If you do not like the idea of having a tree dying in your home during the holidays, you should know that using artificial fir trees is not among the brightest ideas. Regular decorations or Christmas lights bought from store are not very good, either. Also, if you're into bestowing some of the spirit of Christmas on nature as well, here are a few ideas you could successfully use during these holidays (and the ones to come).

If you don't want to feel guilty about cutting trees, don't buy an artificial one. It's made out of harmful, non-recyclable and non-biodegradable plastic, it doesn't feel, nor does it smell like the real thing. Instead, you could always buy or even rent a potted tree that you can give back, donate to parks, institutions or forest areas destroyed by fires, or – conditions permitting – even replant it yourself after the holidays. Think about the fact that a single tree absorbs about a ton of CO2 during its lifetime. Why waste such a good anti-global warming weapon?

 

There are certainly some companies in your neighborhood that offer potted trees for rent or for purchase and even deliver and install them in your home. Still, if you can't find one and you don't have access to a real one, as a worst case scenario, you can always recycle your tree when you're done with it. It can be turned into mulch, which is used in landscaping or gardening, or it can be chipped for usage in path-making, walkways or hiking trails.

 

They also serve in soil stabilization, erosion control or shoreline maintenance, providing proper habitats for animals, birds or fish. You should also consider switching to LED Christmas lights, saving 90% of the normal energy (and lowering your bill accordingly in the process), knowing that if all American homes used LED holiday lights, $160 million in electricity costs would be saved only during this season.

 

Until about 150 years ago, the manual crafting of ornaments during holidays would see all the family working together to come up with creative ideas that would turn pine cones, bits of cloth and wood, or fruit into fun creations that looked very well on the tree. Nowadays, the ornaments are made out of non-recyclable materials that prove harmful to the environment. Perhaps you could recreate the atmosphere of past times by manufacturing them yourself from environment-friendly materials or, if you're not very creative, at least you could search for “greener” ornaments in shops. There, doesn't your Christmas feel better already?