I'm Dreaming of a GREEN Christmas

With eco-concious decisions becoming more prominent and common practice, we thought what better way to participate than to look for simple changes in one of the busiest times of the year. It can be so easy to overlook the ways we are being wasteful, but on the other hand, that makes it very easy to find areas where you can improve! There are so many elements to the holiday season - gifts, meals, decor, entertaining. So lets look at some ways to participate in all of these while keeping your choices green!

Gift Wrapping:

We love this simple, elegant wrapping look. We used old tissue paper, whether it be from a previous gift or from a shopping bag, anything can work. The more crinkled the better! We intentionally crumpled the tissue into a ball and then opened it back up to wrap the gifts. Add a pretty fabric ribbon that can be reused and you're done!

 Another fun idea is to make your wrapping a part of the gift itself. Try a scarf or a towel and tie it similar to the way you would tie a bow around a present. Makes for a fun, festive wrapping that will be kept for use instead of thrown in the garbage.

Decor:

While reusing old decorations is an obvious way to reduce waste, if you like keeping a fresh look each holiday season, try decorating with natural materials that are bio-degradable rather than plastics. These DIY dried orange slices can be made into a garland, used as ornaments on a tree, details on a wreath or at a table setting.

To make your dried orange slices, simply slice oranges into rounds that are approximately 1/4 inch thick. Set your oven to 225 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Before placing the slices on the baking sheet, pat dry with a towel to absorb extra moisture. Bake for 1 hour then flip and bake for another hour, checking with about 15 minutes left to make sure none of the slices are getting too brown. Keep baking, checking every 15 minutes to remove any oranges that are getting brown. The slices are done when they are just slightly brown around the edges. After all the slices have finished baking, allow the slices to air dry for about 24 hours. Then use as you like!

Gift Giving:

Check out our eco-friendly Christmas Gift Guide to give the gift of something that is super useful but also good for the environment! Click here!