[Originally posted in 2019 — updated for 2020]

Hello! Happy Holidays!

Let me start by saying a few things…

#1) I don’t happen to celebrate Christmas (we’re Jewish – although December 25th is my late mother’s birthday(!), so we do take the day to remember her and spend it with family!)

#2) I don’t buy much of anything at all for my family — years of poverty and scarcity definitely produces a new sense of priorities! Combine that with environmentalism, and just the idea of recommending products for people to buy (new, from retailers or online) represents a real conflict for me! [But my readers have asked me for this… so….]

#3) Many of the purportedly “green” holiday gift-buying guides you see out there – with 100 items (or 150 items – or 300 items!) seem really ridiculous to me. Never mind how an ostensibly “environmentally-focused” blogger or columnist could possibly “personally recommend” that many different manufactured items — holiday gift-buying guides that large and “comprehensive” that purport to be about going “green”, “non-toxic”, “fostering sustainability”, etc. are highly suspect. Is the inclusion of each item on those omnibus lists motivated by a genuine concern for environmental health and sustainability, actually improving your family’s health or reducing your carbon footprint [a silly item that nobody needs?…the latest gratuitous consumer electronics gadget?…disposable fashion – especially stuff like microplastics-shedding fleece items?! ]— or are they possibly just looking to rack up as many referral credits as possible?

#4) I try to always only recommend things I personally use and love / have personally bought and love (or items I have personally tested for other families and feel especially good about) – but above all, things I personally believe are 100% safe choices for my family and yours — based on my own testing!)

#5) When I recommend something, it is specifically because it is non-toxic from a heavy metals perspective— in that it is not likely to contain Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Arsenic or Antimony, based on testing I have done. I may sometimes reluctantly recommend things made of plastic (which is also bad – on so many levels), but if I do, it is because it is likely to last a long time – and benefit your family for years (or decades) into the future (and/or allow you to improve your health, consume less, reduce waste, reuse or up-cycle, etc.). I try not to recommend plastic items that seem like they would get easily broken or damaged with normal use, or be likely to wear out quickly. [And I wish more companies would get on the bandwagon and use/develop environmentally-sustainable, carbon-neutral, biodegradable plant-based feedstocks for their plastics, or substitute more environmentally-friendly non-plastic materials instead where possible — as there are an ever-growing list of innovative examples!]

#6) While I always look for high-quality goods (nontoxic, well-designed & constructed, and most important – durable), I have tried to stick with inherently inexpensive items here (under $30-ish, with a cap of $40), whenever possible. I have – however – included a couple of more expensive items – for folks looking to purchase or replace a really special item.

#7) Yeah, OK – I guess some of these things are technically too big to be considered “stocking stuffers”… I’ll work on perfecting this list and try to find more small things!

#8) Amazon links are affiliate links; if you purchase something after clicking on one of my links I may receive a small percentage of what you spend (usually around 6%) at no additional cost to you. Naturepedic links are also affiliate links. Kleynimals and Caveman Cups have sponsored my work. Green Toys donates products to me for giveaways whenever I ask (for the past 10+ years!) With each corporate sponsor I was a fan of their products before I invited them to sponsor my work. I don’t accept sponsorships from companies (or recommend products) if I don’t stand behind the products 100%.

#9) Words highlighted in BOLD in PINK and BLUE are links (affiliate links or links to other websites or related blog posts on this website.)

All that said, I am going to keep this list as SHORT as possible, with just a handful of choices for each category. Some of these items are items from specific vendors or manufacturers; some of these items represent categories I feel generally good about (where I would buy anything from that brand, or anything from that category). While I understand the inclination and tendency to buzz through lists, please realize that I took the time to write WORDS to accompany each recommendation, so please read those – as they will give you a better understanding of why I have chosen that item (or category of item)!

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Gifts for babies:

• Kleynimals (Any and all of their products!; Made in the USA!). Car keys and house keys are toxic and dangerous for babies to play with (they usually test positive for Lead in the 10,000 to 20,000 ppm range and anything over 100 ppm is considered unsafe for children.) Unfortunately I have never met a baby who doesn’t want to play with mom, dad, grandma or grandpa’s “real metal keys”. Kirsten (the owner and founder of Kleynimals) came up with a solution: non-toxic, real metal (food grade stainless steel), baby-safe toy keys! Use the “leadsafemama” discount code for a 15% discount on any single item on her website (not for bundled items – details here). Kleynimals is a sponsor of the Lead Safe Mama website, my Lead-poisoning prevention advocacy work and independent consumer goods testing, and I have loved their products ever since I learned about them — long before they came on board as a sponsor! I especially love their baby utensils set (a perfect gift to welcome a new baby into the family) and their fidget toy (for the young-at-heart – including kiddos of all ages!)

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• Organic cotton two-tone “Cushie Caps” and matching baby blankets (I like the extra large ones for wrapping up babies of all sizes!) from Decent Exposures of Seattle. When you order you have to choose “organic cotton” from the drop down menu, and then choose the two colors you want (I got light blue and dark blue for one of my boys and purple and blue for another). Choose the same colors and fabric for your blanket and you end up with a super-cute, heirloom-quality baby gift. I have been a fan of their products, and a customer for more than 23 years (since I was pregnant with my oldest son). – I have no financial relationship with this company – except I have spent a LOT of money on their products (for myself and as gifts) over the past 2+ decades!

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• Life Factory baby bottles. I like these bottles because they have no painted markings (measurements or logos) and so there is no chance that the paint can have Lead (like so many other bottles out there do!!) The also have completely Lead-free glass and clever silicone sleeves to make them easier to hold! I am still using bottles of theirs that I bought 5 or 10 years ago. The first blue link in this post is a stocking stuffer sized set for $30. This is a link to a more expensive set if you want to buy a starter kit for someone with a new baby!

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• Anything from Green Toys! These toys are made from recycled milk bottles and always test safe (from a toxicant perspective, using XRF technology). They also last forever – so they are a very durable toy you can hand down to another child (we still have our teapot like this from 11 years ago – and even though it has spent many months outside it is still in nearly new condition!) In general I don’t like plastic BUT if it is made from a 100% recycled resource into a product that can last forever I think that it is a good exception to this rule. I especially love their little cars and their tea set. – I have no financial relationship with this company, but they have donated products to my raffles and give-aways in past years.

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Gifts for younger children:

• Matchbox Cars [Any and all of the new, brand-name Matchbox or Hotwheels cars!] You can usually buy these in brick-and-mortar stores (not online) for about 99 cents each. When my kids were little I would stock up and keep 25 or 50 on hand and give them out as “treats” and “rewards” for good behavior (instead of sweets or crappy toys!)
• Legos® [Any (new) Legos® — but avoid older (vintage) pieces, off-brand knockoffs, and hand-me-downs — as these often contain heavy metal toxicants]
• Colored Pencils + Paper (or a new notebook!) Who doesn’t love a new set of colored pencils for the holidays?! I don’t have a concern for toxicants in colored pencils – because kiddos are less likely to eat them (compared to crayons, which I never recommend, from a toxics perspective!) – & BTW, my favorite art supply store! [Link]
• (Real) musical instruments: Drums, tambourines, cymbals, trumpets*, a piano!!! Get music in your kid’s life early! (of course a piano or drum kit won’t fit in the stocking – but we have gotten many of our instruments for free – hand-me-downs from friends and family – so it also doesn’t necessarily have to cost a lot — and you can make a little card for the stocking that tells them to look on the porch for their gift… or something like that.) *If you are looking into brass band instruments, please make sure to get a Lead-free mouthpiece for your young musician. Look at premium, Lead-free mouthpieces, Monette or Giddings are good brands – and they will generally retain their value for resale (they are not cheap.) Plus, the mouthpiece can fit in the stocking, and you can put the instrument under the tree!). [Additional note: Avoid harmonicas, vintage plastic recorders, and hand-painted instruments, like many maracas.]
• Start putting together a “camping kit” for your kiddo… a box of things that belongs just to them – that they can help be responsible for when you go back-country or car-camping. Start with some things from Caveman Cups! cups – plates – bowls… then add a flashlight, a pack of carabiners (I bought these for my kids), a Lead-free water bottle from Hydroflask, a Swiss Army pocket knife (depending on their age) and a rain poncho!

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Gifts for older children:

• Classic Games: Games that are educational (teach language, reading, writing, math, logic, economics, etc.) are a staple in our home. These are mostly games that my husband and I also played as children and they are games that will last a very long time (as long as you keep track of the pieces). Playing them with the family also creates memories that last forever too. Some of our favorites: Mad Libs – we just got this and the kids are having a blast with it!, Boggle – great for road trips / flights, Travel Scrabble – I bought this exact set for myself and I LOVE it (since the tiles stick in the game and disabled kids cannot easily make a mess of this!), Connect Four, Forbidden Island (a favorite of all my kids!), Monopoly (Charlie’s forever favorite!).

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• High quality science-focused kits and tools: (ideally without a bunch of extraneous plastic packaging elements!) Encouraging scientific inquiry supports the development of future generations of environmentalists and activists. Investing in good tools to that end is never a bad idea! – My son was gifted this rock polisher last year and loves it! 

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• Sewing and Knitting Supplies: Giving children the tools to make things themselves in invaluable and they usually really appreciate assembling their own kits. The fun thing is that once you start a kit like this you can add things to it with new (inexpensive) stocking stuffer type items each year. Important to note: please buy new, please avoid vintage sewing paraphernalia – the vintage stuff is almost always leaded! While I can offer some affiliate links for a few items you might want to include, it is probably best (and the most economical) to go to your local craft store and assemble a kit that your kiddo will love! Ideas to include: a thimble, sewing needles, scissors, thread, yarn, knitting needles, a lead-free measuring tape, embroidery floss, fabric swatches for little projects (see the “gifts for your cats” category below for a fun first-sewing-project idea), etc. If you do buy them a sewing case look for something durable that will last forever… not something made of plastic or vinyl (and also avoid potentially Leaded-brass hardware). I always used to use a vintage hat box or vintage makeup case for mine when I was younger — until I knew about Lead. I learned recently that many of those are Lead-free (and there is usually only Lead in any hand-painted elements – like monograms) so that still might be a good choice (sorry I cannot recommend a particular vintage brand to look for – but look for fabric-covered ones – vs. leather or vinyl.) If you troll the aisles in a Good Will shop (or the Salvation Army or similar) you actually might find a good equipment case that is durable and can be repurposed as a sewing kit.  In terms of new options, something like this (link) is likely not a bad choice (from a toxicant perspective) but might not be super long-lasting or durable. You may even check out choices in the new luggage department. for a more durable option.

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Gifts for college-age kids:

• Phone charger / universal USB power bank. I just got one of these, and I absolutely love it (it has supported my productivity – and reduced my “range anxiety” as well, lol)!– Not necessarily [internally] “non-toxic”, but no heavy metals in any accessible components, when tested with an XRF instrument – plus the “environmental benefit” of this item includes that it can help extend the useful lifetime of the items it charges – given running a battery down to zero on a regular basis will result in needing to replace the battery on that item [or – in the case of, say, an iPhone, folks will often wind up – given the expense and hassle of replacing the prematurely-degraded, non-user-accessible battery – “upgrading” (replacing) an otherwise perfectly usable device!] sooner than later.

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• Shower Shoes – by Birkenstock – we bought these for our kids and they LOVE them! They can of course also be worn outside of the shower, but are a great choice for slipping on to wear to the shower in the dorms (or to class or to the beach!), or in other wet environments where they may substantially outlast the classic premium leather-and-cork Birkenstocks!

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• A cozy organic cotton bathrobe! [Will not fit in a stocking, and is not under $40.00 (sorry – but they’re just soooo comfy! lol); we bought two of these – one for me and one for my husband, and now plan on buying a third  – for my eldest – as soon as we have $ for that!]

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• Travel Alarm Clock (Same caveat as the battery charger above.) While (as an overall rule) I avoid all things battery-operated whenever possible – given the concerns with cell phones (re: possible harm from very-close-range long-term chronic exposure to cell phones), I prefer not to have my kiddos sleep with his phone next to his head as an alarm clock! Accordingly, I got each of my older sons travel alarm clocks at the Miniso store in Los Angeles. This one on Amazon is similar, just make sure you get them some rechargeable batteries and a charger to go with it – which is at least the more environmentally conscious direction if you must buy something battery-operated!.

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• Adult size organic jammies (one of my favorite companies for these is Hanna Andersson, I don’t have any financial relationship with them!)

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Gifts for Mom:

• Sterling Silver Earrings – I think you are best buying these in person from a local artisan, jeweler, or boutique – rather than Amazon or other online vendor. You can get a nice pair for under $30 easily. Make sure they are stamped 925. Here’s more advice on choosing safe jewelry.

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• Hand made “gift cards” made by the kids (for experiences and time together). We used to make a pack of cards for our mom that were “coupons” that could be redeemed for us cleaning the bathrooms, giving her a massage or pedicure, going grocery shopping and other things she would like that we did not normally (or frequently) do. 
• A Lead-free mug! OMG I found a new company that makes ceramic mugs that I like! I was skeptical…. I thought their mugs would have trace Lead, but the one example I have tested (so far) from their 2019 selection was 100% Lead-free — in both the glaze and the substrate! Click here (I do not have a financial relationship with this company, I am just happy to have found them and happy for truth-in-advertising, for a change! Disclaimer: I also have only tested one example so far – so I cannot know for sure if this is across the board, but, based on the one set of stellar test results, I have a generally good feeling about this company! This is the link to the exact mug I bought – in “Elements Blue.”)

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• A new organic / natural fiber pillow! (Granted, not under $40 and won’t fit in the stocking! But who wouldn’t love a new pillow?!) If you are going to only upgrade ONE piece of your bedding to being all-natural / organic … I definitely recommend starting with your pillow! PLUS, if you start your Naturepedic shopping at my link (link here) and use the code LEADSAFEMAMA10, you will get a 10% discount on your purchase (+ they also often offer some amazing bonus deals each holiday season – like free sheets, free shipping and free pillows with some mattress purchases! – check their website to see what the current offers are). Plus #ExtraBonus — they will also contribute 15% of your purchase price to support the Lead-poisoning prevention advocacy work (and independent consumer goods testing) that we do and report on here at LeadSafeMama.com! #WinWinWin!!! [Note: if you choose to use a different promo code but start with my link, they will still send Lead Safe Mama, LLC the 15% :-)]

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Gifts for Dad:

• Tools (all the tools – he always wants tools!). To avoid Lead in general, we avoid painted tools and tools with rubberized handles. ADVICE: Please don’t buy Home Depot-branded tools, as they often have Lead (lots of painted surfaces and rubberized handles!). One tool that I think is a really great choice – from an environmental perspective (and that I know my husband really wants)… is this drill bit sharpener. [Not under $40, for sure! — but any tool that helps to extend the life of the tools you already have and use every day is a good addition to your workshop!] BONUS: This product is manufactured in the U.S.A  (locally, right here in Oregon)!
• Natural wood mixing spoons – best to support a local artisan, but they have some on Amazon, too. (Bamboo, Olive Wood and Maple).
• We like Simply Organic spices (our “Dad” is the chef in the family!) Cloves, Dill, Rosemary, Onion, Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Parsley, Garlic, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Vanilla, etc. To avoid heavy metal contaminants, we buy most of our spices fresh and whole — but it’s always handy to have some dried spices on hand for backup. [Oh – and you can re-use their really nice glass jars, when you use up the original contents; we fill them from bulk at the local organic co-op! ;-)]

Gifts for your cats:

• Organic Catnip / Colorado Kitty Pot (we bought this for our cats & the kids sewed it in to little mouse-shaped pillows for them!)
• Natural wool, hand-felted, cat bed [I have not tested the exact product linked here but most newly made wool products test negative for heavy metal toxicants.] There are many vendors selling similar products online and my one recommendation is that to avoid all toxicants you should choose one with a natural color scheme (you may want to avoid the ones with the brightly colored dyes.) I have tested the BLUE one shown in the image below (with my cat Bobby inside!) If you want to learn more about these environmentally friendly, natural wool, hand-felted cat caves, please click the image below (I wrote a full post about them there!)

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• Non-toxic stainless steel water & food bowls. [I have not tested this exact product, but based on their marketing and photos provided have no concerns and think it is a great, Made-in-the-USA option – similar to what we use with our cats… there are also less-expensive stainless bowls for your cats that are likely equally safe and equally appropriate!]

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you for reading and for sharing my posts.

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama

Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on one of my links I may receive a percentage of what you spend at no additional cost to you.