i recycle all the wrapping paper i can... honestly, i haven't had to buy wrapping paper in YEARS. 

i also purchase pretty much all my gifts throughout the year at places like value village and salvation army... they always have things that are brand new, and sometimes you can get things that you wouldn't find anyplace else. 

Ever since this last storm dumping on the Maritimes, I'm praying for a green Christmas. 

Seriously, I'm gradually cutting back on gifts and wrapping.  I use recycled gift bags.  We share a car and I often car pool with friends.  I've been cutting back on meat consumption but I will cook a turkey at my daughter's home this Christmas.  I try to buy local when possible.  The usual stuff.

Well I take public transit everywhere so that's one thing. Maybe I'll come up with something over christmas. Hmmm. Reusable travel tumbler for coffee? I'm pretty obsessive about Starbucks christmas drinks. Eggnog latte, peppermint mocha, etc. I'll bring my own mug this year.

Green Christmas:

-buy less

-eat less

-travel less

Wrapping everything in newspaper. Course, I've been doing the same for years, looonnnggg before environmentalism was 'in.'

I'm taking a bag with me when shopping (most times)

using gift bags when possible-just picked some more up at Sally Ann-anyone else old enough to remember when gas stations gave them out free?

Many gifts are locally made-some bought at local small stores

Turkey is local and free range

Xmas lights-if/when I get them up are solar

Not a big focus on stuff-but more on time

For some the decision to travel less is a tough call.  The young family living far from parents and siblings faces the loss of family connection if they don't travel.  I know a young couple who wil drive twelve hours to be with family at Christmas - almost scared to NOT do it as one parent has a terminal illness.  

I think we each have to weigh the cost Kay

-it sounds like the young family should go for the visit..

In the long run it is the lifestyle choices we all make-not just through the holidays-that affect the planet.

It's the small choices that do add up

Not the family visits-but perhaps the escape trip to warmer climates EVERY Year- or whatever-I I'm not trying to point fingers or be holier than thou

Just curious about how thinking green was impacting folks

      I was thinking about this the other day as I was dragging out the Christmas boxes. I've switch to LED lights and use the same decorations that I have for years. Some are older then me and have been passed on through the family.   Over the past fews there's been a general focus in terms of gift-giving to get things that people need or use. We have a no-knick knack rule and anything artistic has to have a practical use. Secondhand items are fine and I've gotten quite a few at auctions or garage sales.   I usually end up with my years supply of socks, underwear and toothbrushes at Christmas time. :)     I think the whole family pretty much uses giftbags now and they just keep getting recycled back and forth and back again.   I have a few that are pretty worn and tattered but no one seems to care.  If I get a big item that doesn't fit in a bag it's wrapped in a sheet or blanket or it's hidden somewhere in the house with a note under the tree and the person has to go find it. 

Here's the easiest way to make your Christmas (or any holiday) a green one...

not as much as i should

I didn't read the whole thing in the Observer, but I resonated with the comment that our churches (and people in general) seem to think a curly CFL lightbulb and some tin cans in teh recycle box mean their making a difference, and they never move beyond it.

I find that spot- on truth, and terribly maddening.

For example, I shared the www.storyofstuff.com with a group last year, and some whined that it had too much info - overwhelming; and others seemed to think it was extreme in its expectations of reducing consumption, and others cheered its issues and then threw their styrofoam coffee cups into the garbage. 

Very disheartening.

I am frustrated when someone wants me to produce or acquire material, but don't think of the distribution method, and so it becomes waste....argh.

after Boxing Day, I like to get some new Christmasy tea towels, cloth napkins, etc. that I use with a bit of ribbon to wrap up my gifts the next year.  I also bought up some Christmasy tins to use as gift wrap that can be reused for treats the next year!

That on top of all the standard LED, tree disposal, reusable everything...

For many years our family Christmas has been low key and for many reasons, lack of funds, small family, we live close to one another with that set family tradition it is now reinforced by the environmental needs.

I was very happy that at work this year our GM instituted a no gift rule at both the staff and resident Christmas parties.  This put an end to buying cheap meaningless gifts for one another and put the focus on the gift of time spent together.  Not only was it green inspired but hassle free.

LB

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.           Burton Hillis

Some people this year instead of giving gifts at the office are doing a project called warm feet for the street. This is a gift for the homeless. You buy a pair of warm socks roll up one and put it in the other then fill the sock with essentials for the homeless like bus tickets, meal gift cards etc. I think this is a great idea. Not only it is envirommental friendly it is also  compassionate.

Definitely cool.

I didn't really think of myself as having a green Christmas, but now that I think about it, I am.  We don't have much money this year so we are only getting a couple of things for Somekid.  For Someguy, I got a pair of badly needed sneakers and all I want for Christmas is a week off work, and we are having our shutdown this year, so I'll get that.  Time has gotten away from me and I just can't see us putting the tree up this weekend like we planned so we will save on energy on the lights.  I'm also making reusable shopping bags for everyone as presents.  I was only doing it because I thought that it would be pretty fast and easy but I guess that it is green too.

Putting up the tree.

My son's second Christmas was the year his father died so needless to say I was neither in the mood and very busy trying to cope with a lot of stuff.  But I couldn't not have a tree so on Christmas Eve, after he went to bed, because lets be honest you can not  decorate a tree with a lively two year old around, I decorated the tree, put the gifts under it and there it was for Christmas morning.

The look on his face that morning was simply beautiful - pure magic.

And so a family tradition was born.  Indeed my son insists we can not put the tree up any earlier.  As he got older, we would decorate it together on Christmas Eve.

Christmas is what we make it.  It can become a tradition out of necessity or chance but if it is created out of love it will always be magical.

LB

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.      Larry Wilde

Speaking of compact flurosescent lights-i just found chandelier style ones and was able to replace the burnt out indacsent ones.

Every bit we does. does make a difference.

More is needed-I hope Copenhagen works!