Christmas trees: it depends on the way you handle it. Fake trees *that are reused* every year are good. Real trees *that you plant* in the yard are great, but can be a pain to get them used to indoor temp then outdoor temp w/o them dying. Rosemary is a cute idea, i've never heard of that.

Just wanted to pipe in on the issue of wrapping paper ... this year and for the last two years, we put gifts into our clean pillowcases. We don't let family members keep them (cause we need them for our pillows), but it makes opening presents funny. Everyone laughs at the pillowcases and the fact that they can't keep them! It has become a long standing joke.

In my family, we have a tradition of a cowboy Christmas tree made up of a mesquite branch (although I use any kind of branch that I find in the park)that is stuck into a pot with some dirt or rocks to hold it in place. Stuff is hung from the tree, but not heavy stuff. We set up our Nativity scene underneath. In Spain, Christmas is all about the nativity scene, and they don't have trees. I like them better, too. I also save wrapping paper, bags and bows, just like my granny does, and I never need to buy any.

Make a real difference this year and have a veggie holiday. Save the planet, your own health and animals. According to the UN meat contributes more to global warming than all transportation combined. There are tons of great recipes available.

i think that we should choose none because artifical trees need factory's to make million of trees.and factories make air,land,water pollutions.together it makes global warming.if we need real one's,we need to cut trees.and it will not help to reduce global warming.

By the way, if you can find someone to mulch your tree after Christmas (I hate to break it to you, folks, but most of those "living" Christmas trees die pretty quickly after you plant them outside), pine bark mulch is really great for any shrubbery in your garden that likes acidic soil. Blueberries, in particular, LOVE pine bark mulch. There are a number of great, native plants you can plant in your backyard that thrive in pine forests, precisely because they love what pine needles and pine mulch do to the soil composition.

We are a a blended family of 7.We have collected special ornaments each year.Some, the kids have made at school out of recycled craft materials.They have their kid Christmas tree that they decorate with all of these things that they have saved from year to year.It becomes a tree of memiories for them.They use the umbrella tree which grows year round in our dining room.Each year,the children recieve one new ornament from Santa, that they put up as decorations thoughout the house.When they are fully grown and ready to move out, they have many Christmas memories from their past to take with them.This saves them having to buy everything when they become adults.Our tree is always a real one.After the season is over, we saw it up and burn it because we heat our house souly with wood.The ashes we use on our vegtable gardens in the spring.We cut our own firewood and plant our own trees to replace the adult ones we havest.Waste not, want not...

when deciding on which type of xmas tree will be more env. friendly, there are manything things to consider. location, type of fake tree and even the type of farming practices on the tree farm where you will be obtaining a real tree. if the tree farm is a organic/sustainable tree farm i would hands down recomend obtaining a tree from that location, especially if it is close by. however if you are located in florida for example where trees are farmed and shipped then you have a larger footprint per tree. the truth is an organic, long lasting, env. friendly xmas tree could be produced, however america is not that green yet to create a organic xmas tree market. so for now, think less fuel, less material, least harmful chemicals and farming practices. its really the best you can do unless you are really a green friendly person and have other ways of obtaining your xmas tree.

(i think)Buying 'real' trees would support x-mas tree companies. Thats good, perhaps they would grow more in demand for the consumers. Some consideration is in thought for transportation and disposal, but in result the trees grown would balance it out with some levity. Wasted Trees? I've heard of pick and chop farms so that only the trees consumers want gets chopped down (Isn't that cool?).

My family gets kinda picky of decorations each year, usually we choose to do decorations thats friendly and safe (anti-fire whatever) for the family. So since we have animals and children we buy ornaments that are shatter proof so it would last a particularly long time. Also using x-mas cards to decorate the tree (avoiding the lights of course). Usually a announcement on our local news sponsors a tree-pick up thing (thingy) to do away for trees that do not fit into our green waste bins.

Wrapping Paper? My suggestion is holiday bags, easy to wrap (almost effortless), and is easy to reuse when recieved.

The wrapping paper dilemma:

One of the biggest wastes during the holiday season is wrapping gifts since the paper is used once and usually thrown away. While it is festive it is also very wasteful. While I don't necessarily want people to give gifts that aren't concealed I was thinking about alternatives.

One alternative is to place gifts in a re-usable tote bag or inside of a canvas shopping bag (which will also encourage the gift recipient to use it instead of plastic/paper bags) I would love to hear other people's suggestions on wrapping paper.

We have a real plant in a pot that normally lives by the dining room window, but on Chritmas time it assumes a different personality and becomes our "live" christmas tree. This year we are using soda bottles and beer caps, old CDs and pop-corn on a string to decorate it... our Christmas will have a reduce-reuse-recycle feeling. Happy holidays to all!!!

when i was little i didnt remember much all i could remember is on chrstmas eve i put my lietter on the fire palce for santa but on christmas day i didnt see any thing under the tree i thought that i did somethin bad for santa that he wouldnt give me anything for chrstmas

Wrapping Ideas
Back in the 60s and 70s the Sunday's funnies section from the newspaper always made fun wrapping paper. It was great getting a gift with Spiderman or Peanuts as the wrapping. Now the newspaper is made from recycled paper and can be placed out in the recycle bins.

Oh--I forgot to answer the initial question posed, which had to do with eco-friendly Christmas trees, not wrapping paper. Here's my suggestion: Get a rosemary bush. It looks like a mini Christmas tree, smells great, and when the holidays are over you can break off twigs and use them for cooking!

When I was a kid and my parents didn't have much money, my mom used to save up all the Sunday (color) comics for several months leading up to Christmas. She then used them as wrapping paper on at least my larger gifts. For small children in particular, I can't think of a better eco-friendly alternative to standard wrapping paper--it's easier to rip open anyway!

And of course, she *always* saved and re-used the bows.

Incidentally, I'm starting to see lots of LED Christmas tree lights in the stores here in Washington, D.C. From here on out, I'm not buying anything else.

At one hardware store, they even have those candles you place in your window, with an LED bulb instead of an incandescent one. Still looking for an LED menorah, however.

As a teacher I am most upset with the poor examples that are often set in schools. Using up next year's art supplies to make paper chains is an example.

I like the idea of recycling the comics. I also think we should show the chidren how wrapping paper can be carefully unwrapped, folded and stored for re-use. Keep up the good ideas!

The rosemary trees can be bought at the grocery stores or the big box home improvement places. They smell great! I have a good friend that has some bare branches that she decorates for each season of the year. Once Christmas is past, she makes up a Valentine's tree, a St. Patrick's Day tree, on and on. You get the idea. It's always a wonderful sight, with or without lights.
Yea for the LED Christmas lights and candles.

Our family has had the same artificial tree for 13 years. This year I purchased an organic cotton bag filled with ground wild-harvested Fir needles. It's hanging on the door handle in the same room as the tree, a quick sqeeze as you walk by and you have the smell of the real thing.

Wrap gifts in recycled newspaper! funny conversation piece and above all saves you money.

Patagonia makes fabric bags made from leftover scraps from their garments and they sell them for a small amount. I have built up a collection of different sizes over the years and wrap all of the gifts that we exchange in our house in these fabric bags (Ultimately I should like to make them myself). They are lighter weight than canvas, and have a tie at the top. My children much prefer packing up the our fabric bags and putting them back in the closet ready to use at the next occasion. Re-used paper bags, or newspaper has been our fall back and we decorate the outside. I like the idea of the canvas bag. It's an extra gift for the recipient in addition to what is inside.
As for the tree dilemma I am sure that the artificial tree we bought years ago (from our remote treeless location) has a much larger foot print than if we were to buy cut trees every year; it was most likely manufactured in China (need I say more?), and bought in a K-Mart. However, now that we have it, I am planning on making the most of it(even though we are no longer in a remote treeless location). My favorite option is having a live potted tree.

Oh for the Christmas tree there are many options. There are Christmas trees that you can plant back into the ground when your done. Also if you ask around about it there are certain trees cut a certain way which is supposedly greener. We have and artificial which we have been using as long as i can remember so either way just ask be smart and Happy HOLIDAYS!

I have an artifical tree that is 25+ yrs old. It is still in great shape & looks wonderful when decorated. I will continue to use it rather than put it in the landfill( be so wasteful in the name of being green??). We do shred our wrapping paper to use as filler in gift bags the next year-recycling!! We also reuse bows,paper & gift bags when we are able(still in good shape). Every little bit helps.

We re-pot our Christmas tree each year and have enjoyed it's grace and beauty for 11 Christmases by now. It looks good and feels good, too!

I cannot tell you about my Christmas because it is not such a green one. My daugter is now being treated with the fourth type of experimental drug in 6 months for Acute Myleod Leukemia, with no remission so far. Our environment consists of so many pollutents and chemicals that can cause so many various diseases such as AML. When are we going to stand up and fight the sources? Scientists are frantically working to find cures but they are not able to get enough funds or rescources to battle such an aggression. We must do it as individuals day to day or we will all perish from this pollution that we have each created. Now I must work to find her a donor for a Bone Marrow Transplant to save her life. When all we needed to do is go green. Please make an effort to understand what can effect your health and make the changes in your life that will save it. A guilt ridden Mother!

I'm an old hippie, so many of the habits so many are (thankfully) trying to adopt have been a way of life for me and my family. First, I believe the way to get more to be environmentally responsible is start slow, educate yourselves, and with that new-found knowledge being environmentally responsible will be a choice, not a burden. Also, we need to realize that we have all have 'guilty' pleasures; the key is to drastically limit them. There are traditions, cultures, one's financial limitations, etc. to be considered. We should not critize others in their 'discovery' of this way of life - surely, make helpful suggestions - but the best way to encourage others is to be an example to your family, neighbors, and co-workers.

An example is that I like a (once) live Christmas tree. I choose to go to Ikea, purchase one there for about $15, when I return the tree, I will get a $10 gift card from Ikea and they will put it through the 'chipper' and every ounce of that tree will be recycled. I use fabric bags purchased @ the grocery store and always RETURN THEM TO MY CAR so I can use them. I also take my own containers to the store and purchase in bulk whenever possible. The containers weigh hardly anything, so I don't mind the few pennies more I pay for shopping this way. My staples are marked and ready to put away when I get home.

We only buy natural fabrics; silk, cotton, wool, hemp, sustainable bamboo, etc. I try to shop at stores like Ikea, which puts absolute PRIORITY on 'green' products; they practically give energy saving lightbulbs away - like $1.25 each. I buy lots at Goodwill, etc. I buy stained t-shirts, etc at garage sales and rewash and reuse them. Use unbleached products, like coffee filters. Make compost from garbage, if you don't use it, give it to someone who does.

A fun way to start is by learning about and 'discovering' your town; you'll find a lot of good uses for your stuff and a lot of nice people willing to help. Our family believes in thinking before we use anything, act locally, and know that it effects globally.

My friends and I reuse present bags. It is always fun to see who ends up with which bag this year!
Since my town has a tree shredding program, I buy a real tree from a local grower. This also comes in handy since I live in a small space - no storage for 11 months! I use candy canes for decorations, my daughter's frinds love being able to take one from the tree for their hot chocolate!
I think artificial trees that are old friends are definitely a good choice. No need to throw away something that works just to buy a "greener" alternative.
My daughter and I tend to give food presents to our family and friends - homemade dinners and cookies are always appreciated. For other presents,I look for gently used, local first, then local-owned store second.

Another great idea is to get squares of cloth, hem them. They can be used to make bags of various sizes, or simply make a square and draw it up to a bundle and tie with a piece of reusable yarn. These can be reused over and over within the family, and if given to someone else, add to their gift with a reusable wrap.

Buying a tree that can be planted somewhere is a great idea. This is what my family has done since the 60's.. We have planted over 40 trees ! Sometimes we donate the trees to someone else and don't always use Fir trees. Different kinds of treas work just as well. They all decorate nicely. And I love the idea of using Rosemary!

The most effective way to go green is to stop buying newly manufactured products, stop buying anything made in China, stop spending your money at big box stores which usually trash the environment and basic workers rights.

Instead, give a service (massage, car wash, child care, yard work, tech support, catered meal, etc.), a hand-made gift by you, or a local craftsperson, something recycled and refurbished. Resolve to only purchase locally made food, products.

This will deprive the big multinationals of their huge profits, which controls our elected leaders. Then maybe they will enact laws that are good for the earth, not the corporate giants.

For gifts this year, I am giving LED light bulbs to everyone, plus a little letter on how to save energy costs in your home. My mother has decided to do this also. We have noticed many people have not converted over yet, and they say because of cost, so we decided to buy the package deals at Costco so they can have atleast 10 lightbulbs each to change out and get them started. Even showing them the cost difference might help also. I encourage everyone to do this this holiday season. It might help get more people motivated!

My family is doing the eco-friendly Christmas this year. We went to a pick and cut organic tree farm for our tree, we combibned the trip to get our tree with a trip to visit my sister. My kids love their aunt and they had a blast picking out a tree in what they deemed Chnristmas Tree Forest. We used only LED lights this year and we dramatically cut back on the amount of light strands we used. We also ditched out electric blinking Christmas tree star in favor of a glass finial to top our tree (it looks like a christmas ball with a point attacehd to it.) Luckily our city has a Christmas tree recycling pick-up day after the new year. We're having the most eco-friendly, far less guilty Christmas that we've ever had. We hope you do too!

Here is a great new niche market for recycled plastic; those Christmas trees in question and the various other wreath-like decorations. Our large ficus tree gets a couple of strings of small lights and small decorations to turn it into a holiday tree. If you use live trees with lights remember to extra water them. For everyone who is consciously contributing to the re-greening of our planet, many thanks, and here's to even more in 2008!

I have been using a fake tree which have lights already on it but I dont know if they are led

I live in a third-floor flat. At the balcony, there are many plants, among which a yew tree in a pot. This is a tree that originally grows in the Netherlands, grows slowly and looks like a fir tree. In December, I take in in for a Christmas tree, after Christmas I put it at the balcony again. My previous yew tree lasted for six years before it became so big I had to find a garden for it.
It's a good choice for the environment, the biodiversity and your wallet. But: it's poison to children!

If you want to wean yourself off of live Christmas trees forever, search the words "NIST Christmas Tree Fire" on youtube. This video was made by the National Institute of Standards and Technologies and it shows exactly how much of a fire hazard real Christmas trees are. After watching this video you will run out to find an alternative to live Christmas trees, guaranteed. Also remember, a great sustainable Christmas gift is making a donation to your favorite charity on behalf of the gift recipient. No resources are consumed while making the gift and the money goes to something more worthwhile than someone's bank account.

I'm using the same 4' tall artificial tree that I've had for many years and will never buy another tree, real or fake. If this one 'dies', I'll simply do what friends of mine do... they decorate a sturdy dead branch from a tree! Because of it's sturdiness, they are able to hang heavy things from it you wouldn't ordinarily hang from a tree, such as birdhouses and stuffed zoo animals. It is precious and they always get many compliments.
Wrapping gifts in reusable, recycled cloth gift bags is my favorite choice, but lately, I've been putting larger gifts in reusable shopping bags, so the recipient is getting 2 gifts in one, and it sends a clear message to the giftee of the intent.
LED lights are not so expensive-simply one less dinner out or one less bottle of wine or one less pair of shoes. They will probably last decades if properly stored and handled.
And finally, make the emphasis on food, family and fun, not gifts. Burn a new Christmas CD's, light some soy candles, bake some cookies with your favorite child or spouse, go caroling with friends-there are so many opportunities to celebrate the season without buying stuff. Merry Christmas Ya'll!

For a natural addition to your Holiday decorating...Take an orange and insert spicy smelling cloves.

Instead of store bought decorations...fill a glass bowl with fresh water and cranberries...add paper white bulbs.

We have used the same artificial tree for 10 years. It's like an old friend. I can not see cutting down a beautiful tree that helps us in so many ways, just for maybe a month of Christmas.

When I was a kid living in the country, in order to have the evergreen scent in the house during the holidays we just cut branches from evergreen trees and placed them over the inside doors and windows for decoration.

We decided to go with a wonderful "real" looking artificial tree this year. That saves another tree from being cut down. We also use ornaments over and over each year, as well as decided to start a tradition of doing Christmas themed puzzles made from recycled paper. We can use them year after year for our holiday decorations.

I also use the comics sometimes to wrap gifts, keep a recycle bag near to put paper in, save bows to use over again, and have a small tree that uses fiber optics which saves on lights. The puzzles are simply incredible, and will be a wonderful added tradition each year to be put up for the holidays. I would love to add in the LED's as the years go by since I already use the long lasting new "twisted" looking bulbs around my home. Also it so happens we had a complete weatherization of our home done this week. We had walls insulated with recycled paper, and the attic, and are adding storm windows. So we really are having a "green" holiday season this year. :) Rhia from TX

Every year we buy a live pine tree and decorate it in the house. In the spring we plant it in the yard and watch it grow bigger the next year. This works for us because we have a big yard and adds to our shelter from wind and cars driving down the street.

This year was our first year to purchase and use LED Christmas lights out doors. It was our investment in the future. They are beautiful!

Christmas gifts to children and grandchildren this year will be money. Nothing will be bought that is unwanted and wasteful. Most of the Christmas money will be used for events and activities involving the grandchildren as the families are attempting to reduce the clutter of unneeded "stuff" that accumulates through out the year.

Everyone on my gift list this year is getting one daylight compact florescent bulb. I go by Home Depot and collect greenery and cedar stumps(where they wrap and cut the Christmas trees)take it home and create arrangements so I have the smell of Christmas. I recycled a fake tree from someone's garbage pick up pile 3 years ago and use put it outside my living room window for the holidays. The rest of the year it is in my back yard blocking my neighbors view of my yard. Old Christmas cards are this years gift tags.

Well. I have an artifical tree that I purchased for $1.00 at a yard sale 10 years ago. So we have kept it out of the land fill for all those years.

Place a few drops of organic fir/junniper oil onto a lamp/lightbulb ring for that fresh tree scent.

For gifts we are making cookbooks (from submitted recipes collected from family and friends). They will be printed on recycled paper put into 3 ring binders and because they have a color front page no wrappping is needed.

Reading all these wise and creative ideas is a GIFT in itself! We get simpler each year in our Christmas decor--a 25 year-old orange tree serves well; pruned branches at the side of the driveway supply fresh evergreen scent; we have not replaced the lights that have eventually gone the way of all useless junk.
For a number of years I have tried to confine my small gift list to what I call my "4-H Club" : contributions to Heifer International, Habitat For Humanity, Heartbeats (Women's cottage industries world-wide--their Ohio kitchen makes the BEST oatmeal pancake mix I've ever tasted!), and the Hunger Ministry (local food pantry). Gifts from the Rainforest site and other Fair Trade organizations support good work while they bring greater pleasure to recipients than anything they have to dust!

Since i'm 32, I already have a menorah and decorations -- and I'm just careful to recycle them every year, and not add more to the mix or buy anything else. I find the best thing to do is to give green gifts. I like the recommended gift guide from GreenandMore.com - where the President recommends their top sellers:
http://www.greenandmore.com/green-gifts.html?navContext=ln_gifts

My resolution is to give more green gifts for every holiday, not just Hanukkah or Christmas. Birthdays, anniversaries, etc. I encourage my Earth-mates and Climate savers to do the same.

We've had a fake tree for years,
Reuse gift boxes, bags and bows for years.

This year NO gifts but the gift of time together.
The most precious gift of all.

Start a tradition. In my family, each child gets one tree ornament a year. The tree becomes filled with wonderful memories that are passed down from generation to generation. My Christmas present bags are canvas bags. A nice reminder to friends & relatives to get green! The smiles were many & priceless & my gifts were easy to find under our 12+ year old tree.

Work / Office Christmas giving: Last year we gave a book from our own personal home library. This year, we drew names and brought something from home. Besides saving time, gas, not running into crowds, we all received the most wonderful gifts! I got a cheese plate, dried flowers from the garden, canned tomatoes & bread & butter pickles!

I live in a small apartment with no room for a Christmas tree. I used to buy those little potted pine trees, but they always died. Then, six years ago, I tried keeping the last pine tree outside in the deep window sill of one of my windows. It's still alive. I repot it every two years or so and run a string of lights around it at Christmas. People walking by see it and smile. It hasn't grown too big, but it's a great tree!