Sinterklaas is back in the country. That means it is time for pepernoten, chocolate letters and presents. The children cannot wait to finally put their shoes back on. Sinterklaas moves with the times and would like to make things more sustainable this year. He is looking for the best vegan treats and sustainable shoe presents. Would you like to buy more sustainable presents this year? Then read on quickly!
Sustainable shoe presents: eight tips for sustainable and budget-friendly presents for in the shoe
It's almost December again. The month that is all about treats and presents. Do you also want to do things a bit more sustainable this year? In this article you will find the best tips for sustainable shoe presents. With most of these tips, you are not only doing something good for the planet, but also for your wallet.
1. Agree ahead of time how often your child can put the shoe in
Nowadays, putting the shoe is mostly associated with presents, but it is an ancient tradition that has existed since the 15th century. Poor children were then allowed to put their shoes in church on 5 December, into which rich people then put money. On 6 December, the money was distributed among the poor. Although the shoe used to be put only once, today it is usually done more often. Also, money is no longer put in the shoe, but presents are expected. Still, the shoe really does not have to be put every day. Most followers of thegreenlist.nl think so too. Our poll showed that at 68% of followers (301 votes), the shoe may be put once a week. For 13% of the voters, children may put the shoe once a year. A small group of 16% choose to put the shoe once to four times a week. There is only a small minority of 3% (14 votes), where children are allowed to put the shoe every day.
Everyone can of course decide for themselves what they do, but there are plenty of children who are not allowed to put their shoes on every day. Small children often do not yet realise this and you can make arrangements with older children. Sinterklaas is also much too busy to visit all children every day and needs a break sometimes.
2. Sustainable treats for in the shoe
The shoe does not have to be put in every day, nor does it always need presents. Children are often very happy with sweets too. The occasional unhealthy treat is okay, but it is nice if you can make a sustainable choice. How to find sustainable Saint Nicholas treats? First, you can choose to make sure the sweets are vegan. Vegan foods generally have a lower environmental impact than foods containing dairy (and meat). Fortunately, vegan spiced nuts and pepernoten are available in the supermarket (from Bolletje and Albert Heijn, for example). There are even varieties with chocolate that are vegan, but check the packaging to be sure. Or just make the tastiest vegan gingernuts yourself. Check out the easiest recipe for vegan peppernuts here.
Which brings us right to the next problem: chocolate. A chocolate letter is fun and tasty to get, but not always sustainable. Of course, you don't want the chocolate letter your children get in their shoe to have been made by other children. This shocked me too, when I first read it, but apparently child labour is common in the cocoa industry. Most chocolate is a product of deforestation, poverty and child labour. That immediately makes that chocolate letter taste a lot less delicious. According to Solidaridad, labels such as Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance are not the solution to all problems, but they are a step in the right direction. Examples of brands producing more sustainable chocolate letters are Delicata, Tony's Chocolonely and Verkade. The dark chocolate letters from these brands are vegan. If you prefer a white or milk chocolate letter that is vegan: they come from the brand Bonvita or at Holland & Barrett. You can find even more inspiration for vegan Sinterklaas products on the blog by bonusvegan, which listed all the vegan Sinterklaas treats available in supermarkets in 2021.
Tips for sustainable shoe presents: choose vegan treats and clean up your old toys.
3. Take your old toys to the thrift store or a charity
With all the presents during December, you get a lot of new stuff in the house again. While most children's rooms are already bulging with all the toys. That is why it is a good idea, during Saint Nicholas, to sort out old toys. I have a great tip for this: clear out old toys with your child every year and put them by the door. Explain to your child(ren) that there are Recyclepieten who collect things to pass on to other children. That way, every year toys go away to the recycling or charity and you teach children the art of disposing and reusing.
Another fun option: join a Swap Saint swap market. Here you can give old toys a second life and score your own presents in a sustainable and inexpensive way. Check out the Swip Swap website Whether there is a Swap Saint swap spot near you, or organise one yourself.
4. Give sustainable shoe presents that your child can put to good use
As children grow and romp fast, they need new clothes regularly. New underwear or new socks always come in handy. If you buy something with your child's favourite animal or movie character, he or she will probably be very happy too. Or how about a nice warm scarf or hat in your child's favourite colour? Could your offspring use some new clothes? Then take a look at the second-hand shop or on Marktplaats or Vinted, for example. Here you will often find the best clothes for next to nothing (including basics such as socks, pyjamas and underwear). This way, you have a useful and sustainable shoe present. A great list of sustainable children's clothing brands (which you can also find second-hand, of course) can be found here.
Recyclepietje
Many children enjoy going to school or daycare dressed up as Pete. Don't have a suitable outfit yet? Then take a look at the thrift store or a local Facebook group. Here you will often find the most beautiful outfits for a small price. This then makes a nice shoe present! Want better make-up for the sooty bits? Then check out this article on what's wrong with make-up and how to choose it better.
5. Buy small shoe presents second-hand
Would you rather give toys as gifts in the shoe anyway? Then it is better for the environment and for your wallet if you buy the shoe presents second-hand. But where can you find little gifts second-hand? Have a look at your local thrift store or check out local Facebook groups. Now if, like me, you live in an area where there aren't many thrift shops or second-hand offerings: check an online platform like Marktplaats or Vinted. There might be someone offering lots of small gifts that suit your child. I often look for something small that my children would like to have and then check the seller's profile to see if the person is selling more toys. I have often found that I found several toys from the same person that my children loved. This way, I could score a lot of small gifts in one go and only one parcel had to be sent (which also saves shipping costs).
6. Gift a voucher for an outing in the shoe
When your children are a bit older, a cool outing often makes them very happy too. And then Sinterklaas doesn't have to carry so much weight either. How about a cinema voucher, a horse-riding lesson, ice skating, a visit to a children's museum or a play paradise? Bet your child will still be talking next year about the cool outing that Saint Nicholas gift had made. You will make a lasting impression with a handwritten letter or poem from Sinterklaas attached.
Sinterklaas books, also good to find as second-hand gifts for Sinterklaas.
7. A few more ideas for sustainable shoe presents
If the second-hand circuit doesn't quite work out, I've also looked up some great ideas for small sustainable gifts for you. These small gifts are a bit more expensive, but then you have something of good quality that is less bad for the environment:
- Does your child enjoy being creative? Then he or she will probably be delighted by durable pencils, crayons A beautiful colouring book, clay or finger paint. Or how about a wooden knitting fork or buttonster?
- Give a nice educational gift in the shoe such as a trivia quartet, a wooden brainteaser Or a fun puzzle.
- Does your child love to cook and bake? Then a ready-made (vegan) baking mix is sure to be a hit too.
- Or how about a fun puzzle book or picture book? If you are still looking for a fun book about Sinterklaas, I can recommend the search-and-read book The delightful evening of St Nicholas recommend for children from three years and My look and feel book - Sinterklaas for little ones.
- Need more inspiration for small sustainable shoe gifts? On the webshop of oermens.nl, find a list of small packs under 10 euros.
Retrieved from thegreenlist.nl you will also find lots of sustainable gift ideas for different ages. Check them out: gift ideas one year, gift ideas two years, gift ideas three years, gift ideas four years.
8. Start looking for sustainable shoe presents in time
It might be a bit mustardy, but I still want to share this tip with you. After all, there will be plenty of other occasions when gifts are in demand. What makes it a lot easier for me to buy presents more sustainably: good planning. I have a list on my phone all year with gift ideas for my children (and for nephews, nieces, boyfriends and girlfriends). Anything they like or need (not urgently), I put on it. I also usually start in time to collect all gifts for holidays or birthdays. Especially if you buy it second-hand, you may need a bit more time. But you can save a lot of money this way and are nice and sustainable. In hindsight, I'm usually really glad I didn't buy any last-minute gift stress anymore.
These tips will get you through the holidays sustainably
I hope you have enough inspiration now, to buy this year's shoe presents a little more sustainably. Do you have any good tips that are not included in the article? Then be sure to let us know via the contact and follow buttons at the bottom of the page.
If you also want to wrap your sustainable shoe presents sustainably, you can do so, for example, in an old newspaper or magazine. Or check out this article for more zero waste packing tips for the holidays.
More sustainable shopping tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Do you also want to take a sustainable approach to the Saint Nicholas party? In this article, find out how to find the best second-hand Saint Nicholas gifts.
- How can you choose wrapping paper more sustainably? You can read it here.
- Steal the show with this large vegan chocolate letter.
- Also interesting: the environmental impact of hugs.
Sources: isgeschidenis.nl, Milieu Centraal, Solidaridad. Photo credits: Kirsten Schoner.
