Fabulous gifts for friends, green or not

Why It's Good:

Buying gifts for your menagerie of friends—the foodie, the gardener-at-heart, the design snob, the hostess—can be a challenging feat. Below, a list of our holiday picks, suited to please pals of all ilks.

Why It's Green:

From mini-trees that draw down carbon emissions to recycled games and wine bags that reduce potential landfill-er, no friend of yours will deny the greatness of green after getting a gift from our holiday list.

Where To Get It:

To buy above items, click on individual product links. For Scrap? Backgammon sets, email enquiries to jim@scrapdesign.co.uk. For Ineeka tea tins, email sg@ineeka.com or call (312) 661-1550.

The Perfect Gifts for Your Pals

Shopping season is winding down, and you've snagged one-of-kind gifts for mom, dad, and your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner. But how to buy for each of your impossibly different friends—they who know your deepest, darkest secrets, or make you laugh, or comfort you on weary days? Instead of the same all-purpose bottle of wine or pretty notebook, why not pick up one of these gifts, perfectly suited to their dazzlingly unique personalities:

For the Wishful Winter Gardener:
Potting Shed Creations Trees-to-Be, $21.50: Trees-to-Be offers indoor gardening therapy in four varieties: Scotch Pine, Apple, Gingko, and Tulip. Kits include tree seeds, soil, an aluminum personalization tag, a seedling pot and saucer made out of coir (a coconut-fiber substitute for peat, which takes hundreds of years to form), and a germination bag. Trees stay indoors for one year before your dear friend has to bid her tree farewell and transplant it to the great outdoors.

For the Intrepid Traveler:
Mette Vangso Pleasure Pillows, $42.00: The pleasure's all in the lack of (neck) pain. Filled with organic buckwheat and natural lavender to relax muscles on a long flight, these retro-chic pillows can soothe stay-at-homes, too. Friends with perpetually stiff, computer-crouched necks will want to warm them up in the microwave for extra relief and a calming fragrance.

For the Game-Night Guy or Girl:
Scrap? Design Backgammon Set, £140: You're tired of Monopoly, trivia, and chess tournaments; this friend needs to up their game. Scrap? Backgammon boards are made of salvaged landfill-bound materials, like bottle tops and comic books—which help create these one-of-a-kind pieces. Sets can be bought directly through Scrap? and are made to order.

For the Fabulous Foodie:
St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, $32.95: With its luxe bottle and special origin story, this gastronomic gift is golden. St. Germain's, a 40-proof artisanal spirit, is distilled from handpicked elderflowers grown at the foot of the French Alps and bicycled directly to the distillery. The result is a floral and fruity aroma reminiscent of pears and a hint of citrus, fabulous both in cocktails, or to top off a glass of champagne.

For the Stylish Sommelier:
Bob's Your Uncle Re-giftable Wine Bags, $12.00 for a pack of six bags: Anyone with a growing wine cellar will love having these on hand for bringing their favorite bottle to all of their New Year's Eve parties. Made of recyclable paper, the wine bags are printed with catchy pun-filled sayings like, "Elegant nose with a long satisfying finish," and "Wave after wave of buttery spice."

For the "Cuppa" Connoisseur:
Ineeka Tea with Strainer, $13.20 per tin: Tea is the next best thing to curl up next to if your bookish friend lacks a fireplace. Ineeka's USDA certified organic, whole leaf teas have a built-in infuser that hooks on to the side of your mug. Tea tins also come with a compartment for packing individual bags when in need of a warm-up on the go.—Youngna Park