Nether Wallop Trading Co Original Paper Potter   £10.95

This award-winning tool, made from solid FSC oak, allows you to turn old newspapers into sturdy little pots for your seedlings. The paper pots are biodegradable – so as soon as your seedlings are large enough to plant out, they can be put into the ground, pot and all. This is a fantastic way to reuse newspapers and get pots for free – and is a fun activity for children too! A great gift for gardeners.

Bramley Bath Salts   £16

Made in Somerset, this lovely bath treat contains sustainable, biodegradable ingredients along with the finest essential oils. The uplifting fragrance of lavender, spearmint and geranium – with real lavender flowers – offers a refreshing boost during the busy festive season. The natural ingredients in the salts soften the water and are kind to skin. Bramley products contain no nasty chemicals or additives; they're not tested on animals, and are attractively presented in recyclable packaging.

Oakwood Soaperie

Cinnamon Fig Soap   £4.50

This luxurious, handmade natural soap has a wonderful warm and spicy fragrance that will leave your bathroom smelling beautifully festive. Made with olive and coconut oils and cocoa butter, it has a creamy texture that's gentle and nourishing for skin. Attractively swirled with ground cinnamon and cocoa, and containing clove, ginger and cinnamon essential oils, this is the most Christmassy soap we've ever come across! A super stocking filler.

Alpacaly Ever After

Turn Up Beanie knitting kit   £28

Containing everything you need to make a stylish beanie, these kits are fantastic for crafty friends. The sumptuously soft alpaca-blend wool is gorgeous to work with – and the easy-to-follow instructions make this kit suitable for both beginners and experienced knitters alike. The hat can be knitted up quickly on the quality, wooden needles provided within the kit – and the finished product is super-soft and comfortable to wear. There's also a baby beanie kit with enough soft alpaca wool to knot up to four tiny hats – perfect for those expecting a new addition to the family!  

Christmas unwrapped

Here's a selection of our favourite packaging-free presents:

Trees for Life gift card This beautiful Plant a Tree card (right) makes a unique and meaningful gift. For each card purchased a native tree will be planted, restoring the wild forests of the Scottish Highlands. £7.99

National Trust membership Enjoy free access to hundreds of unforgettable places, and help protect them for future generations. From £64.80 per year

Alpacaly Ever After Alpaca Walks Take the family on a walk with alpacas along the shores of Derwentwater in the stunning Lake District. From £60

Theatre Tokens Treat your loved ones to a night out to remember, with gift vouchers that can be used at more than 240 venues nationwide, including all of London's West End.

Oxfam Unwrapped Choose from a huge selection of gifts that will help others, from seeds to help poor families grow their own food, to funding a child's education. From £5

The Wise House Bee's Wrap Assorted 3-Pack   £14.50

We've been searching for a good alternative to cling film for a while – and this re-usable wrap is spot on. Made from organic cotton infused with bees' wax, jojoba oil and tree resin, it moulds over the tops of bowls and dishes to keep food fresh. This pack contains three different sizes of wrap, and its antibacterial properties help keep food fresh naturally. It's malleable, water resistant, and airtight – as well as being fully biodegradable and compostable. The Wise House offers a range of beautiful and ethical eco gifts, from organic cotton clothing to recycled napkin rings.

Temporary Measure

Story Book Collection   £26.99

Packed with charming illustrations and simple but beautiful storylines, these lovely little keepsake books are perfect bedtime reading for little ones. The trilogy features loveable characters – Rabbit, Biggest Big Bear and Racoon – as they explore the natural world around them. Featuring soaring birds, fish splashing in the stream, high mountains, and deep forests full of fallen leaves and acorns, this is an enchanting gift that will be treasured.

Our Tiny Bees Vanilla and Honey Body Scrub    £11.95

This luxurious body scrub is laced with honey and vanilla, and smells good enough to eat. Scrubbed into wet skin in the shower or bath, the richly moisturizing formula gently exfoliates skin, leaving it smooth, soft and nourished. The Our Tiny Bees range also includes bath melts – solid bath oils that are made with honey, cocoa, shea and coconut, and wrapped like a chocolate bar. Bath melts are available in honey, citrus or lavender – just break off a couple of squares and add to warm water for an indulgent, moisturizing bath. British made from all natural ingredients – and you get a free lip balm when you spend £20!

Talking Trees Country Wisdom & Folklore Diary 2018   £12

We love this unusual diary from Talking Trees – and this year's edition is just as lovely as last year's. Packed with fascinating folklore, poetry, and beautiful illustrations, the diary helps to keep alive and celebrate the UK's rich and diverse cultural heritage. Contains information about phases of the moon, sunrise and sunset, and all the major feast and celebration days, as well as proverbs and stories about ancient customs and characters. Highly recommended.

Penguin Books Little Book of Lykke   £9.99

We've all heard of hygge, but now a new Danish concept is hitting the headlines. Lykke is what the Danes call happiness – and, as one of the happiest nations in the world, this is something they know a thing or two about. Written by Meik Wiking – best-selling author of the Little Book of Hygge, and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen – this is a beautifully illustrated, witty and entertaining book. It examines key areas of life – including health, wealth and community – exploring how each area relates to the pursuit of happiness. It won't surprise you to find out that money doesn't bring you happiness – but you may be surprised that being happy can make you richer! A great gift that will make someone very happy.

EcoYoga Jute Ecomat   £42

Made from sustainable jute and 100 per cent natural rubber, these eco-friendly yoga mats make a great gift for yoga fanatics. They offer a fantastic grip, and are a pleasure to practise on – with no risk of slipping during Downward Facing Dog or Warrior 1. The cushioned underside creates a warm and comfortable base for lying and sitting postures, even on hard floors. They're also fully biodegradable. Perfect for yoga classes and practising at home.

By Heather May Christmas Hearth Reed Diffuser   £19.99

Combining classic festive scents of Christmas trees and spicy orange, this eco-friendly reed diffuser, made from recycled materials, will have your home smelling Christmassy in no time. The gift sets are made in Derbyshire, and contain an attractive, vintage-style glass bottle, fragrance oil and natural reeds – all presented in a beautiful linen gift bag. The scent – a blend of fir, pine, spices, orange and smoke – is gorgeous, without being overpowering.  

Clyde Candles Frankincense and Myrrh Candle   £15

Handmade in Clydebank, Scotland, with all natural soy wax, this festively fragranced candle is elegantly presented in a stylish white and gold gift box. The warm, evocative scent quickly fills a room – and with a burn time of 50 hours, this is a gift that will continue to give pleasure throughout the Christmas season. Clyde Candles is a family-run business, producing a beautiful range of natural, quality candles. As well as the glass jars, the range is available in smaller candle tins – and includes many wonderful fragrance combinations, such as the deliciously fruity cassis and sweet fig.

Image Merry and Bright Collection   £19.99

Giving tired, winter skin a boost, the Image Merry and Bright Collection Protects, nourishes and nurtures the face to give it a healthy, radiant glow. This gift set includes a range of Vital C products – containing natural botanicals and antioxidants – that are ideal for caring for dehydrated skin. With treatments for day and night, including cleanser, anti-ageing serum, a hydrating enzyme masque and moisturizers, this set is perfect if you need party-ready skin but don't have time for a salon facial. Image Skincare produce professional skincare products without the use of chemical preservatives like parabens. Instead they're made with natural and plant-derived preservatives – and are never tested on animals. Call 0345 504 0461 to find your nearest stockist.

Yuletide: A journey through the days of December   £8

This brilliant alternative to an Advent calendar takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the Yule period. The page-a-day format offers stories, folklore, recipes and craft ideas that will put you in a thoroughly festive mood – and can be used year after year. Learn about ancient customs and traditions such as kissing boughs, wassailing and 'first footing'. Unlike standard Advent calendars, Yuletide takes you right through to New Year's Eve – and it's a wonderful antidote to the mass consumerism of a modern Christmas.

Raw Halo Christmas Wishes gift box   £18.99

These raw, handmade chocolate bars contain less sugar than standard chocolate – so they are a healthy alternative for chocoholics. There are six innovative, mouth-watering flavours in this gift box, including ginger and pecan, sweet orange, and cinnamon and raisin. The 35g bars are beautifully presented in colourful, gold-edged packaging, in an elegant white box adorned with gold calligraphy. All the ingredients in Raw Halo chocolate bars are natural and organic. The bars are gluten-free, and vegan – so everyone can enjoy them. And they're an ethical choice too, made with high-quality cacao sourced from small fair trade farms in Peru.