Here we are, just a few days before Christmas, so I’m guessing that whatever decorating you were planning to do is already done–or not going to get done! However, here I am anyway with some tips and ideas.
Christmas Trees: If possible, cut a real one…and plant another. Why? It’s not made of plastic and who-knows-what in China, but made of basic ingredients by God right nearby. If you’re allergic to real trees, I’m sorry, but it seems likely that you might be allergic to a lot of things and all the fake tree chemicals can’t be good for you either. Just sayin’. 😉
Ornaments: How about homemade ones? Instead of buying plastic trinkets on sale, why not begin to collect handmade ornaments made of real products like glass, fabric, clay, and paper? If you’re not crafty, keep an eye out at fall craft fairs. Buy small handmade objects when you’re traveling–great memories to hang on your tree! I have a wooden ornament from Lake Tahoe and a metal ornament from Alaska, to name two. I also made a few ornaments every year when my kids were growing up: one for each kid and one for the family tree. When my kids left home, they had some ornaments to take with them.
A fun idea is to have handmade ornament exchanges instead of other gifts at the office, for example. Don’t necessarily toss everything you already have. Simply plan ahead to see how you can shift toward a healthier, more personal tree over the next few years.
Lights: Seriously? What’s up with folks who need to add extra plugins and even breakers for their holiday light shows? Is that necessary? Why triple your power bill for December? Why spend hundreds on light strings, animated reindeer, and inflated, illuminated plastic snowmen? Hey, I’m no scrooge, but there’s no need to keep up with the Joneses. It doesn’t send the message that you care about the environment or people anywhere in the world.
In general, keep it simple, keep it tasteful, and keep it real. Anything you’d like to share?