How to Have a Green Christmas the Cheap Way

1. Christmas Trees

One of the simplest ways to have a green Christmas is to purchase a potted Christmas tree. This type of Christmas tree comes with the roots attached so that it can be replanted year after year. These green Christmas trees are more expensive initially, but reusing it year after year will cut down on your costs over time.

Noblefir.com has a wide variety of Noble Fir, Nordmann Fir, and Doug Fir Christmas trees available. They will ship nationwide, and an 8 foot tree will run you around $150. If you don't want to go through the trouble of replanting, certain companies will rent trees to you for $75.

Christmas tree farms cut down on deforestation, but most of those trees have been cultivated with chemicals and pesticides that leech into the soil. If you choose to go with a cut tree, make sure you buy it from an organic, green Christmas tree farm that grows their trees naturally. www.greenpromise.com lists several green Christmas tree farms.

2. Decorations

Your average Christmas tree decoration is made out of chemically treated plastic or wood. And the excessive plastic containers that house glass balls inevitably find their way into the environment. For a green Christmas, go for all natural tree decorations that are environmentally friendly.

String popcorn and hang it around the tree instead of Christmas lights. And apples strung with a needle and hemp twine make great decorations. Forgo lights if you can. Not only do they suck up energy, but replacing them every few years means lots of chemicals and plastic in already overcrowded landfills.

3. Gifts

This Christmas, give the environment the gifts. Instead of the usual knick knacks that eventually find their way to the back of the closet, give donations to green charities on your friends behalf. These green Christmas gifts not only excuse you from hours of mall duty, but perhaps your commitment to a green Christmas will inspire others to take part. Tell your friends your plans ahead of time and request that all of their gifts to you come in the form of similar donations.

4. Gift Wrapping

When you donate to your charity of choice, they will give you a certificate to commemorate the gift. When you give this certificate to your friend, why not wrap it in recycled paper grocery bags instead of the chemically treated wrapping paper that floods landfills every December 26th.

We all know that kids don't associate gifts to charities with Christmas. And it's hard to explain the concept of a green Christmas to a seven year old. Although the toys you buy them will not likely be green, the paper you wrap them in can be. Attach a festive natural cotton ribbon to the gifts to give them some extra Christmas cheer.

5. Christmas Dinner

If you're really feeling adventurous, consider going vegetarian to commemorate your green Christmas. Your average turkey is grown in a factory and pumped full of chemicals and hormones, and the large amounts of waste generated by these animals pollutes the environment. If you're not ready for such a large step, opt for an organically grown, humanely raised turkey.