Does a Green Christmas Have to Look Boring? • Accidentally Green

Are lavish holidays the norm for your family? Many years I find myself getting caught up in trying to find the “right” gifts, wrap them attractively, all the while baking dozens of homemade goodies and festively decorating my home.

I love Christmas. Even with all of the fuss, it’s my favorite time of year. But … is it all a little too much? After all, Christmas had humble beginnings. Yes, God sent His son to this earth in a miraculous virgin birth – yet it was in a stable. No regal surroundings fit for the King of Kings.

By remembering what the season is all about, I’m reminded to scale back my holiday hopes. It really isn’t all about the stuff.

That said, is there a way to create a simpler, greener Christmas in your home?

As you spend this weekend kicking off the Christmas season, here are some greener ideas to help with your decorating.

Choose your tree

This may be a no-brainer, but skip cutting your own Christmas tree. It’s a living tree. Why cut it down?

If you just can’t spend Christmas without a real tree, choose a living one. Simply take care of it with water and after Christmas, you can plant it in your yard.

Need to know how to care for your living Christmas tree? First, prepare a hole outside that’s large enough to plant the tree after the holidays. Once you buy the tree, take about four days to introduce your tree from the outside to the inside – use a garage or enclosed porch. During this time, check for insects and critters. When your house is ready to come indoors, display it in the coolest part of the room. Place the tree, root ball and all, in a galvanized tub. Water the tree until the roots are moist, not soggy. Keep the tree inside for only four to seven days. Take four days to acclimate the tree to outdoor temperatures again. Then, plant outside in the pre-dug hole.

Or, take the artificial route. Fake trees have come a long way, baby. And many look pretty life-like. Just make sure you plan on keeping them for years and keep reusing it Christmas after Christmas. Until we find another artificial tree we like, my family uses one we inherited from my parents — and they bought it in 1988. Seriously. It’s an old tree, but still looks great!

Trim your tree

When you’re decorating the tree, opt for old ornaments that personally bring back a lot of memories from Christmases past.

Or, scour your house for some funky and festive choices. For example, I used to decorate a small Christmas tree in my kitchen. I simply tied red ribbons around my great-grandmother’s tin cookie cutters and used them for ornaments. For a tree topper, I used a wire whisk, attached with a big red bow. It was simple yet stunning – and one of my favorite trees.

You also can add a rustic, old fashioned twist by stringing strands of cranberries and popcorn and adding the garland to your Christmas tree, mantle or staircase railing.

Twinkling lights

When lighting your Christmas tree – or decorating your front yard – choose strands of LED (light emitting diode) lights. They’re made with electronics instead of filaments and use up to thirty percent less power than traditional light strands. LED lights also run cooler, which helps prevent Christmas tree fires. Not only do LED lights save energy, but they also reduce waste by lasting much longer than lights made with filaments.

Deck the halls

Unlike the Christmas tree, you could decorate with real greenery – just trim your evergreens and use the clippings. If you’re crafty, turn them into a wreath for your front door. (Or, if you’re like me, use an artificial pine wreath and get really excited if you make one bow that looks half-decent.)

I know Christmas cards aren’t as popular as they used to be, but I love to decorate with the cards I receive. Usually I stick them on a door or around a doorway for a festive touch. Personally, I like doing this because I’m reminded of my family and friends as I look at their cards and photos all month long.

How do YOU decorate for the holidays while trying to stay green?

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Hilary Kimes Bernstein

Hilary Kimes Bernstein is a Christ follower, wife, mama, and journalist. She writes about making healthy decisions that honor God and happen to help the environment at Accidentally Green. Short and sweet - like her writing - Hilary is the author of several healthy living eBooks.

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Lovely comments

Mama D says

November 25, 2011 at 2:51 pm

I’d love to see a picture of your kitchen tree! We’re very simple with decorations, but I do need a stash of lights, so I appreciate the info on LED lights. :)

Hilary says

November 25, 2011 at 7:17 pm

I wish I could post a photo! Unfortunately, it’s in storage right now. :(