strip, and then unplug it when not in use to save “ghost” energy pulled by electronics that are plugged in, but not activated.


Buy a live tree to later plant or recycle, Seo suggests.


This supports regional Christmas tree farmers while retaining the integrity of local forests. Many communities offer recy- cling of holiday trees to provide mulch or habitat for aquatic life in local lakes.


Keeping the Feast Organize a cookie exchange to get together and save time and energy on holiday baking, suggests Sara Novak, a food policy and health writer at SereneKitchen.com, from Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. Generally, a hostess asks guests to bring sev- eral dozen of their favorite cookies. Once gathered, attendees share the treats and recipes, taking home several of each vari- ety. To “green it up”, Novak recommends emailing the recipes rather than printing them, encouraging invitees to use fresh and local ingredients and bring favorite reusable containers from home, like a colorful, time-honored cookie tin. For the holiday table, mix and match settings of plates, glasses, linens and cutlery. “Use the real thing,” Eisenberg recommends, “and recruit guests to help wash up afterwards.” She recalls that while growing up, her mother supplemented her silverware with grandmother’s for large holiday dinners. Save your own energy—and sanity—by asking family and friends to bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert. The hostess can assign a dish and corresponding recipe or use a potluck approach, says Eisenberg. Leftovers go home in non- plastic, reusable containers.


Gift Giving Many families enjoy giving traditional gifts to children at cer- tain ages, like dollhouses or train sets. Re-imagine these and, when possible, buy local to save energy and support area businesses, suggests Eisenberg. Cintia Gonzalez, an Australian mom, crafted a dollhouse from an old suitcase, inventively using black chalkboard paint for the exterior, wooden shelves as floors and fast food ketchup cups as lampshades (Tinyurl.com/UpcycleDollhouse). Another mom transformed a discarded coffee table into a painted train table for her boys. Upcycle paint chip cards into colorful gift tags, suggests Seo. Plus, use gift wraps that become part of the gift itself, such as placemats swaddling a bottle of wine, fabric to encase quilt- ing supplies or sheet music enveloping concert tickets. As a general rule, “Give experiences, not gifts,” counsels


Eisenberg. “Giving loved ones experiences reduces wrap- ping paper, ribbon and packaging and is an easy way to be a bit more personal over the holidays. Your teenage niece may love a spa day, complete with hair styling, while your favorite aunt and uncle may be thrilled to attend a local wine tasting. If you think a young child can tolerate a few less presents in exchange for a pass to an ice show or dance class, go for it.” “It’s the holiday experience that counts,” counsels


Seo. “It’s what makes memories.” Claire O’Neil is a freelance writer from Kansas City, MO.


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