As the holidays approach, we want to make sure that our homes are prepared for visitors and family. It brings to mind the spring cleaning frenzy we participate in once winter is over. Now, we are cleaning out the house to make way for holiday decorations, smells, and warm feelings. Here are a few ideas to use when deciding how you will clean your home this year.

Chemicals used to clean our homes are harming our health and many don’t even know it. The cleaning agents rub out soap scum and degrease grime on the stove but they also give off fumes that hamper our breathing and fill our home with unhealthy things. This year, get back to basics with some natural cleaning alternatives that still do the job.

We underestimate the power of the simple things. If it doesn’t have ten different unpronounceable chemicals on the label, we think it may not be effective. Natural chemicals and stain fighters take a bit more elbow grease but they do work.

Try baking soda for instance. Baking soda can be used as an abrasive to clean the tub and shower. When combined with water, it begins to eat away at the dirt. Use a scrub brush to remove the softened dirt and wash it away.

What about vinegar? Vinegar is an all-purpose cleaner that most people don’t think about using. Vinegar can be used to clean windows, mirrors, other glass surfaces and to unclog the drain.

For windows, clean them with a bucket of hot water. This softens anything on the surface so the vinegar can do its work. Clean the window with some pure white vinegar. Afterwards, wipe dry with some newspaper.

Vinegar in combination with baking soda will unclog the drain. The bubbling action removes hair and other scum from the drain. Pour the baking soda inside the drain using a funnel or other instrument. Slowly pour the vinegar down the drain.

You will hear and smell as the two come in contact with each other. Wait about fifteen minutes and then flush with hot water. Repeat as often as needed to get rid of the clog.

Lemon is a good bleach alternative. Rub half a lemon on discolored grout between ceramic tiles to return it to its natural color. It also works on shower tiles and shower doors. Lemon is added to most household cleaners so why not cut out the chemicals and use pure lemon? Natural cleaning brushes can be purchased to use in conjunction with natural cleaners.

The chemical load of your home will be greatly reduced and the air will be cleaner. Speaking of cleaner air, give up those spray air fresheners in favor of beeswax candles. They provide a pleasant natural scent as they burn. Beeswax candles also trap odors in the air and neutralize them.

Don’t worry stocking up on chemical cleaners to get the house ready for visitors. Use all natural agents instead, most of which are already around the house.

This holiday season, parents will flock to stores to buy all types of gifts for their children. We’ve all seen the videos of parents fighting over the hottest new figurine or doll. This year, shirk the plastic type toys and instead invest in some wooden toys.

Wooden toys were the first type of toys kids knew. Dads would whittle a piece of wood to create toys in the shapes of animals, wooden dolls, puppets on strings, and toy cars. Kids would play for hours with these toys. Once the kids outgrew them, they could be passed on to younger kids.

Wooden toys have not lost their luster or durability but they have been passed over for the more colorful plastic types that talk and move. When kids are young, the one thing they have is their imagination. Wooden toys inspire the use of the imagination during play.

Wooden toys are also environmentally friendly. Many are used in their natural wooden state. Paints used on eco friendly toys are non-toxic and safe for kids.

When other toys are broken or the kids get tired of them, they are thrown away. Each year something new will replace the old favorite and they will no longer like it as much. In a landfill, those toys just sit and take up space.

Lots of toys that are thrown away still have their batteries inside. Toys that are filled with substances still contain them when they are disposed of. These chemicals can be released into the ground as the housings break down. This poses a potential hazard.

When wooden toys are broken, they can be fixed. If you know someone good with their hands, they can fix it for you. The point is that you don’t have to throw them away. Wooden toys can be passed down from generation to generation.

They maintain their shape and if scratched, the imperfection can be sanded out. Wooden toys hold together better than modern toys created on an assembly line. Small parts that break off of new toys can choke a young child.

If wooden toys are old and no longer usable, they can be disposed of. Because they are made of natural wood, they can be chopped up and used in compost. Colored wooden toys can’t be used for that, but maybe they can be refurbished and donated to local charitable organizations.

Introduce kids to wooden toys when they are young. Puzzles come in wooden and paper shapes instead of plastic. Most wooden toys have rounded edges so they are safer to play with and handle. Even if they gnaw on wood it won’t hurt them.

Choose wooden toys for the young’uns. They are environmentally friendly, safe for young children, durable, and repairable if they are damaged.

Who doesn’t want to have a few presents to open on Christmas morning? Once the gift is open we are left sitting in a pile of paper and plastic tidbits. These items litter the landfills for hundreds of years because they are not biodegradable. Here are some ideas for alternative gift wrapping this year.

There are men and women sitting eagerly at the counter waiting to get a hold of our gifts. They are the department store gift wrappers. They swaddle our purchases in brightly colored paper, metallic ribbon, and handsome bows. Obviously they have some artistic talent because our home wrapped gifts never look that good.

The problem with all of this is that the person opening the gift is going to trash their careful handiwork into a million tiny paper pieces. There are a few exceptions. Some people carefully unwrap their gifts, folding the paper as they go. These are the ones who reuse the paper each year for other presents. We applaud you.

For the rest of us, the garbage can gets full rather quickly with discarded wrapping paper. Much of this doesn’t get recycled or isn’t recycled. Decide to end the senseless landfill waste by using other materials for gift wrapping this year.

Try recycled wrapping paper. This paper may not look as pretty as other wrappings but the purpose of gift wrap is to conceal a present inside. It is not the paper that is most important but the treasure within.

How about cloth wrappings? Stores sell fabric in Christmas colors each year. Purchase a few yards in different colors and create reusable gift wrapping.

If you are good with a sewing machine it will take no time at all to turn that cloth into a fabric wine bottle cover, a wrapping for flat boxes, a cloth wrapping for a square box, or a cloth bag for multiple gifts. The wrappings can be sewn with a drawstring to cinch the bag closed.

These decorative cloth wrappings can be used by the recipient to give a gift the next year at Christmas. The point is that the garbage won’t be filled with wrapping paper again this year.

Gift baskets are a fun alternative to traditional wrapping. Baskets come in many sizes and are made from natural materials. Fill them with items the person will love including homemade presents.

The gift basket can be used throughout the year after the gifts are gone. Use it to hold towels, bath toiletries, fruit and vegetables, or whatever else you choose. The basket can continue to be used or passed on the next Christmas.

How will you present your gifts this year? Go for the environmentally friendly approach and you will not only be giving a gift to someone you love but will be helping to protect the earth as well.

With daily schedules bursting at the seams, decorating your home for the holidays can seem like just another chore on your to-do list. Although it may seem quicker and easier to buy your ornaments at your local discount store, consider clearing some time in your schedule to make your own holiday ornaments.

You’ll find that the time spent creating your unique holiday creations will be well spent.

Here’s a recipe for making your very own Dough Ornaments. It’s simple, fast, and very expensive. More importantly, they are fun to make with family, and you will love the sight of them hanging from your Christmas tree!

Homemade Dough Ornaments

For the dough mixture, you will need:

4 cups of flour

1 cup of water

½ cup of salt

Food Coloring bottles (optional)

Cookie Cutters (optional)

2 cups ground cinnamon (optional)

For decorating your ornaments:

Ribbon
Acrylic paints and brushes
Glitter, Stickers, Stamps, Etc.

Clear protective paint sealant

Mix the dry ingredients together, and then add water. If you’d like, you can add food coloring to your dough mixture. You may want to mix up several batches of different-colored dough, or you can plan on decorating your ornaments later with acrylic paints.

For an extra special treat, mix two cups of ground cinnamon into your dough mixture. Your ornaments will be tinged with a wonderful cinnamon scent!

If your dough mixture feels too sticky, add more flour. Knead the dough until it is smooth and stiff. Use a roller pin to flatten out the dough.

Once the texture is smooth and consistent, use cookie cutters to cut out different shapes. You can also shape the dough into a design of your own.

If you used food coloring to create batches of different-colored dough, now’s the time to get creative.

For example, if you’ve mixed up a small batch of red dough and another batch of regular-colored dough, you can create candy cane decorations. Simply create one batch of red colored dough, and leave aside a portion of regular dough. Then flatten out the dough and cut out two long strips from each batch. Intertwine the two strips to create candy cane decorations!

Once all the dough has been shaped, use the tip of a pen or straw to make a small hole at the top of each of your ornaments. Then place them on a baking sheet, and bake them in the oven at a low setting for about an hour.

After your ornaments have baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Once they are cool to touch, the fun part really begins.

Pull out the paints, felt-tip markers, stickers, glitter, and anything else you can think of, and begin to decorate. Be creative.

When you’re finished decorating, let the paint dry for several hours, and then seal your work with a coat of clear protective sealant.

When the ornaments have dried, string a ribbon through the top and tie into a knot. You can also use metal hangers. Hang your new creations from the Christmas tree and enjoy!

The centerpiece of the living room during the Christmas holiday is the Christmas tree. The tree is where we place our presents for others. The twinkling lights reflect the light in our heart for others during the season. Some people choose to decorate a real tree and others opt for fake trees. Which is best?

Opinions differ on the subject. But, real trees are environmentally sound. They are grown on tree farms and harvested around the holidays in time for Christmas. People keep the tree watered throughout the Christmas holiday so the tree stays green and lush.

Artificial trees are made of metal and plastic. Plastic as we know does not break down in the landfill. Little pieces may flake off and contaminate the water table.

Artificial trees have one thing going for them. They can be reused each Christmas. As long as they are in use, they are out of the landfill. It saves money in the long run. Many artificial trees come pre-lit so there is no need to buy strings of lights.

One mistake that real tree buyers make is forgetting to water their tree once they get home. The tree needs water even after it is cut down. The warm air in the house can dry it out.

Once it dries out, the pine needles begin to fall off. There is no wakeup call quite like stepping on a pile of sharp, brittle pine needles in your bare feet. A dried out Christmas tree is a fire hazard. Those warm lights or a spark of some kind can send it up in a blaze of glory.

Many families like buying a new live Christmas tree each year. Finding the perfect one is a tradition. It does require some work. There is the job of securing it to the top of the car. Some tree farms let you cut down your own tree. That requires a chainsaw and some know how.

At home, the tree has to be carried in the house and perched in the waiting stand. Underestimating the height of your ceiling or the size of the tree could mean removing the tree again and trimming it. On a positive note, after Christmas, the tree can be chopped up for mulch in the yard. But, the gas and elbow grease involved in getting and disposing of the tree is enough for some people to switch to a fake tree.

The choice is purely personal. Once you have made the choice, it is time for the decorations. Instead of using glass and plastic ornaments, opt for edible ornaments. Even if you don’t eat them, they can be thrown down the garbage disposal after Christmas.

For real trees that come unlit, use strings of LED lights. They use less energy and last a lot longer than the current light sets. Natural ornaments made out of pine cones and berries reflect a hint of Christmases past.

Let’s face it-Christmas is a time of excess. We eat too much, we spend too much and, unfortunately, we use too many trees in order to send out Christmas cards. Yet the latter doesn’t have to be a constant if you implement the use of eco-friendly alternatives to the standard wasteful variety.

Christmas Cards That Grow On You

According to Wikipedia.org some 1.9 billion Christmas cards were mailed out in 2005. That’s a lot of dead trees and waste for a one-time-use greeting. When sending out your Christmas cards this year take a minute to evaluate those on your card list. Not everyone necessarily needs a physical card to know you’re thinking of them during Christmas. Personalized e-cards work great for co-workers and waste no paper whatsoever.

For those instances where an e-card just won’t cut it, such as with family or close friends, try sending a Christmas card that will warm their hearts and beautify their flower beds come summer. Seed paper cards are greeting cards created from 100% recycled paper which are imbedded with perennial flower seeds. The recipient can save the card and come spring simply plant the biodegradable card in ground. The seeds will germinate and grow lovely flowers for years to come. You’ll be happy knowing you reused paper that was recycled and your Christmas card recipient will have reduced the number of cards in landfills by planting their Christmas greeting. That’s the three “R’s” covered with one simple card!

Be Caring and Crafty with Homemade Christmas Cards

A huge trend in Christmas cards of late is the personalized touch of creating your own greeting cards. While the supplies to make your own holiday cards are abundant at any craft store the items offered don’t necessarily have the environment in mind. If crafting your own Christmas cards is a hobby you enjoy relax in knowing that you don’t have to give up this holiday pleasure-you just need to find eco-friendly materials to use.

Purchase blank cards and card stock made from recycled paper. Accessorize your cards with natural embellishments such as rustic strings, and dried flowers or fruits. Cut out holiday designs from decorative recycled paper and use these as decals on your handmade Christmas greetings.

Spread the Word

Taking care of the environment is everyone’s responsibility. Unfortunately with today’s hectic lifestyles being green often takes a backseat to our daily routine. When sending out your eco-friendly Christmas cards you can remind friends and family to put the Earth first by designing your own U.S. postage stamp with a pro-environmental message. Many online companies offer this service and designing your own stamp is easier than you might think.

This Christmas why not take the time to see how you can reduce the impact the festive season has on our planet? While being eco-friendly during the holidays does take some planning the rewards benefit us all. By using recyclable and reusable papers for your Christmas cards you send a message of holiday cheer and environmental responsibility at the same time.

When shopping for Christmas gifts and other items around the holidays, we try to use all of our options. But, what we are looking for is quality and that can’t be compromised. One idea many people haven’t tried is fair trade items. Buying these items will help another person somewhere around the world.

The idea of fair trade is a fairly new one. It is less than twenty years old in its practice. The purpose is to help craftsman and artisans around the world, especially in underdeveloped countries to have their work recognized. By recognizing their work, they are helped to live a better life.

To ensure that profits are realized in the village or co-op where the products were made those who deal in fair trade merchandise buy directly from the product originators. There is no middleman waiting to get their share of the profits.

Those who deal with fair trade items also ensure that no other illegal activities are going on. If workers are abused or forced to make their goods under substandard conditions, the merchandise is not used. Also, proper eco friendly practices must be used in the creation of the items for sale. For farms, no use of harmful chemicals can play a part in crop production.

Products from several countries are featured in stores on and off line for sale. These items are sold at a fair price to you and a fair price to the people making them so that no one is cheated. Their beautiful handiwork is seen all over the world and is of the greatest quality. These artisans are true to their craft and practice to get the best products possible.

Many use recycled products to make their products. Some have developed cottage industries out of collecting recycled materials and creating something useful with them.

These individuals and cooperatives have created many items that we can use to decorate for the holidays where we live. They craft ornaments, figurines, unique gift items, and other products. Acquiring these items is easier than you think. They are as close as the Internet on your computer or the store down the street.

One store that carries fair trade products is Ten Thousand Villages. You can go to their website and join their mailing list. In their stores they feature products made from recycled materials and fair trade items from around the world. They can be found at www.tenthousandvillages.com.

Other stores on the Internet are also fair trade dealers. They showcase items for Christmas such as ornaments, baskets, nativity scenes, garland, and clothing. Here are a few websites to check out for your holiday needs:

* www.oneworldprojects.com
* http://shop.rupalee.com
* www.transfairusa.org

The last on the list is a site where you can go to find fair trade shops in your area and online.

Looking for something else this year? Maybe you just want to help someone out in the global community. Look for fair trade merchandise.

Candle making is a tradition from the Old Country. Hanging wicks and dipping them in wax until the candle is the correct consistency was something we did in art class. Get the family together during the holiday season and teach the kids how to make beeswax candles.

Beeswax candles can be made with beeswax sheets. True beeswax candle makers don’t use these sheets but for homemade candles, beeswax sheets are easy and safe for children to use. The wax is pressed into sheets for use in making different shapes of candles.

Beeswax is a clean burning candle wax. It cleans the air and removes odors as it burns. Beeswax also melts away until almost gone. Any that is left can be molded with more beeswax to create new candles to burn.

Before making beeswax candles, prepare by getting all of your supplies together and setting up an area to work. To make these candles you will need: beeswax sheets, scissors or a knife, candle wicks, a cutting board or other hard surface for cutting. When purchasing the supplies, check to see that the wicks do not contain any lead or other chemicals.

Beeswax usually comes in a light color which is the color of the wax. Adding color introduces chemicals into the wax that can be burned off in the flame. You can get beeswax candles in different colors but they may not burn as clean.

First, watch the children when sharp objects are around. Do any cutting that needs to be done and keep the knife pointed away from the body. Work on the kitchen table so the kids can lean as they work.

1. Lay out a sheet of beeswax. If using colored wax in combinations cut the sheet and add other colored pieces. Lay them close together so they overlap.
2. Take the wick and place it near the beginning of the wax sheet. Let an inch or so of the wick hang out of the bottom of the candle and two inches out of the top of the beeswax sheet.
3. Press the wick gently into the beeswax sheet. The wick needs to be secured so that it will not be displaced during rolling. After the wick is firmly in place, it is time to create the candle.
4. Slowly, roll the beeswax sheet over itself. Keep the rolls tight so no gaps are present in the wax. Continue rolling until the entire sheet is finished or the candle is as wide as you would like it. Larger candles like pillars have one or three wicks depending on width.
5. Cut the wick at the bottom even with the bottom of the candle. Trim the wick at the top of the candle until it is about half an inch long.

Create beautiful candles in various sizes and shapes. Kids can use their creations as homemade gifts or to decorate the house for the Christmas holiday.

Christmas belongs to everyone especially the children. Most of the memories that we treasure for a lifetime are created during childhood. Help your kids to make memorable moments with edible ornaments.

Edible ornaments are fun to make and even better to eat. One advantage of these ornaments is that there is less to pack away in containers once the holidays are over. These ornaments are biodegradable if the kids don’t get to them.

Start with the garland. Usually we string tinsel and other items that can be harmful to pets and children if they are eaten. In the early days of Christmas among the settlers, foods like popcorn and nuts were used for garland. Little treats could be placed on the tree that the kids could eat later.

Go back to the old ways and have the kids string a few strands of popcorn garland. Use their favorite popcorn flavors. You run the risk of more popcorn being eaten than strung but it is a chance you will have to take. Actually, stale popcorn is easier to string than freshly popped. Leave a bag or two of microwave popcorn sitting for a day or two and then begin decorating.

Pretzels can be strung as well. You won’t need a needle for this stringing procedure. Pretzels can be placed at intervals between the pieces of popcorn.

A popular tree ornament is candy canes. The red and white striped treats are a staple of Christmas. Now, they come in a variety of colors and flavors besides peppermint. Choose colors that complement your décor and color scheme for the Christmas tree.

They come individually wrapped so the candy can be shared with everyone after Christmas is over. In fact, if you have a Christmas party, let each child take a souvenir from your tree home to their tree.

Nuts can be glued together in the shape of a ball and hung like a Christmas bulb. Leave enough space to slip a piece of string or ribbon through the top and tie it to the tree branch. Since the shell is discarded anyway, a dab of Elmer’s glue won’t prevent eating them later.

Carefully choose which decorative edibles the kids can eat from the Christmas tree. For a fake tree, the branches are made of plastic and each ornament is safe for eating. With live trees, determine if the tree has been sprayed with anything to prevent bug infestation. Any small bugs or remnants of sprays can render the food inedible after coming in contact with it. In that case, use some sort of ornament hanger to keep the edible ornaments away from the tree branches and needles.

Edible ornaments are fun to make. Shellac the ones the kids want to keep so they are preserved for more Christmas memories.

We all like to decorate for Christmas. It puts the entire family in the festive mood of the season. Each year, many families purchase new decorations to change the look of our Christmas tree. This year, why not choose to use some natural decorations for your home?

Natural doesn’t mean decorations that look like nuts and berries. It refers to using actual nuts and berries as decorations. Using nature to spruce up the place is safe for the environment. After the holiday is over, it is easy to dispose of these decorations. There is no need to pack up anything except for the tree, if it is artificial.

Start with the garland. We like to decorate banisters, mantles, and archways. Nurseries have natural garlands for sale and so do farmer’s markets. Do you have holly bushes or evergreen bushes in the yard? Use the remnants to create strings of garland to lay about the house. The little pieces can decorate candle displays and be used to create wreaths.

Berries from the yard add color to the Christmas tree. Using a needle and thread, string a few berries intermittently with some popcorn kernels. The kids can help you do this. To make the decorations last longer and keep the bugs away, add a little shellac to the string with a small brush to seal in the smells.

In art class years ago, they taught kids to make ornaments using dough and salt. This was the one time salt was preferred over sugar in a recipe. Regular cookie cutters made various Christmas shapes in the dough before they were baked. The ornaments would get rock hard and then they could be decorated with non-toxic paint. A hole was punched in the cookie ornament dough before baking so a ribbon could be passed through later.

Pine cones are another decorating favorite. A dollop of glue applied to the bottom of the pinecone made a place for the string to be attached for tree hanging. For eco friendly decorating, use strips of organic cotton fabric in holiday colors to hang the ornaments on the Christmas tree.

Decorating is not limited to the Christmas tree and the banisters. Many people keep their Christmas cards from years past and hang them on the walls. This is a great way to recycle old Christmas cards.

Those same cards can be used to make placemats for the holiday table. Affix the colored covers of the cards to a piece of cardboard and laminate the entire thing. Old paper towel rolls can be turned into napkin rings for the table.

What are some of your ideas for the holidays? Wherever possible, substitute manufactured decorating materials with natural decorations. You will save money and the environment.