Six Tips to a Greener Christmas
Remember Bing Crosby crooning away about a White Christmas? Well this year, I’m dreaming about a Green Christmas. I read that according to the EPA, Americans dispose of an additional million tons of household waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. 
That’s a 25% spike in waste, from 4 million to 5 million tons. A huge part of that is packaging, wrapping paper and worn out artificial trees as well as the green kind. Add to that the gigantic spike in electricity consumption for lights and Christmas is truly an eco nightmare!
So, this year I’m making two commitments to myself – not to do last minute mindless shopping and to either make gifts or purchase things that have a low environmental impact. With a big family, that means starting now.
Re-Use: First off, I saved all my leftover wrapping paper, ribbons, boxes and bows fr
om past years. I use recycled shoe boxes for many items which the kids love to decorate with paint, cut outs from magazines, fabric, golden macaroni, bits of pine, dried flowers and ribbons. Or make the box part of the gift by buying a neat wooden one that can be reused later for jewelry or odds and ends. I also save Christmas cards which can be recycled nicely as decorations around the house or cut up for gift tags. Now that more people are sending Ecards, we get fewer cards and I like to string them up and appreciate them.
Re-Think Wrapping: I’m wrapping more gifts in sarongs or reusable cloth bags that I can 
sew up in a jiffy with bright cotton prints – preferably bought on sale. Even paper bags don’t get destroyed in the unwrapping frenzy and can be reused. You can also buy plain newsprint on a big roll and have the kids paint bright colored icons for the holiday season if you must have something that tears. For homemade cookies, candies and fudge one can use glass jars, decorative tins, coffee mugs or other reusable containers. There are so many ways to get creative.
Re-duce Electricity: Hopefully you haven’t got caught up in competing with your 
neighbors to see who can have the biggest display of Santa’s sleigh and prancing reindeer on their lawn. If outdoor lighting and displays are a big part of how you celebrate the season, consider switching to LED lights and having them up for a shorter period of time, daily and over the season. Lighting does make mid-winter a magical time and candle light is a great way to create an atmosphere of calm.
This year, consider choosing soy candles instead of paraffin because they are non-toxic, burn cleaner and longer than paraffin and have no petrol-carbon soot which can blacken walls and ceilings. Especially if you have any allergy sensitive or asthmatic children, soy candles are free from potentially toxic and irritating fumes. Soy candles are a renewable source and make a great holiday gift for folks just tinting towards a greener lifestyle.
Re-grow: I didn’t realize that the average life expectancy of an artificial tree is only 2.5 years. Made from petroleum and un-recyclable, these trees are simply bad for the 
environment. If you do buy a cut tree, find out if your community has free curbside recycling. But if you can, the greenest way to go is to buy a living tree. For the past few years, our family has put a living tree on a large table that is covered with a drape and all the extra special holiday decorations. The gifts go under the table and it works out fine. We get the smell of pine, the lights and after the holidays are finished we plant the tree in our yard. If you don’t have room in your yard there are plenty of folks who would be happy to receive a tree for their yard.
Re-Gift: This is a harder one, but just think how many things you have received over the years that have never been used and are relegated to some back corner of your closet or garage. I have a perfectly good food processor that never made it out of it’s box, given to me by an ex-co worker. A great back pack picnic basket with all the trimmings we got from taking out a CD at the local bank. A set of chafing dishes I bought and never got around to returning – the list goes on and on. All these things can be re-gifted to someone else who will appreciate them.
I also like garage sale bargains and this year picked up a gently used bicycle rack that I know someone has been longing for. I found an old fashioned sled, a beautiful Chinese urn, a hand knit wool throw all for between $10 and $25, a fraction of the store price. I like this kind of shopping because it’s local, it’s ecological, it saves money and it’s personal.
Re-vision: There are some family traditions that are sacrosanct – inviolable, 
but for many of us, our economic reality has changed and we have to find ways to adapt. Many large families now choose one person from the extended family to gift instead of everyone trying to shop for everyone. Last year one friend who had lost her job made the most delicious cookies, fudge and homemade candies. I received a great gift of soup ingredients in a reusable canning jar topped with pretty fabric. Another friend made beautiful gift certificates for massage, house cleaning and baby sitting while another friend gave away 5 hours of web design or computer tutorials.
I bought several gift certificates from friends to support their businesses to give to folks who might never have taken advantage of those services. Instead of a lot of cheap, impersonal gifts, I’m trying to find something that reflects my values, has a low impact on the environment and still conveys the essential message of this season.
But this season is about more than gift giving. It’s a time to pass on our values to our 
children and create new family traditions. Visiting a homeless shelter or a church where you can help feed folks makes a lasting impression on the young. Singing carols at a nursing home, taking time to make gifts for our teachers, soldiers or home bound elders, turning off the television and sitting around the fire to read together from an inspirational book – are just a few of the many ways to make this an extra special holiday season.
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