'Starting Christmas shopping now will help spread the cost, and buying online keeps your Christmas present miles low.'

Even though it’s only October, there have been Christmas decorations in the shops since the children went back to school and the shopping days to Christmas are counting down.

Starting Christmas shopping now will help spread the cost, and buying online keeps your Christmas present miles low.

Here is a range of ideas for eco Christmas presents, and buying them through the links below, or using the links from the Surefish Shop and searching the individual sites raises money for Christian Aid.

We have linked directly to the featured products where possible. If you a link goes to a home page, please search within that site for the featured product - Christian Aid will still receive a percentage of what you spend!

Ten gifts under a tenner

1. Sheep tape measure from Traidcraft – £3.75 – a fair trade product from Vietnam.
   
   
2. EGG from Nigel’s Eco Store – £3.99 – in the UK we waste a lot of our fresh food, and this egg in the salad drawer of the fridge could cut the amount we have to throw away.
   
   
3. Envirosax reusable shopping bags from Green Trading – £5.49 – compact, reusable and waterproof.
   
   
4. Water-resistant wallet from Nigel’s Eco Store – £12.99 – made from 100% recycled and recyclable materials.
   
   
5. Recycled glass tumbler from Debenhams – £2 – dishwasher-safe tumbler made from recycled glass.
   
   
6. Wind up charger from Dixons – £6.84 – never be without an eco charge even when the sun isn’t shining.
   
   
7. Grow your own herb garden from Amazon – £5.99 – grow fresh herbs indoors or out.
   
   
8. Colouring pencils from Love Eco – £2.25 – ten colouring pencils made from sustainable wood.
   
   
9. Carve your own card from Nigel’s Eco Store – £4.99 – carve a postcard from sustainable wood.
   
   
10. Chocolate from Traidcraft – £8 – a gift-wrapped box of Belgian fair trade chocolate in white, milk and dark.

Ten gifts £10 to £30

1. Toy fort from Big Green Smile – £19.95 – flat-pack fort complete with turrets and drawbridge, made from recycled cardboard.
   
   
2. Puma Dynamo wind-up LED torch from ECOutlet – £11.99 – light your way with a few turns of the handle.
   
   
3. Stop the World organic T-shirt from Plain Lazy – £18 – organic cotton T-shirt.
   
   
4. Recycled jeans from M&S – £25 – jeans made with 30% recycled cotton.
   
   
5. Sun jar from Nigel’s Eco Store – £14.99 – trap the un and let it out at night.
   
   
6. Compost bin from B&Q – £29.98 – hard to fit in a stocking, but just what the keen gardener wants!
   
7. Solar charger from Amazon – £22.92 – charge up batteries, your phone, iPod or PDA with free power from the sun.
   
   
8. Trees and flowers from Nigel’s Eco Store – £12.50 – plant some flowers and sponsor a tree.
   
   
9. Retro milk bottle jug from Love Eco – £22 – a jug made from a real milk bottle, complete with real adverts!
   
   
10. Wind-powered light from Firebox – £10.95 – it’s a light and it’s wind-powered…
    

Ten gifts £30 to £100

1. Cotton and gauze wrap baby carriers from Bebe Cannelle – £49.99 to £99.99 – versatile fabric baby carriers u sing organic and fair trade fabric.
   
   
2. Wooden walking elephant from BabiPur – £99.99 – an elephant that really walks, made from sustainable rubberwood.
   
   
3. A peep of chicken doorstops from Love Eco – £50 – a flock of chicken doorstops made from vintage fabric.
   
   
4. Fire hose saddle bag from Pure Design – £99 – the bag is made from fire hoses, and so is waterproof (obviously…) and is lined with recycled office textiles.
   
   
5. Flip n Tip Fred from Hamleys – £32 – learn about recycling with a friction powered recycling truck.
   
   
6. Standby saving plug from Nigel’s Eco Store – £39.99 – turn off peripherals when the computer goes into standby.
   
   
7. Eco-heather hoodie from Green Trading – £43 – keep snug in organic cotton and recycled polyester.
   
   
8. Firewinder wind-powered light from Firebox – £99.95 – again, it’s a light and it’s wind-powered, but this one is a lot bigger and very cool.
   
   
9. Chaos shelf from Nigel’s Eco Store – £76.00 – gloriously chaotic shelving made from cardboard.
   
   
10. Fair trade wine from Traidcraft – £78.60 – a case of fair trade red and white wines.
    

Ten gifts over £100

1. Hybrid bike from Evans Cycles – £299.99 – make your commuting as eco as it can be!
   
   
2. Rechargeable bike light from Halfords – £139.99 – be safe and be seen with this very bright LED light.
   
   
3. Rocky Chair from Nigel’s Eco Store – £1469.99 – a rocking armchair made from a recycled cinema or theatre seat.
   
   
4. Solar Mate III solar lighting kit from Big Green Smile – £229.99 – solar panels complete with two fluorescent lights.
   
   
5. Electric scooter from Firebox – £999.95 – 100% electric scooter, producing no nasty diesel fumes.
   
   
6. Solar panel kits from B&Q – from £600 – use the sun to heat your water.
   
   
7. Wind-up media player from Nigel’s Eco Store– £129.99 – one minute of winding for 45 minutes eco music playing.
   
   
8. Power Monkey Gorilla solar laptop charger from Big Green Smile – £139.99 – power your laptop or charge your phone from the sun.
   
   
9. Eco handbag from Love Eco – £149 – handbag made from reclaimed leather remnants.
   
   
10. Christmas party hamper from Nigel’s Eco Store – £117.50 – everything you need for a Christmas party (except the people!)
    

And if there’s nothing you fancy here, have a look at the other links in the Surefish Shop (and keep an eye on the special offers), or buy something from Present Aid – these virtual gifts raise money for Christian Aid and range from £5 for 50 fruit trees to £1400 for a bridge. There’s a free calendar if you spend over £40.

Have a happy Green Christmas!

Suzanne Elvidge is a freelance writer and Surefish Ethical Living Editor

Further reading

• Read other ethical lifestyle articles