greenliving


and Heartfelt Do-It-Yourself Stocking Stuffers by Meredith Montgomery


Homemade “W


ith the volume of house- hold waste soaring 34 percent beyond normal


levels in the weeks between Thanksgiv- ing and New Year’s Day it’s particularly important to remain eco-conscious during the holidays,” says Anna Getty, author of I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas. “It’s easy to get so wrapped up in buying gifts and decorations that eco-friendliness goes out the window.” This year, consider giving the


family’s stocking stuffers a sustainable makeover by gifting homemade items. Getty observes, “Useful, thoughtful homemade gifts can be really sweet… and green.”


A Jar for Everyone With a ribbon and label of instructions, inexpensive canning jars and glass con- tainers filled with homemade goodies can become creative and practical gifts for everyone on the list.


Sugar body scrubs offer a simple and affordable home spa experience. Combine two cups of sugar with one cup of oil (sweet almond, grapeseed or olive) and add 10 to 20 drops of essential oils to scent. Try a combina- tion of rosemary and peppermint for an invigorating morning scrub or lavender and vanilla to unwind later. Fill jars with ingredients for some simmering home aromatherapy. Labels instruct recipients to boil the contents in a small saucepan of water, and then reduce heat to simmer, adding water as needed. Combine evergreen sprigs, cin- namon sticks, cloves, dried apple peels and citrus rinds for a festive holiday scent. Lemon, rosemary and vanilla af- ford a refreshing alternative. For family grill masters, obtain bulk spices for barbecue rubs at a health food store. A basic recipe from DadCooksDinner.com combines four tablespoons paprika, four tablespoons brown sugar, two tablespoons chili powder, one tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, two teaspoons garlic powder, two teaspoons onion powder and one teaspoon dried thyme.


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Upcycled and Sewn Experienced crafters can follow online guidelines to upcycle fabric scraps and unwanted clothing and linens. An old sweatshirt or sweater becomes an iPad case and colorful T-shirts morph into tote bags and scarves. Creating therapeutic hot/cold bags can be fairly simple, even without a sewing machine. Cut a 16-by-eight-inch piece of flannel, cotton, fleece or terry- cloth and fold it in half with the finished side inside, lining up the edges. Using sturdy thread, sew a quarter-inch seam along the open edges, leaving a half- inch opening. Carefully turn the fabric right-side-out through the opening and fill the bag three-quarters full with long grain white rice. Tuck in the opening’s unfinished edges and sew closed. To treat aches and pains, the giftee


can microwave the bag for 30 seconds at a time until achieving the desired temperature or place it in the freezer to use as a cooling or freezer pack. For aromatherapy, mix the rice with a couple of drops of lavender essential oil before filling. At room temperature,


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