You can enjoy the holidays even more when you reduce the environmental impact of your gift giving and celebrations. And shared experiences are often the best and most memorable part of the holidays.
- Give Wilmette Gift Cards for local shopping and dining, and hand-made certificates for ice cream and gelato excursions.
- Check out the great selection of second hand books, CD’s and DVD’s at Books Down Under at the Wilmette Pubic Library.
- Go treasure hunting at the many vintage and second hand stores in the area (including North Shore Exchange, YWCA Shop For Good, and Heritage Trail Mercantile) for unique and sustainable gifts.
- Book a private movie party at the Wilmette Theatre or give a movie gift certificate.
- Buy tickets or a subscription to the many fine theater and musical venues on the north shore like Writer’s Theater, North Shore Center for Performing Arts and Space.
- Visit the Evanston Art Center’s Winter Art Sale for locally-made gifts.
- Give a certificate to a local coffee shop – Central Station Coffee & Tea, Alchemy Coffee, Tala Coffee Roasters, or Curt’s Cafe.
- Order fresh dough from Alchemy for delicious home-baked scones.
- Sign your family up for weekly compost pick up with Collective Resource or through Wilmette’s municipal program with LRS.
- Create a DIY “gift card” to GGW’s 2025 Native Plant Sale (plus a promise to help with planting) along with a copy of Doug Tallamy’s book, Nature’s Best Hope.
- Visit The Book Stall in Winnetka for a selection of environmental books and many other choices, or offer a gift certificate for a shared outing there. Check out the best in eco-books here.
- Arrange for a membership to the Chicago Botanic Garden and plan a visit. Or buy tickets to CBG’s Lightscape display.
- Treat someone to a yoga, meditation, spa or massage experience.
- Offer certificates for classes at the Wilmette Park District, New Trier Extension, Evanston Art Center, Three Bags Full Knitting Studio, or a culinary school.
- Plan a mini-vacation to nearby Galena (no jet fuel used) where you can hike or snowshoe with friendly goats, snow board or take a ski lesson at Chestnut Mountain, bike or cross country ski on the Galena River Trail, book a Galena food tour, or taste local wines.
- Give a gift card to the Village Farm Stand in Evanston.
- Buy an ownership in the Wild Onion Market food co-op.
- Order some local and sustainably-raised meat from Arnold’s Farm near Elizabeth, Illinois with delivery to your door, or select well-raised meats from Zier’s.
- Prepare a special holiday dinner featuring salmon farmed in Wisconsin, available at local stores.
- Book a visit or private tour at the Brookfield Zoo, the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Shedd Aquarium.
- Book a class or party at The Waste Shed or Rebuilding Exchange.
- Give a nature immersion or forest bathing experience at The Morton Arboretum.
- Buy an electric bike or other sport equipment from the Wilmette Bicycle and Sport Shop.
- Select sustainable spirits and organic or bio-dynamic wine.
- Give a raffle ticket for a Rivian and support the Illinois Solar Energy Association.
- Offer to get rid of junk mail at DMAchoice.org.
- Donate to an environmental group your loved one supports in their name.
- Want to go BIG? Surprise your family with a promise of a wood-burning fireplace insert, electric fireplace, induction stove top, electric bike, scooter or EV car, or solar panels!
