Christmas gifts for nature lovers

The festive season is upon us, and for nature lovers there's no better way to celebrate than with a gift that doesn’t cost the earth. This Christmas why not consider choosing from a range of environmentally friendly and sustainable presents that support conservation whilst bringing joy to the people you love? 

From gifts for life to wildlife friendly stocking fillers, every purchase from the RSPB shop helps protect the birds and wild places that make the UK so special. Whether you're shopping for an avid bird watcher, an up-and-coming young nature lover, or someone who just enjoys the peace nature brings, you'll find something for everyone.  

RSPB Celebration Woods are special places. They're dedicated memorial tree planting spaces in nature where you can commemorate a loved one by creating a living, lasting tribute to them by planting a tree. You can inter ashes under your tree or choose a species of tree that will support your loved one's favourite wildlife for years to come.

There are now two Celebration Woods on our England RSPB reserves – one in the Peak District, (Dove Stone) and the other in the Lake District (Haweswater). They are peaceful settings to have a tree planted in memory of someone, or to mark a celebration, that will only become more beautiful with time. 

Celebration Wood is nestled in the valley around Dove Stone reservoir, a place of peace and intrigue.  The feeling of tranquillity is immediately apparent; birds flit unceremoniously about their business and leaves and grasses rustle in the wind.  It’s the ideal spot to plant a tree in honour of a loved one, a living gift that will grow and thrive for years to come.  The wood is about celebration, whether that’s the birth of a child whose life will grow in symbiosis with the tree or of a life fulfilled, Celebration Wood is the perfect place.   

Part of the Peak District National Park, the wood offers glorious views over Dove Stone Valley. There’s a selection of native trees to choose from such as Silver Birch, Bird Cherry and Rowan.   There’s the opportunity to almost personalise it too, choose from a selection of native wildflowers which can be planted around your tree, adding to the feeling of wildness and creating its own mini ecosystem. 

Wild Haweswater's Celebration Wood neighbours the mossy, temperate rainforest of Naddle Forest, home to Red Squirrels, Badgers, Pied Flycatchers, Tree Lungwort Lichen and a host of other wonderful woodland wildlife. This corner of the eastern Lake District National Park is a beautiful, peaceful place for quiet reflection and connection with nature.

What better way to celebrate Christmas than dedicating a piece of English woodland to someone you love? 

Give a gift that lasts all year or even for life.  RSPB membership is the perfect way to give back, helping to protect our most vulnerable wildlife and precious places as well as helping to fund the scientific research that underpins the charity’s conservation work.  It’s an invite to join in and become as involved as you like.  ‘Together we fly’ - whether that’s placing your trust in a charity that stands up for what you believe or actively joining in campaigns is up to you. 

From wonderous wetlands to ancient woodlands, an RSPB membership provides free entry to over 170 nature reserves across the UK, making the wildlife and landscapes your membership protects available for exploration year round: https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves  You’ll receive a welcome pack, and four seasonal copies of the RSPB magazine to keep up with all the latest conservation news.  Choose from paper versions or keep it smart with the digital version with added video and interactivity.  

Or perhaps consider a Life Membership for a more continuous contribution to conservation. 

Membership is the perfect present for anyone with a passion for nature who wants to make a real difference and support the conservation work of the UK’s largest conservation charity.

Every purchase from the RSPB shop helps protect birds and wildlife, as well as the special places they call home. By choosing gifts that are good for nature and good for the planet, you’re not just getting things ticked off your Christmas list but helping save and protect nature too. 

There’s nothing like a classic stocking filler. Maybe you’re a sock person? Who isn’t in need of an extra mug, perfect for tea whilst you snuggle up warm in the winter months. The RSPB’s range not only gives a wildlife twist on some of our favourites, but each purchase ultimately gives back to nature too. 

From charming Puffin mugs to wildlife themed re-usable shopping bags, there’s something for everyone in the RSPB’s collection of wildlife inspired gifts. With it’s green and blue winter hues and woodland print, the ‘Woodland Birds Heavyweight Scarf’ is a favourite amongst the wide selection of printed scarves. With many products made from sustainable materials, it’s an eco-conscious choice for the festive season.  

Nest boxes come in all shapes and styles; the species you are hoping to attract will dictate which nest box style is the most suitable.  House Sparrows are colonial nesters and benefit from several boxes grouped together.  Smaller birds such as Blue Tits and Great Tits need a nest box with a smaller hole, and Swallows prefer a cup. 

Swift nestboxes are another welcome addition.  The lack of suitable nesting spaces for Swifts is thought to be one of the main factors contributing to the decline in their population.  These agile, aerial acrobats are summer visitors to the UK, arriving from April onwards to nest and raise their chicks.   

Why not gift a safe and snug nest box for your local birds to roost and nest in.  Find something perfectly made for your feathered friends. 

One of the best ways to help local wildlife is to plant native wildflowers, whether in a garden, planter, or window pot, it all counts.  Native wildflower mixes will fill your space with vibrant colour as well as attract a wide range of insects such as bees, butterflies and other invertebrates. Having a rich variety of plants in the garden can attract other species throughout the year.  Seed heads can be left in the autumn as an important food source for garden birds.   Berries are also welcomed by a range of birds such as Blackbirds and Robins as well as winter visitors such as Redwings and Fieldfare. 

Maybe combine this with a bug hotel too, so there’s somewhere for those important pollinators to hibernate and rest over the winter.  

Providing roosting and resting homes for a variety of species can add to the range of wildlife using a space.  All bats roost during the day, traditionally this was in places such as caves and tree hollows.  However, many bats benefit from extra roosting spaces as traditional spaces becomes less available.  Bats such as Common and Soprano Pipistrelle are relatively common throughout the UK and often seen in gardens.  These fabulous aerial insectivorous mammals appear from dusk to seek out night flying insects such as moths. 

In the cooler months bats are a less common sight as they spend the winter in a state of inactivity (hibernation) from November onwards.  Bat boxes are a welcome roosting site for them. 

Similarly for Hedgehogs, whilst an ethically sourced wood hibernation box is beneficial, Hedgehogs will also benefit from large piles of leaves or twigs to spend the winter in.

Books are the lifeblood of a nature enthusiast. There’s nothing quite like sitting outside and referring to your field guide to discern whether it's a Marsh Tit or Coal Tit (you’ll need binoculars handy to really make sure).   

Having an easy-to-use simple identification book is a great way to get to know the birds you see regularly in your garden, local park or journey to work.   It’s also ideal preparation for the Big Garden Birdwatch in January, with registration opening on 10 December, you can be ahead of the game with garden bird identification.  There’s a handful of easy-to-use guidebooks such as RSPB’s Pocket Birds of Britain - the ideal guidebook for taking out on walks. For those keen for a more detailed look there’s the Collins Bird Guide, every birdwatcher’s ‘go to’ identification book. 

If you fancy something that’s a bit more of a ‘feet up with a cuppa’ read there’s a wide range of natural history or ornithological fiction and non-fiction.  Swifts in a Tower by David Lack offers a unique insight into the private lives of Swifts which has stood the test of time, whilst Rewild your Garden by Frances Tophill offers advice in how to create a nature friendly garden all year round. 
 

Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned professional, there’s a wide range of optical equipment to choose from too.  Starting with an entry point binocular such as the RSPB Skylark, right up to a top of the range spotting scope.  Alongside a selection of tripods and other accessories there’s something to suit everyone’s needs and purses. 

With high-power magnification at your fingertips, RSPB binoculars and scopes mean you can get closer to nature than ever before. 

For many of us, our fondest childhood memories are spent outside in nature, and it’s often why we grow up caring about the wildlife around us. Passing on that connection to nature can be described as something of a generational gift.   Sharing special moments in nature such as watching the garden birds, planting seeds or just noticing the bees and butterflies as they flit around the flowers can help us to connect with one another. There are endless ways to showcase nature as fun and exciting for little ones, whilst also inspiring them to care for the wildlife that we share our home with.  

Help start a lifelong love of nature with RSPB’s range of children’s gifts. From bug-hunting games and mini binoculars to cuddly wildlife toys and activity books, these thoughtful presents encourage young explorers to discover the natural world around them. All whilst helping fund vital conservation work to help preserve nature for their future: 

RSPB’s take on the classic ‘Guess Who?’ game is a great introduction, featuring a wide range of British wildlife, including our best-known birds, mammals and insects.  

Whatever you choose to gift, wrap it all up in recycled gift paper.  RSPB eco-friendly wrapping paper, tags and string are all made from recycled materials and are fully recyclable - again.  There are no glitter or metallic embellishments which render other papers un-recyclable plus it’s printed with water-based ink. 

If you’re feeling extra eco-friendly perhaps re-use some of the paper again.  Try making tags out of it for use another year.  

When it comes to the big day, if you’re choosing to have crackers at the table, RSPB paper crackers are an eco-friendly option.  They are fully recyclable, and one range includes a special Christmas pin badge.  

In the infamous ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ song there are ‘two Turtle Doves’, however, these iconic love birds have suffered the steepest declines of any UK bird over the past few decades.  Conservation efforts to create vital foraging and nesting habitat for Turtle Doves are well underway.   The overall ambition is for them to once again become a more frequent sight in the English countryside.  

Show your love for Turtle Doves with a fabulous graphic tee from Teemill.  Wear your heart on your sleeve and your birds on your chest, showing your support for conservation efforts to support them. 

However, with a wide range of graphic prints including Swifts, Puffins and even bats you could be spoilt for choice! 

The RSPB’s range of clothing and accessories is made from certified organic cotton and made in a renewable-energy powered factory. And importantly, it’s made to be remade! Once you’ve suitably loved and worn your tee, you can scan the QR code in the care label to send it back - if you can bear to part with it, that is. 

For the person who’s got everything, a donation to an RSPB appeal could be the perfect answer.  RSPB appeals raise money for some of the most ambitious, challenging and urgent nature conservation projects.  Ranging from appeals to support England’s East Coast Wetlands to Turtle Dove conservation. 

East Coast Wetlands Appeal 

Every year the English East Coast acts as a vital service station for millions of wildfowl and wading birds flying on the East Atlantic Flyway - a migration 'super highway’ between the Arctic, Europe and Africa. From the mudflats of the Thames to the reedbeds of the Humber estuary, lies one of the most important stretches of coastal wetlands in the world.  These fragile mudflats, reedbeds and saltmarshes are under threat from rising sea levels, extreme storms, and harmful development. The RSPB’s 25 nature reserves along this stretch of coastline are some of the few remaining places where, after exhausting journeys, birds can find the perfect habitat to feed, breed, rest or shelter. 

Turtle Dove Appeal 

The Turtle Dove must not become a symbol of nature lost. To bring it back from the brink of extinction, we need two things: sustainable hunting practices across south-west Europe and thriving habitats here at home. The scale of this work takes time and a long-term, sustained effort, which is why the RSPB is asking for your help. By donating to the RSPB’s Winter Appeal, you could be part of the solution that gives these gentle birds a future worth singing about.