Giving a tree in someone's name: an original charity gift
- Giving a tree in someone's name means funding a real planting and handing a certificate to the person being honoured.
- The gift suits every occasion: a birth, a wedding, a birthday, Christmas, a retirement or a tribute to someone who has passed away.
- There are two main options: buying a tree from a company, sometimes presented as an investment, and donating to an NGO, which entitles you to a tax reduction.
- With LIFE, one tree costs €2 and 15 trees €30, i.e. €10.20 after the 66% tax reduction.
- For Christmas, it is best to order in early December to receive the certificate in time.
Every year, some Christmas presents end up resold online in the first days of January. A tree cannot be resold. It grows, sometimes feeds a family and stays standing for decades after the wrapping has been torn open.
Giving a tree in someone's name has become one of the most sought-after charity gift ideas. The principle is simple, the gesture speaks to all ages and it avoids adding yet another object to a cupboard.
You still need to know where to plant, how much to budget and how to present the gift so that it is truly appreciated.
How does a tree given as a gift work?
You fund the planting of one or more trees through an organisation. In return, you receive a certificate in the name of the person you wish to honour, to print or to send by email.
The tree is then planted on the ground by the organisation or its partners, usually during the rainy season in the country concerned. So it does not necessarily go into the ground on the day itself: what matters is that it is actually planted and monitored.
What the person being honoured receives
Depending on the organisation, the gift takes the form of a named certificate, a personalised card with your message, and sometimes news of the project over the months. Some companies even offer to geolocate the tree.
A tree given as a gift is not a tree delivered to your door. It is a planting funded elsewhere, often where it is most useful. The value of the gift lies in the gesture and the impact, not in the object.
For which occasions can you give a tree?
The tree has the rare strength of being a universal symbol: it evokes growth, permanence and passing things on. It therefore fits almost every stage of life.
A birth. Planting a tree that will grow up alongside the child is an ancient tradition, taken up by many families.
A wedding. A small forest funded by the guests is a great alternative to a traditional gift list.
A birthday. One tree for each year of life makes an original gift for milestone birthdays.
Christmas and the festive season. This is when demand soars. Our selection of charity gift ideas for Christmas offers others in the same spirit.
A tribute. Giving a tree in memory of someone who has passed away is a comforting gesture for loved ones, leaving a living trace.
A corporate gift. Clients, employees or partners receive a gesture that reflects the company's commitments.
A gesture with strong spiritual meaning
For many Muslim families, planting a tree in a loved one's name is part of the tradition of sadaqa jariya, continuous charity. According to a hadith reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, any tree planted from which a person, a bird or an animal benefits is counted as charity for the one who planted it.
Giving a tree in the name of a relative who has passed away then takes on a special meaning: that of a good deed that continues after them.
Buying a tree or making a donation: what is the difference?
This is the point most guides overlook. Behind the same promise, “give a tree”, lie two very different models.
Buying from a company. Some companies sell trees planted in managed forests, often in France. The recipient sometimes becomes the owner, and the tree may be felled and sold after a few years or decades. It is then a financial product, with a risk of capital loss. Others sell plantings from €3 per tree, without ownership.
Donating to an NGO. You fund a non-profit planting project, generally in countries where trees meet vital needs: providing food, protecting soils, retaining water. The donation entitles you to a tax reduction.
| Criterion | Buying from a company | Donating to an NGO like LIFE |
|---|---|---|
| Price per tree | From €3 to more than €20 | €2 |
| Tax reduction | No | Yes, 66% of the amount |
| Where the trees go | Production forests, often in France | Rural communities in Africa and Asia |
| Purpose | Forest management, sometimes investment | Environment and family incomes |
| Certificate in the loved one's name | Yes | Yes |
Be wary of “carbon neutrality” promises attached to a gift tree. A tree planted today will take years to store carbon. To understand what a tree can really do for the climate, read our article planting a tree to offset your carbon footprint: does it work?
Where does the tree you give with LIFE go?
Through the Sapousse programme, launched in 2016, LIFE plants so-called “economic” trees: mango, cinnamon, coffee, moringa, mangrove or bamboo. They are entrusted to families who get fruit, spices or materials from them, and who therefore have every reason to look after them.
More than 250,000 trees have already been planted in Senegal, Mali, Benin, Morocco, Madagascar, Lebanon, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Kanto, in Madagascar, explains how the replanted mangrove better protects her village from the sea, while also enabling her to become a shrimp farmer.
So your loved one does not just receive a symbol: they become connected to a planting that changes a family's daily life.
How much does a gift tree cost, and how much does it really cost you?
At LIFE, the price list is simple: €2 for one tree, €30 for a bundle of 15 trees. For those who want to give a lasting commitment, the Planet sponsorship starts at €15 a month.
As it is a donation, you benefit from a 66% tax reduction if you pay tax in France.
| Gift | Donation amount | Real cost after tax reduction |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tree | €2 | €0.68 |
| 15 trees | €30 | €10.20 |
| 50 trees | €100 | €34 |
The tax receipt is issued in the donor's name, not in the name of the person being honoured. Calculate your tax reduction →
How do you give a tree in someone's name, step by step?
Choose the number of trees. A single tree for a symbolic gesture, a bundle of 15 for a real gift, more for a wedding or a group gift.
Enter the name of the person being honoured. It will appear on the planting certificate.
Add a message. A few words on why you chose this gift make it much more memorable.
Hand over the certificate. Printed in a card, slipped under the Christmas tree or sent by email on the big day.
Share what happens next. Passing on news of the project a few months later extends the gift.
If you are still hesitating between several ways of acting for the planet, our guide to eco-friendly giving and 5 ways to support the environment through an NGO compares the options.
From €2, plant an economic tree in a loved one's name and receive a personalised planting certificate.
Give a tree with LIFE →How do you give a tree to someone?
Choose an organisation that plants trees, fund one or more trees giving the name of the person being honoured, then hand them the planting certificate. It can all be done online in a few minutes.
How much does a gift tree cost?
Prices range from €2 with NGOs to more than €20 with some forestry companies. With LIFE, one tree costs €2, i.e. €0.68 after the tax reduction.
Can you give a tree in memory of someone who has died?
Yes, it is one of the most common uses. The certificate can be issued in the name of the person who has passed away. In the Muslim tradition, this gesture is considered a continuous charity that benefits the deceased.
Does the person who receives the tree own it?
Not in the case of a donation to an NGO: the tree is entrusted to a local family or community that looks after it. Only some companies sell trees as property, generally as an investment.
When should you order a tree for Christmas?
As the certificate is sent by email, it can be given at the last minute. For a donation that is tax-deductible for the current year, payment must be made before 31 December.
