It’s that time of year again. Whether you celebrate a seasonal holiday or not, you’re likely being bombarded with ads, promotions, emails and catalogs full of junk you don’t want or need. It’s time for everyone to check out one of my favorite nonprofits, Center for the New American Dream, for ideas about how to have more fun & less stuff.
Wait, so no gifts?
Yeah, you’re right. Gifts aren’t a bad thing! I agree that it’s meaningful and fun to celebrate family and friends at holidays. Gifting can take many forms, of course. What’s more thoughtful than gifting an experience, a poem, a project or piece of art that you’ve made yourself?
I put together two sets of ideas to celebrate the herbalist in your life in case you’re not feeling crafty or creative this year. In the first category you can honor your herbalist by donating or supporting the work of other herbalists in his or her honor. In the second category, you can support the work of small businesses or independent artists by gifting fun herb-related items.
No herbs? No books?
You may notice that there aren’t many actual herbs or herbal products on my list.
I figure most herbalists make their own products or have favorites already, so I only included those that I know to be truly extraordinary for one reason or another. Likewise, I haven’t included many books because we’re such a booky group. It’s tough to predict who already has which books, so you’re better off going with other ideas unless your herbalist has specifically requested a particular book.
Got another idea?
I’d love your suggestions! I had to cut myself off after a while, so if I’ve overlooked something amazing please add a comment below or shoot me a message.
xo,
Camille
The Spirit of Giving
Consider supporting the following schools, clinics and individuals who are doing great work in the world, in the honor of your beloved.
- The Herb Bus & Herbalista Free Clinic – Building community through herbalism,this mobile herb clinic provides herbal first aid and earth-based constitutional medicine to underserved populations. The Herbalista Free Clinic, traveling via the Herb Bus, also serves as a mobile classroom. We share the Herb Bus model with communities and herb schools around the country.
- Ithaca Free Clinic – It is our mission to facilitate access to health care for all with a focus on the needs of the uninsured. At Ithaca Free Clinic we offer 100% free conventional and holistic healthcare services (including those from herbalist 7Song!) for anyone without health insurance.
- Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism – Our clinics offer individuals personalized education in self-care with herbs. We offer consultations in our professional clinic in Montpelier and in our supervised student clinics in both Montpelier and Burlington, Vermont. Our clinical services and herbs are available through sliding-scale payment, time exchange and gift; no one is turned away for lack of funds.
- Herbalists without Borders – Herbalists Without Borders vision is a global community where all people have access to affordable natural and botanical health and wellness.
- Voyage Botanica Low Income Herbal Clinic GoFund Me – some lovely “prizes” for donating seed money to Michael Cottingham’s free clinic based in Silver City, NM
- United Plant Savers – United Plant Savers’ mission is to protect native medicinal plants of the United States and Canada and their native habitat while ensuring an abundant renewable supply of medicinal plants for generations to come.
Gift Ideas for Herbalists
If you’d like to give a physical gift, here are some ideas – many of which you could use to spark your own DIY creativity :).
board: Holiday Gifts for the Herbalist on Pinterest.
