Christmas decorations give your tree personality, and often the decorations represent you or your family. You can add lights, ornaments, tinsel, garland, etc. and still have room for more. However, when you’re decorating your Christmas tree this year, simplify your decorations and make them more eco-friendly.

First, you have to have a green foundation for all of those Christmas decorations. Instead of buying a plastic tree, you should purchase a real one. Christmas trees are grown locally and are biodegradable. Not to mention that while they are growing they decrease carbon dioxide in the air and provide soil and water retention. Many of the artificial trees are transported to stores and are made from materials that are not biodegradable. Plus, a real tree freshens your house and makes it smell like Christmas time.

Once you have your tree, it’s on to decorating. You should always use decorations that you used in the previous years instead of investing in new ones. If this is your first Christmas with a tree, you can create personalized decorations. Cut out cookies make great decorations, because you can choose your shapes, sprinkles and colors. All you have to do is bake the cookies and apply two to three coats of a VOC-free (volatile organic compound) varnish to protect them. For a futuristic looking tree, you can get ornaments made from recycled CDs and circuit boards. Or you can go with a traditional, homey feel by hot gluing ribbon to a few sticks of cinnamon or small pinecones from your yard to hang on the tree. The more creative you are, the more personalized and unique your tree will look and maybe even smell.

Lighting is an important part of a Christmas tree, but it’s also a waste of electricity. When you have a tree full of ornaments, it can stand alone without lights. However, if you must have lights, use more efficient ones like LED (light-emitting diode) lights. These lights are 80 percent more efficient than traditional ones.

Decorating a Christmas is a memorable experience, and you can make it even more special by designing your own ornaments with your family. Just remember to properly dispose of your tree after having it up for five to six weeks. Check with your local recycling center, because they might have a tree disposal program setup.