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Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Without a tree, the festive season just wouldn't be the same would it? Rather like Easter without eggs!  Christmas trees are a given - a must-have for the season. Even though homemade decorations have been often replaced with store-bought goodies, the sentiment involved in trimming the tree remains the same after all this time, a simple tradition that engenders warmth and merriment for all to enjoy. The Eco tree is easy on the environment and the bank account.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
What happiness befalls me
When oft at joyous Christmas-time
Your form inspires my song and rhyme.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree.
What happens befalls me ...

The custom of a Christmas tree as we know it, pioneered in Germany in the 16th Century. Not without a bit of controversy along the way.

There has been much speculation on the origin of the Christmas tree. Although many legends exist, Christmas traditions mostly arose from ancient Roman beliefs and the spread of Christianity.

The Eco-friendly "Greener" Christmas Tree

Who says a Christmas tree has to be pine or spruce - or even green for that matter?

Look around the house or garden for a stand-in for your tree this year.

Such as potted plants, a topiary or fallen branches.

If you do buy a tree, find one growing in a pot - it may start off small but will grow and it is environmentally friendly.

If  you're careful you can recycle it for years to come by keeping it watered and healthy.

A UK survey showed six million Christmas trees took pride of place in British homes and offices, of these only 10% were recycled and fewer than 5% planted to be re-used for next Christmas.

Buy from a small-scale sustainable grower and choose a tree with roots so that it can be replanted - www.soilassociation.org/christmas if replanting isn't an option, most local councils run Christmas tree recycling schemes, Contact your council or visit www.letsrecycle.com

Put your Christmas tree out with your Council's Green Waste Service so that it can be composted. Consider planting a tree to replace the tree or better still, find an alternative tree from nature in your garden!

Another alternative is to use a native tree or found dead twigs that you can decorate - a few branches gold burnished or splatted with white paint, decorated with bows, painted eggs, star cut-outs, wax dipped pine cones, home-made baubles, ginger bread decorations, etc.

Use your imagination and create a Christmas tree that is unique. Hang colorful recycled paper chains, popcorn and cranberry strings on your tree for a traditional touch, or lines of beads and buttons instead of tinsel.

Start decorating  with natural elements to create an eco sustainable Christmas decoration that is not only fun, but inexpensive to create.

DECK WITH REAL HOLLY ...drawing on an age old adage of having a natural Christmas. Instead of spending money on artificial Christmas decorations that won't biodegrade, let nature and repurposed items from around the home decorate your tree. Christmas decorations can be made from organic, recycled and scrap materials. Try organic popcorn, dough, cinnamon sticks, bows, gingerbread, seasonal berries, fruit and vegetables, ivy and evergreen branches, pinecones, gumnuts - once you have finished with them, you can put some in the composter and reuse others.In the pioneer days, people were unable to afford to go out and buy their decorations so they had to make them for themselves - and you should try it too. Not only can building them be a fun time for the family, but they also look fabulous!

One of the fantastic things about a handmade Christmas is the chance to repurpose bits and pieces lying around the home and to take a walk in nature and look for treasures. It doesn't mean you are being a 'Scrooge", you're simply being environmentally friendly by wasting less! And that is something to Rejoice about.

There are many ways to enhance the celebratory vibe with the Eco Christmas tree for your home and office - with a little imagination.

The best and the most lasting joys of Christmas can be neither bought nor sold.