With Christmas right around the corner, people are hustling and bustling to get their last-minute gifts. This year, most of us turned to online shopping to avoid the crowded malls and long line ups. And due to the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are faced with limiting store capacities or lockdown entirely. So if you find yourself with an odd gift from Amazon, you may want to cut your sender some slack; it’s the thought that counts afterall. But, at the same time, one of the worst gifts to receive is a gift you can’t use. Unusable gifts can end up in the garbage which is a waste to both the sender and the recipient, but most importantly, it harms our environment.
I received a fair share of odd gifts this year. Without face to face contact, it’s difficult to gauge what someone may want for a gift. It’s also difficult to verify the integrity of a gift, like a food-related items ordered on UberEats. For my birthday this year, I received a slice of moldy cheesecake with a decayed strawberry on top. Even if it were a fresh cheesecake, unfortunately, I’m lactose-intolerant. It was difficult to tell the sender what I received, so I expressed my gratitude and proceeded to throw the cheesecake away. Not only is that disappointing, it’s wasteful for the sender. However, that’s not uncommon behavior.
If you ever watched Jim Carrey's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, there’s a scene where the Grinch expresses how many Christmas gifts end up in his garbage. This couldn’t be closer to the unfortunate truth. Unwanted gifts that can’t be exchanged, refunded, or resold, end up in the garbage or the back of someone's garage or closet until it becomes garbage. Furthermore, with services like Amazon hitting record sales, there’s an enormous amount of returned goods going into the bin.
This year, CBC Marketplace conducted an undercover investigation into Amazon Canada’s return process. The investigation uncovered there are truckloads of returns arriving at Amazon Canada’s facilities awaiting disposal. The items are shredded, broken apart, and sent to landfills. Items that could be reused, resold or even donated are further impacting our environment. But, it’s not just Canada. A television investigation in France exposed similar behaviors in Amazon’s return process.
Alongside the hundreds of thousands of boxes — especially from Amazon — arriving to destinations per day, our holiday gift-disposing behavior is doing a lot of harm to our beautiful Earth.
So, whether you’re a last minute shopper or an early bird, consider these gift-giving tips to avoid wasteful behavior.
Ask for a gift receipt.
Whenever you purchase a gift for someone, always ask for a gift receipt and include it in your gift. Never make assumptions that someone will LOVE your gift and don’t feel offended if they don’t love your gift. Give your recipient the option to exchange the gift for something of equal or lesser value they’ll enjoy.
If you’ve already received a gift without a gift receipt, don’t be afraid to ask for one. I know it may seem a little rude but, I think it’s far more unpleasant to throw out a gift or stash it away for 20 years. Make good use of your gift, even if that means exchanging it for another.
Send a gift card
I love sending gift cards! They might seem like a lackluster present but, gift cards are lovely gifts to send to someone you may not know too well. Instead of pulling out your hair trying to guess a particular item a person would like, opt to send a gift card with enough value so the recipient can choose from a lovely variety of options. It’s the worst to receive a gift card of $50 but, everything at the store is over $50.
Gift cards are also extremely helpful to people who are in transitional periods of their lives. Such as moving careers, transitioning to higher education, or moving to a new home. For instance, a person moving homes may have a particular decor in mind. Instead of buying a specific item you assume matches their decor, buy the individual a gift card to a furniture store, you know they frequent.
Exchange wishlists
For the past five years, I opted to share a wishlist with my friends and family. Exchanging wishlists can be a fun activity with your loved ones that guarantees you’ll get a gift you love. It can also provide a guideline as to what a person values in their life. For example, one year, I added a list of books I wanted for Christmas. Although my sender didn’t send the exact books I requested, they sent other books they thought I would enjoy. And I really did enjoy them! My wishlist gave my sender an idea of what I liked, so they could send something I would enjoy but retain the element of surprise.
Donate
If you can’t sell, exchange, or return your item then do a good a deed and give to someone in need. The Christmas season is about goodwill to all man — and woman — kind. Donating your gift gives another person the opportunity to make good use of it. Locate your local donation center and give the gift that keeps on giving.
