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.

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.