greenliving
HOMEMADE HOLIDAYS
I’m Dreaming of a GREEN Christmas…
by Brita Belli A
new movement is afoot to reclaim and refocus the holidays. Part of it
stems from a desire to cut back on the wastefulness that comes from accumulating mountains of store- bought gifts and wrappings. Another is the growing desire to generate more meaningful memories during the holidays. One answer is to embrace a do-it-yourself, or DIY, mentality that makes everything—from decorating to tree trimming, cooking and gift giv- ing—personal.
There is no better time to join in activities as a family than Christmas- time. Subtract the frenzied consumer- ism and there is little for a child not to love: being with loved ones in the kitchen, measuring flour, rolling dough and cutting cookies; happily sitting around a table, pasting, stamping and glittering; decorating a tree that magi- cally transforms with each addition; and the scents of cookies, candles and cinnamon-dotted wreaths.
Evergreen Centerpieced
Elevating the holiday atmosphere starts with the tree—the centerpiece of holiday celebrations, which too often re-
46 Collier/Lee Counties
and pencil holders for adults and made homemade play dough for the kids’ friends. They also baked together and made decorations for the house and tree. “It’s one thing to teach kids about
being responsible adults and good stew- ards of this planet, but when we spend time together learning how to do it, it’s so much more meaningful,” Devine remarks. “When the kids enjoy learning about something and it involves love, it will become important to them.”
Sparking Inspiration
Those who are not naturally crafty will find lots of resources for creating beautiful and personal Christmas keep- sakes online, as well as on bookstore and library shelves. Many publications offer ideas for decorating the branches of your living—or not-so-living—tree, using household objects that would otherwise be discarded. Yoga teacher and holistic lifestyle
expert Anna Getty went so far as to write I’m Dreaming of a Green Christ- mas, a book that’s all about using less, spending less and enjoying family time
more. She details a whole new perspec- tive: how to turn recycled chandelier gems into Christmas tree icicles; egg- shells and teabags into vintage-style ornaments; and old sweaters into festive wreaths.
sembles a department store version these days. Erin Devine, of Portland, Oregon, remembers how her parents’ tradition of buying a living Christmas tree from a local nursery made a vivid impression on her as a child.
“My parents would get the tree with the roots still very much alive in the burlap bag of dirt,” recalls Devine, who was raised in Connecticut. “We’d put the tree in a big galvanized tub and just wrap it with a white sheet; then, when Christmas was over, we’d plant the tree somewhere in the four- acre yard.” That appreciation for the vibrant
details of the holidays lives on. Now, this mother of three takes a homemade, family-oriented approach to her young family’s annual celebration. Last year, they all wrapped recycled glass jars with colored tissue paper as tea lights
swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com Waste Not, Want Not
Such simple pleasures can make a major environmental impact. During the holidays, household waste gener- ally increases by 25 percent—an extra 1 million tons of garbage across the country—according to the U.S. Envi- ronmental Protection Agency. Holiday craft projects can trans- form much of this “waste” by making the most of its decorative potential. Shellie Wilson, the founder of Craftbits. com, a site that provides thousands of free, do-it-yourself craft ideas, says she and her mother Rita are craft hoard- ers. “We never throw anything out that we think can be turned into something wonderful,” comments Wilson. Her favorites include a T-shirt pillow that maintains the shirt’s shape and a no- sew baby overalls purse, using
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72