Pay it forward with a Good Registry gift card, cater that office function with Can Do Catering, or pour yourself a festive glass of red from 27Seconds. — Pay it forward with a **Good Registry** gift card, cater that office function with **Can Do Catering**, or pour yourself a festive glass of red from **27Seconds**.

What if your Christmas shopping could result in more than a pile of ripped wrapping paper? As the silly season starts to ramp-up, Ākina social procurement advisor Julie Youngman takes a look at some festive social enterprise suppliers from the fwd: marketplace, all with much more purpose than a partridge in a pear tree…

Christmas is my favourite time of year, but it can also be stressful because, well, gifts. A lot of gifts all at the same time. I’m lucky because I get to work with the most awesome social enterprises on a daily basis. I work with fwd: Suppliers, which are social enterprises that trade with other businesses and have been fwd: certified for social procurement.

What’s social procurement I hear you ask? Ultimately, it’s about intentionally purchasing products and services from social enterprises that deliver positive social, cultural or environmental impact.

What if you bought the same awesome Christmas presents you were going to buy anyway, but bought them from social enterprises instead? It would mean you can get your Christmas shopping done, while enabling social enterprises to do the good stuff that happens when you buy from them.

Be the person that stands out this Christmas! Here’s a list of gift ideas to get you started.

Spread Christmas cheer with these delicious treats…

The Cookie Project

Christmas time is all about cookies. Seriously delicious cookies at that! The Cookie Project employs people with disabilities to bake handmade butter cookies. Matcha cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, Christmas-themed cookies… Cookie heaven!

Charity Tea

How classy and elegant is Charity Tea’s packaging? Their tea range (which includes a personal favourite: Organic Kawakawa with Lemon and Ginger) makes a beautiful Christmas gift for anyone, because who doesn’t love a good cup of tea? Charity Tea provides a meal to a child with every box of tea sold.

Jailbreaker Coffee

If you’re serious about coffee, you’ll love Jailbreaker coffee. It’s organic, locally roasted and profits are reinvested into the Christchurch community and the communities of their coffee growers overseas. Choose from coffee beans, filter, plunger and espresso grinds.

Wildness

It’s the most magical time of the year and Wildness chocolate treats are a good idea all year round. The Wildness team is based in Wellington and hand makes organic Fairtrade chocolatey goodness with Cupuaçu, which is sourced in Brazil. Wildness supports prisoner reintegration by providing training and work experience in packaging and dispatch.

27 Seconds

Christmas is claus for celebration (pun so very intentional) and what better way to say “Merry Christmas” than by gifting a bottle of wine to your friend or favourite co-worker. Especially when that wine makes a difference: 100% of 27Seconds’ profits go towards helping those affected by modern-day slavery.

Be kinder to our planet this Christmas…

Rubbish Whisperer’s reusable water balloons mean no more picking up tiny rubber scraps after a backyard water fight. Image: Instagram

The Rubbish Whisperer

Whether you’re part of your work’s secret Santa, need a last-minute stocking stuffer or the usual box of chocolates is just not going to cut it for the fifth year in a row, check out The Rubbish Whisperer’s awesome range of reusable or compostable products. Did anyone say reusable water balloons? Reusable Christmas gift wrap? Yes please.

The Good Registry

If you’re anything like me, you have so much “stuff.” Too much stuff. If the people in your life also have everything they could want and more, check out The Good Registry and gift a Good Gift card to your friends and family this Christmas. Or set up a Good Registry for yourself, so your loved ones can gift donations to your favourite charity instead of… more stuff!

Caliwoods

If living with less waste is one of your goals (or you want to encourage it amongst your friends and family), check out CaliWoods’ more sustainable alternatives to everyday plastic items, such as reusable straws, clothes pegs, cutlery, beeswax wraps and toothpaste alternatives.

Give the gift of style with these home accessories…

Downlights

Downlights creates beautifully fragranced soy candles using artisanal techniques. Their candles are hand poured and smell divine! And the best part: The candle manufacturing process provides workplace skills development and employment opportunities for young adults with Down syndrome and disabilities

Duffle&Co

Duffle&Co honestly make the most amazing bags. From pouches, to washbags, handbags, laptop bags, satchels and backpacks, and of course, duffles! They’re high quality and ethically made from naturally-derived materials. Each of their products plants five mangrove trees and is signed by the craftsman that created it.

Catering for Christmas Functions…

OK, I know I said this was about Christmas presents, but I can’t not mention these two awesome caterers, so if you or your workplace is throwing a Christmas do this year, definitely check them out…

Can Do Catering

Based in Christchurch, Can Do Catering is a catering business with a difference. They make beautiful food and can cater to any event or occasion in Christchurch. Can Do Catering creates ordinary life opportunities and work experience for people with physical disabilities, giving them autonomy, involvement and independence.

The Fearless Kitchen

The Fearless Kitchen is based in Auckland and creates the most flavoursome and artistic platters, including fruit platters, canapés, savoury and dessert platters. The Fearless Kitchen is committed to helping women return to the workforce. Check out some of their stunning creations!

Of course, with over three thousand social enterprises in New Zealand these are just a few of the awesomely impactful businesses you could buy from this Christmas. Remember, if the rampant consumerism of Christmas gets too overwhelming, and you’re struggling to work out what to get a loved one – sometimes the most meaningful thing you can give someone is your time!

Presents with Purpose: 12 Social Enterprises to buy from this Christmas