Tips and Tricks to Make Christmas Greener and Cheaper

The following is a collection of ideas that I have accumulated over the years which will help you to take full advantage of recycling Christmas all year long:

- If you haven't done so already, consider purchasing an artificial tree. Although it admittedly won't have that fresh pine scent, you won't have to deal with dragging the tree in and setting it up, the needles dropping everywhere, and the disposal afterwards. Not only is it a better choice for the environment, but you will save money in the long run by not purchasing a tree every year.

- After Christmas, when foil wrapped chocolates are on sale, buy a bunch for the upcoming holidays. Then separate them out by color to use as follows: gold and silver for New Years, red for St. Valentine's Day and green for St. Patrick's Day.

- Save holiday gift bags to use again the following year. Shop after the holidays for gift wrap on clearance. Christmas cards and gift tags, ribbons and bows, and holiday decorations are usually drastically reduced and can be purchased to save for the following year. Plain red or green paper can also be used to wrap birthday gifts.

- While you are shopping the clearance sales, look for great deals on holiday- themed items like coffee mugs which can be purchased and used the following Christmas as hostess gifts, presents for the mail carrier or paperboy, or your kids' teachers.

- If you are shopping after the holidays for Christmas lights to decorate your house or tree next year, consider purchasing LED's (light emitting diodes). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED's are 80 percent more energy efficient than traditional lights, which means you will save on your electric bill.

- Recycle your Christmas cards. You can cut off the backs and use the fronts as "thank you" post cards for gifts, or save the fronts to use as gift tags next year. There are many charitable organizations that collect used Christmas cards to be used in craft projects. One of them is St. Jude's Childrens Ranch.

Instead of throwing all your Christmas waste into the trash this year, think about what can be reused or stored for next year. Plan ahead to save yourself from rush and aggravation and have a happy holiday season!