Christmas is right around the corner and with growing concerns about lead in so many different products, it’s time to start thinking of some environmentally gentler ways to decorate. Try some of these tips as you get ready for the holidays:
• Switch to LED lights - LED lights can use up to 80-90% less energy than the standard lights and they give off even brighter light, so you may not have to use as many strands.
• Buy a tree you can plant – Instead of getting a giant cut tree, go with a small tree you can plant in your yard in the spring. Don’t have a yard? See if a local charity like Habitat for Humanity could find a use for it.
• Make your own garland – Even if you don’t have kids, this is fun activity to do because it will take you back to childhood. Take string or yarn and feed popcorn or Fruit Loops on to string around the tree.
• Make your own gift tags – Use wrapping paper or holiday cards received in the mail to label packages instead of buying expensive and wasteful tags at the store.
• Make salt dough ornaments –To make salt dough, simply take 2 cups of flours, 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of water. Mix the flour and salt together and slowly add half the water. Once half the water is worked through, pour in the rest. Knead for about 10 minutes until completely smooth. Now roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to make shapes. If this is going to be a tree ornaments, us a straw to make a hole in the top. Bake the ornaments in the oven at 300 degrees for about 1 -1.5 hours or until hard. Once cooled, use Wilton cake dye mixed with a little water to paint the ornaments.