by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia
Welcome to TreeHugger's 2008 Holiday Gift Guide, "Give Green to Save Green," your blueprint for the season's best earth-friendly gifts. Don't expect any electric roadsters or solar-powered robots, though; this year, we're all about real stuff for real people--affordable, eco-conscious presents that will delight your giftees while helping them go green and save money, too. With more than 100 gift ideas across 12 categories, we've got everyone on your list covered, from the Green Geek to the Fashion Buff. We're leading off here with gifts for the Foodie, but you can check in at the Give Green to Save Green main page to browse all sections as they roll out over the next several days.Foodies are the easiest people to please on any holiday gift list. Who else would be happy with a block of cheese, a bag of local walnuts, or an envelope with a few seeds in it? Here's the key to giving the perfect present: green foodies like to feel connected to their food. If they know the farmer that grew it, if they can cook it for friends and family in their own kitchen, or if it came from their own backyard, they'll be content. And while imported foods from abroad were once de rigueur, today's emphasis on locally-grown food means the goodies that get the biggest smiles are the ones that also save you a bundle on shipping. (You're welcome.)
