HAVE A "GREEN CHRISTMAS"

THIS YEAR WE ARE TRYING TO HAVE A MORE "GREEN CHRISTMAS".
NOW YOU MIGHT BE ASKING WHAT THE HECK IS A "GREEN CHRISTMAS". WELL, IF YOUR CHRISTMAS IS ANYTHING LIKE OURS, AFTER ALL THE PRESENTS HAVE BEEN OPENED, YOU ARE LEFT WITH A LARGE MOUND OF BOXES, PAPER, BOWS, TAGS, AND ALL THAT "THEFT" PROTECTION STUFF THEY PACKAGE THE ITEMS IN FROM THE STORE. (YOU KNOW THAT STUFF THAT TAKES TWO ADULTS, TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCREWDRIVERS, AND A POCKET KNIFE TO OPEN, THE ONES THAT BY THE TIME YOU EVER SO PROUDLY SAY "HERE YOU GO, I GOT IT", THE POOR KID HAS LOST INTEREST AND HAS MOVED ON TO A NEW ONE FOR YOU TO "FREE"). ALL THIS STUFF CAN FILL UP A COUPLE LARGE TRASH SACKS.

SO THIS YEAR, WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND REDUCE & REUSE ! HENCE THE "GREEN CHRISTMAS".

FOR ONE WE ARE BUYING LESS STORE BOUGHT GIFTS, WHICH HELPS REDUCE ALL THAT PACKAGING. INSTEAD WE ARE STRIVING TO GIVE & MAKE A GIFT THAT WILL BECOME A PRICELESS MEMORY THAT CAN BE CHERISHED FROM YEAR TO YEAR, NOT JUST BUYING GIFTS THAT WILL LONG BE FORGOTTEN BY THE TIME NEXT CHRISTMAS ROLLS AROUND. (WE WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW THIS GOES) :)

THE GIFTS WE ARE GIVING, WE ARE GETTING CREATIVE IN THE WAY THEY ARE "WRAPPED". THE WRAPPING WILL BE A USEABLE ITEM THAT WILL ALSO BECOME A PART OF THE GIFT.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD MAKE A PILLOW CASE AND THEN USE THAT AS THE "WRAPPING" TO PUT THE GIFT IN. OR, GIVE A SET OF SHEETS AS PART OF THE PRESENT AND USE THOSE TO WRAP UP THE GIFTS. YOU CAN USE A PURSE, TOTE, GYM BAG, DUFFLE BAG, BACK-PACK, ETC... TO PUT THE GIFTS IN. USE A SCARF, TIE, OR A BELT, TO TIE IT UP WITH INSTEAD OF RIBBON. YOU COULD ALSO USE CLOTHING AS THE WRAPPING. IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO A NEWS PAPER, USE THE COMICS FOR THE CHILDRENS WRAPPING PAPER, HAVE SOMEONE ON YOUR LIST WHO LOVES PUZZLES, WRAP THEIR PRESENT WITH THE CROSS WORD SECTION, OR HOW ABOUT WRAPPING UP SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES IN THE COOKING SECTION OF THE PAPER THAT HAS EITHER SOME COOKING TIPS OR RECIPES ON IT TOO, FOR THAT PERSON ON YOUR LIST WHO LOVES TO BAKE. OR IF YOU HAVE THAT PERSON WHO LOVES CURRENT AFFAIRS, USE AN ARTICLE YOU THINK THEY MIGHT FIND INTERESTING TO WRAP THEIR GIFT IN. YOU ARE ONLY LIMITED BY YOUR IMAGINATION. (IT REALLY BECOMES FUN, TRYING TO GET EVER SO CREATIVE).

TRY USING RIBBON INSTEAD OF BOWS, THEY ARE MUCH EASIER TO SAVE AND "RE-USE" FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT, YOU CAN STORE THEM FLAT, OR ROLL THEM, AND THEY DON'T GET SMUSHED LIKE BOWS DO.

TAKE THIS YEARS CHRISTMAS CARDS, AND MAKE GIFT TAGS FOR NEXT YEAR WITH THEM. USE SCISSORS FOR SCRAPBOOKING, THE ONES THAT CUT FANCY AND FUN EDGES, THEN CUT INTO TAGS.

NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG, WE ARE BY NO MEANS TREE HUGGERS, (NOTHING AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE) WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT GLOBAL WARMING IS SOLELY CAUSED BY HUMAN ACTION, AND WE ARE NOT YET GOING TO GIVE UP DRIVING OUR TRUCKS. I'LL EVEN ADMIT THAT MOST OF THE TIME, I STILL LEAVE THE WATER RUNNING WHILE BRUSHING MY TEETH. (I KNOW, SOME OF YOU OUT THERE JUST GRABBED YOUR CHEST AND GASPED). MAYBE THIS IDEA IS PURELY SELFISH, BECAUSE WE HATE ALL THE MESS AND TRASH LEFT AFTER THE PRESENTS ARE OPEN, AND THE KIDS ARE ALREADY LONG GONE PLAYING WITH THEIR NEW TOYS, YEP, YOU GUESSED IT, THE ADULTS GET STUCK WITH THE CLEAN UP. PLUS, AREN'T YOU AFRAID THAT ONE OF THE PRECIOUS GIFTS IS GOING TO GET CAUGHT UP IN ALL THE TRASH AND ACCIDENTLY THROWN OUT?

WE KNOW WE DON'T DO ENOUGH TO CUT BACK ON WASTE, WE LOVE THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE WE CALL EARTH, AS MUCH AS THE NEXT GUY, SO WE LOOK AT IT THIS WAY, EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS! BABY STEPS, PEOPLE, BABY STEPS.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND TRY TO HAVE A "GREEN CHRISTMAS".