blends, but there are so many more. Immunity blends, herbs that foster elevated mood, blends that moisturize and restore - there are endless combinations. If you have a local herb shop like mine, buy your supplies or their in-house herbal blends there because you’ll also be be giving the gift of support to their business.

One of my favorite recipes for is the Astralagus Chai from Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee de la Forêt. Note from her book: if you have acute illness or use immunosuppressive drugs, don’t use astralagus.

  • 20 to 30 grams astralagus membranaceus (approximately 15-20 small slices; use a scale to measure)

  • 1 tbsp dried orange peel (if making your own, make sure to mince)

  • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon chips

  • 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns

  • 1 to 2 cardamom pods

  • 2 whole cloves

Place all ingredients in a pain with 2.5 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, covered. Strain, then add milk and honey as desired. Drink within 36 hours.

4. Chakra Oils

Chakras are essential diagnostic tools in shamanic healing. When you work with me, you learn to recognize when chakra(s) are out of balance and this tells you a great deal about what’s going on and needs your attention. There are many ways to clear chakras and work with them. I clear mine every time I take a shower (ask me how!), but these new oils from Shamans Market are wonderful. They’re sold individually and as a set, so they’re perfect for gift giving.

5. DIY Holiday Pecans

I discovered this Once Upon a Chef recipe for sweet and spicy pecans a couple months ago and it’s quickly become a family favorite. I love putting them in a mason jar with ribbon, cedar and a gift tag as I did here. You can use Weck tulip jars too. Everyone loves these at the holidays and the only challenge is not to eat them all in one go! You can make the containers as ornate or simple as you like too.

If sweet and spicy isn’t your go-to, then check out recipes for salty butter pecans. If you’re plant based, you can make them with Miyoko’s vegan butter and they’re fabulous too.

6. Books

Support your independent bookstores directly or use Bookshop. Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores.If you want to find a specific local bookstore to support, find them on their map and that bookstore receives the full profit from your order. Otherwise, your order will contribute to an earnings pool that will be evenly distributed among independent bookstores (even those that don’t use Bookshop).

Some non-fiction and fiction recommendations:

7. DIY Ring Wreaths

I love making this simple ring wreaths for the holidays, both as gifts and for our own home. They are so much fun and you can be as creative as you wish. The one pictured I made for a friend who loves the sea salt green of eucalyptus and has an aesthetic to match. I added some sparkle with a few floral picks and a silver gray ribbon, along with the bamboo ring and voila! I also made some with gold macrame rings with fresh cedar, cranberry floral picks and dehydrated oranges I made myself. The possibilities are endless and people will cherish these ring wreaths for years to come.

  • A 10” - 14” craft ring - bamboo, gold or silver metal

  • Greens like fresh cedar and salal, or faux foliage such as eucalyptus and spruce

  • Floral picks from places like Michaels to complement your design

  • Wire cutters

  • Fine gauge floral wire in green, brown silver and/or gold depending on what you’re doing

  • Hot glue gun, in case you need it for certain elements

  • Optional Ribbon

  • Optional battery operated LED candle with clip attachment

  • Command/3M window hooks that can hold 2 lbs (just follow instructions and wait until midday when temps are warmest to set up on the window)

8. Candles

I love candles, and during the holidays I love having all different kinds of light layers in my home. But it’s really important to source your candles well. What I mean by that is making sure that the wax and fragrance are non-toxic and sustainable. Local to the Pacific Northwest, I just discovered Landmark Fine Goods. Their candles use natural coconut soy wax, phthalate-free fragrance blends, essential oils, and a cotton wick. They are dye and paraffin free also.

One of my other favorite candle companies is P.F. Candle Co. initially started as a one-woman operation by Kristen Pumphrey. The entire P.F. collection is vegan, cruelty-free, and phthalate-free and all of their candles are made with 100% domestically-grown soy wax. They also have other fantastic home products like reed diffusers and room spray. I love their Copal and Pinon candles and room sprays, as well as the Teakwood and Tobacco candle. The use a brown apothecary glass that glows beautifully in the evenings.

9. CBD Bath Salts and Salves

Anyone who works with me knows that salt baths are a part of the work - the salt water helps rebalance our fields and pull the heavier ions off into the water. A dear friend of mine gifted me The Lord Jones CBD Bath Salts and these wonderful salts help aches, pains and stress melt away. Another friend of mine recently introduced me to Dancing Barefoot Farms in Vermont who make wonderful salves, lotions and candles. I’ve found that handcrafted CBD products help ease stress and inflammation, so can be a wonderful gift to give. Just to be clear, there is no THC in these products, only CBD. As with anything, do your research about what you’re buying and make sure it’s a good fit.

I hope this Soulful Giving Guide has offered some fun and different gift ideas for this holiday season. I’d love to hear from you about what you’re giving and planning this holiday season. For me, I definitely plan on doing a lot of FaceTime chats with loved ones as I send things off in the mail. Wishing you all a happy and safe holiday full of love and connection.

Spirituality, Shamanism, HolidayVanessa Wolfholiday, gift guide, christmas, mindfulness, sustainability