While you don’t need to be a Grinch about it, sometimes the holidays can feel a little too commercial and distracted from the real meaning of the season of giving.
To celebrate the holidays in 2025, try combining a gift they’ll love with a give-back mission they’ll love even more, perhaps growing both your hearts at least three sizes.
Read on for the best gifts that give back in 2025, from products with a powerful give-back mission, donations in their name and even more creative finds that fit perfectly under the tree and in their stockings.
This is a statement we can all get behind, and the name of the organization you’ll be supporting with a donation or a bottle of the hard stuff—F*ck Cancer. The foundation has teamed up with Penelope Bourbon and Shared Pour for a combined donation of $500,000 this season by way of their limited edition bottles. Find the 2025 special release bottle here and help Shared Pour get to their $250,000 contribution and then also head to the F*ck Cancer x Penelope Bourbon site to pledge even more directly.
If coffee is what keeps you or your loved one going, make sure to pick up some coffee grounds or whole beans with a very special mission. Grounds & Hounds is a company that not only pledges a 20% donation from each sale to the cause, but also features a Rescue Roast in which 100% of proceeds are donated to a different dog rescue each month. Buy Rescue Roast here and check out November’s shelter for a direct donation.
Thistle Farms is a one-stop shop for all your holiday gifting and decor, with the main message of hope and support at the core of it all. The items in the holiday shared trade collection are all made by women artisans around the world, plus the rest of the site aids Thistle Farms’ mission to provide two years of free housing plus healthcare, therapy and support to women who have experienced sexual trauma, trafficking, exploitation and more. Read more about their impact and sanctuary here and then head to their holiday shop for the 2025 season.
If you don’t have room for a baby elephant or a beluga whale in your home, but want to support their survival, here is an adorable solution. The World Wildlife Fund has symbolic animal adoptions that include a plushie of the animal of your choosing. The stuffed animal comes at the $60+ donation amount, but for just $25 receive a formal adoption certificate as well as a species spotlight card with facts about the endangered critter. Check out all of the options here, toggling between donation amounts to see the full selection.
After the devastating Eaton Fire in Pasadena almost a year ago, there is still work to be done to repair the damage, and for those in the California area or fans of Dawes the Band, tickets to this anniversary benefit concert make for a perfect present. The concert will be held on January 7 and features a very special lineup including Brad Paisley, Brandon Flowers of The Killers, Jackson Browne, Mandy Moore and more. All proceeds support the Altadena Builds Back Foundation, for which more information can be found here. Tickets are now on sale at Ticketmaster and at Dawes the Band’s site.
The winter can be cold, but the holidays can really be hard for kids and their families struggling with cancer. Love Your Melon, a Minnesota-based company originally started by two college students, is now a lifestyle brand with an amazing mission. When you buy a LYM hat, the company not only gives a hat to a child battling cancer, but they also add in a 15% donation to pediatric cancer research and organizations. Watch their story here and browse their beanies, accessories and even gift cards here.
Sure, you could give your employees a mug or a pizza party, but the gifts from Packed with Purpose really do pack a much more meaningful punch when the holidays roll around. The gifting site has corporate and employee gifting as well as gift baskets and more, with each item hand-picked for the companies give-back mission or their story. Some examples include toffee candies with a give-back to ovarian cancer, chocolates that help veterans experiencing homelessness and a grow-kit gardening company that gives back by way of planting trees and climate education. Read more about Packed with Purpose’s mission here and then shop for gifts on their site.
While it won’t technically fit under the tree, you can symbolically adopt a star this season and top the tree with your certificate. The non-profit helps raise money for Kepler and TESS missions to continue exploring the stars and planets above, to learn more about our vast galaxy. Learn more here, and then should you wish to adopt and name your star, which includes a certificate as well as coordinates to view your star on Google Earth, click here, with stars starting at just $10.
Some gift cards can feel like a cop out when it comes to gifting, but this one is actually one of the most thoughtful around. TisBest offers gift cards that allow the recipient to choose from hundreds of charities, letting them pick the one that means the most to them or their families. The site allows for any amount from $10 and up, and also the choice between a physical card to be mailed or an e-gift card perfect for last-minute gifting. See the full steps here to order now.