Even though it’s getting pretty close to Christmas, which is often about overconsumption, there are so many great ways to celebrate in a much greener and more environmentally friendly way.

If you are one of those who like getting their tree closer to the actual holiday, ditch the idea! Unless you are buying your tree from an organic and sustainable farm, you risk bringing in pesticides, which are dangerous to those kiddos who are in the “put-everything-in-my-mouth” phase and pets. Fake trees seem like a great alternative since they can last up to 5 years, you don’t have to maintain them and they never die, but they aren’t biodegradable and are often made with PVC, which is a giant gift bag full of carcinogens.

There are plenty of alternatives for you DIY-ers, but this is hands down my favorite idea.

Jane from All the Luck in the World made this simple and sentimental tree on her wall! Using little mementos and festive knick knacks can turn this simple idea into a meaningful tree that can be left up or changed around all year long!

If you do end up getting a real tree, decorate it with popcorn! Popcorn garland has been a traditional Christmas decoration for decades. You don’t have to worry about polluting either, since little critters will snack away on it and it’s decomposable. Another great green alternative are dough ornaments. This was a childhood tradition in my family. You can cut them with cookie cutters into any shape you want. Just add a hole for some string, bake them, and they’re yours to decorate! Use paint, beads, sequins, and ribbon. Just glue embellishments on and let them dry.

• When the holidays are over, take your tree to a recycling center or leave it out during your community’s tree pickup. Tree recycling centers are growing in popularity and many will chip trees down into mulch, which you can keep for your gardening and yard work! Just make sure you remove everything from your tree if you go the recycling route!  Check out Pick Your Own Christmas Tree for more information on farms and more recycling info!

Gift giving can be so exciting, too! There are hundreds of eco-friendly shops, artists, DIY’ers, and products out there, so finding something is never a hard task.

• If DIY is your thing, you can make gifts perfectly suited for someone. Know any good cooks? Make them some special salt blends. If there are future artists in your household, recycle old crayons by melting them and reshaping them in some cute molds. You can combine colors for dual tone crayons or create new ones altogether!
• If creativity isn’t your strong suit or you’re simply short on time, check out sites like Etsy, Folksy, and Buy Handmade. You’re bound to find some great handmade gifts made by artists and entrepreneurs.

Use recycled wrapping papers; or make some with different papers you might have around the house. Newspaper is great, magazines are great! Have some old wallpaper samples lying around? Those will work too! If it isn’t big enough, get non-traditional and make a patchwork paper big enough for any sized box.

Use energy-efficient lights. These days, LED Christmas lights are the only option at most places. This is great! LED lights are some of the most efficient lights out there and will last you years longer than traditional bulbs. Plus, the come in a variety of options, like icicle lights, traditional strands, snowflakes, and more.

There are SO many more great alternatives for having the greenest holiday celebrations. Browsing the web will unleash a number of activities, tips and ideas.

What are your favorite green alternatives you’re using this holiday season? Do you have any tips or ideas you’d like to share? Just leave it in the comments – we’d love to hear from you!

Happy Holidays!