Are you having a difficult time coming up with a unique gift idea for anyone on your list? Something that person will actually use and appreciate?

I’ll be honest…over the past few years, I have really come to appreciate receiving practical gifts. As I’ve learned more about living a healthy, more natural lifestyle, I’ve come across so many products that I’ve wanted to try, but I haven’t always wanted to spend money on them for myself. So when I started receiving them as gifts, I was beyond thrilled!

This year, I decided to compile a list of my favorite health-promoting or natural-living items that I use regularly…many of which I received as gifts over the past few years. I’m hoping this list might give you some inspiration as you work on your Christmas shopping this year, or maybe it will give you something to add to your own wish list! 

Healthy Gift Ideas for the Home

Essential Oils and Diffuser

I have just started learning about the benefits of essential oils, and they truly are amazing! Using a diffuser in my home makes me feel like I’m at a spa!

Himalyan Salt Lamps

When plugged in, these salt lamps release negative ions which improve the air quality of your home and are able to help clear the air of allergens.

In addition, they come in a variety of styles and add a nice decorative touch to your home! Plus, they give off a soothing orangish-red glow, which I like for the ambiance. So this becomes both a practical and a decorative gift idea!

Bamboo Charcoal Air Purifying Bags

Bamboo charcoal purifies the air by removing toxins and reducing odors. I have several of these bags scattered throughout my home, and I think they work well to freshen up a room or even a closet.

I have even placed one in a bedroom after painting it, and the paint vapors seemed to vanish much faster than normal.

Beeswax Candles

I personally am not a fan of most candles because I try not to unnecessarily add any toxins or pollutants into my home. Unfortunately, even though candles smell great, they release a number of chemicals into the air.

So instead of burning candles, I have switched to using the three gift ideas listed above to freshen the air in my home. If you can’t quite give up candles, though, beeswax candles would be a great substitute. Unlike regular candles, the negative ions emitted from the beeswax candles can actually work to improve your indoor air quality without adding more chemicals to your air. I haven’t actually tried these myself, but if I really wanted to use candles, these are the ones I would choose.

Earthing Mat

An earthing mat (which you place on your bed to lay on while you sleep) mimics the effects you receive from walking barefoot outside.

Many people report experiencing several improvements from using an earthing mat such as improved sleep, reduced inflammation, reduction of muscle pain, increased energy, reduced snoring, and better management of stress. The earthing mats are also said to protect people from the effects of all of the electromagnetic waves (such as from wi-fi and cell phones) that our bodies are constantly exposed to.

While I can’t guarantee any results you may find from sleeping on an earthing mat, I can tell you that I researched this extensively before purchasing one, and the science behind this product appears very sound to me. I personally have noticed improvements in my sleep since using it, and I’ve even taken it with me while traveling so that I don’t have to miss a night’s sleep on it!

Microfiber Cloths

Ok, I know this is definitely not the most glamorous or exciting of Christmas gifts, but…I love using my microfiber cloths! You use them with water only, so you can avoid using a lot of harsh household cleaning products.

I’ve actually stopped buying almost all household cleaners and use the microfiber cloths to clean almost everything: kitchen counters, stainless steel appliances, windows and mirrors, toilets, bathtub, floors, and on and on…

Healthy Gift Ideas for the Kitchen

Knives

Anyone who cooks often knows the value of a good set of knives because they make cooking and chopping so much easier! We have a set of Cuisinart knives that I really love. I couldn’t find a link to the exact set I have, but the one pictured seems to be a fairly close match.

Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle

You’ve probably heard about the dangers of using plastic water bottles. Personally, I’m still a little concerned about using plastic labeled BPA free because even though it is free of BPA, it still contains many other chemicals in the plastic.

I prefer to use a stainless steel water bottle, but glass can be another good option as well.

Stainless Steel Travel Mug

I don’t think I could survive without my stainless steel travel mug! I take it with me to work everyday filled with tea. It’s worth it to invest in a good quality one that is stainless steel inside and out and that will keep your drink hot for several hours!

Thermos Stainless Steel Food Jar

This food jar is also something that I use on a daily basis. I heat up my lunch on the stove in the morning and then keep it in this food jar until lunch so that I can avoid using a microwave on a daily basis.

Also, these food jars work really well when we travel so that we can prepare a healthy meal ahead of time and minimize how often we have to eat out.

Glass Storage Containers

A couple years ago I decided to transition away from using plastic containers to store leftovers in, but it’s not cheap to buy glass storage containers! Slowly but surely, though, we have replaced all of our plastic containers with glass ones, and I feel much better about using these to store our food in.

Cast Iron Tea Pot and Trivet

Having a cup of tea in the evening can be a comforting ritual, especially in the winter months, but it seems even more enjoyable to me when you have a fun tea pot to prepare it in!

Healthy Gift Ideas for Her (or Him!)

Homemade Sugar Scrub

Making sugar scrubs can be a fun project and an inexpensive gift to give to someone. Here’s a simple recipe that I have used before and have really enjoyed!

Minimalist Running Shoes

These minimalist shoes may not be for everyone, but I have really enjoyed mine. They have a very thin sole and no arch, so they are more like walking barefoot. I know this may not sound pleasant to some people, but it is closer to nature’s intention for us.

Paleo Magazine Subscription

I don’t often buy magazines, but Paleo Magazine was a fun one to have a subscription to for a year. It has lots of great health and fitness articles as well as recipes that I found helpful.

Cookbooks

I almost left this idea off of the list simply because I had a really hard time narrowing down my list of favorite cookbooks that I would want to recommend to you! Here are two, though, that were staples for me as I transitioned to a more real foods way of eating:

Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso holds a special place in my kitchen because it was the first cookbook I purchased as I transitioned away from eating the Standard American Diet and switched to eating real foods. I still make several of the recipes in this cookbook on a regular basis!

Practical Paleo by Dianne Sanfilippo is a wealth of information! The first half of the book is filled with great health and nutrition information in easy to understand language and through the use of easy to read graphics and charts. The second part of the book has meal plans and lots of great recipes.

I hope this healthy gift giving guide is helpful for you! I really wanted to share some of my personal favorite items that I not only enjoy, but that I also feel good about using because they are health promoting and don’t contribute to the toxic burden we are exposed to on a daily basis.

(Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you choose to purchase something through my link, but it will be at no extra cost to you. If you decide to use one of my links, please know that I am very grateful to you for supporting my work on this blog. Also, please be assured that I only share suggestions of products that I either personally use or would recommend to my closest friends and family!)

Please share in the comments if you have any other healthy holiday gift ideas!