Instead of dreaming of a white Christmas, why not have a green one? There are so many things you can make from materials you would normally throw away, from wreaths to garlands. Garlands are particularly well-suited for making out of recyclables. Here are some ideas for home-made garlands. Read the rest of this entry

Have you ever seen a beautiful Christmas wreath, only to be turned away by the price? Here’s the good news: you can make a very attractive wreath using natural materials that cost absolutely nothing. The late autumn landscape is filled with fascinating textures and hues. Take advantage of nature’s bounty by gathering the materials yourself and fashioning them into a wreath. Here are some suggestions for making beautiful holiday wreaths for yourself, friends, family, and so forth. Read the rest of this entry

It’s been said that the holiday spirit is about giving, not receiving. Yet it’s hard to get past the materialism and commercialism of the season as gift-buying reaches a feverish pitch. If you are looking for a way to give more meaning to the holidays, consider volunteering your time. Here are some ways in which you can get your family into the giving spirit this holiday season. Read the rest of this entry

Have you ever felt that your own family got lost in the holiday shuffle? Why not include your children in the holiday preparations? One of the most rewarding and fun ways to do this is to bake with them. Some parents may balk at the idea, thinking of the sugar and fat that is usually included in holiday baked goods. But don’t despair – you can include your kids and make healthy treats for the holidays. Before you get started, keep some of the following things in mind. Read the rest of this entry

In this day and age of constant stimulus and a lifestyle that is often rushed and packed with activities, children need time to “recharge” more than ever. While meditation is often viewed as a practice for adults, children can benefit greatly from it, too. These benefits can be carried into adulthood as useful life skills as well. Here are some of the ways that meditation can be good for kids.
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The holiday season can get expensive, so it is nice to know you can save a bit on your electric bill by using LED Christmas lights. Also, LED (light-emitting diodes) lights are more environmentally friendly. If you are considering replacing your conventional Christmas bulbs with LED ones, here are some facts and information on LEDs to keep in mind. Read the rest of this entry

During the winter, food becomes scarce for wild birds and many people like to provide food for them. Here are some things to keep in mind if you decide to feed wild birds this winter. Read the rest of this entry

Sometimes it seems so wasteful to throw out a Christmas tree that made your home so beautiful over the holidays. The good news is, you can recycle and reuse your tree, thus reducing waste. Here are some ideas for making use of the tree once the decorations come down.

Invest in a live tree

While they are a bit more expensive, some Christmas trees are sold with the root ball intact. Such trees can be planted after the holiday season, bringing enjoyment for years to come. How festive it would be to festoon the planted tree with outdoor lights the following year! Some families plant and dig up the same tree year after year.

If you know someone who is building a new house or doing landscaping, you could donate your tree to their efforts. White pines and cedars are especially desirable for landscaping. Habitat for Humanity is a charity organization that builds homes for needy people; check with your local HH group and see if you could donate your Christmas tree to one of their home building projects.

The following are ideas for cut Christmas trees.

Mulch

Some communities actually offer Christmas-tree chipping services after the holidays. For a day or weekend, people can bring their used trees to be run through a chipping machine and turned into mulch. You can also rent a chipper or borrow one from a neighbor. Maybe you know some others who would like to get together and recycle their trees into mulch. The participants can divide the cost of renting a chipping machine, which has the potential to reduce the cost to very little.

Kindling

While burning large amounts of pine or evergreen in your fireplace is not a good idea (the pitch and sap can build up inside the chimney), using small sticks of it for kindling is fine. The flammable resin inside evergreen wood makes it an excellent fire starter. Wear gloves, break off the branches into kindling-size sticks, then cut the trunk down into small pieces.

Bird sanctuary

Lay your used tree on its side and hang its branches with bird-feeder ornaments, such as empty orange halves filled with seed, or pinecones lightly smeared with peanut butter and rolled in seed (go easy on the peanut butter – too much can stick birds’ beaks together). You can also hang a traditional bird feeder among the branches, or scatter bird seed on the ground under the tree.

Birds enjoy and need the protection offered by the dense branches of Christmas trees, which are deliberately grown that way for ornamental purposes. It gives them a place to roost and eat that baffles predators such as hawks, and it provides some warmth and shelter.

There are all kinds of options for reusing and recycling your Christmas tree. Hopefully, this year you won’t have to feel a twinge of guilt as you take down your tree after Christmas.