Posted by Wenona Napolitano on Dec.16, 2010

ⓒ iStockPhoto - diane555

When I think of winter and the holidays I envision roaring fires, evergreen trees, snow flakes and cups of cocoa. I try not to think of hectic shopping, gift giving stress and plastic garbage.

I love old fashioned things and times when life was simpler. I have always encouraged my children to make handmade cards, ornaments and gifts every year. In fact we have family traditions that include our annual card making night and our annual cookie making night. The tree decorating is always done as a family. Tradition is an important part of the holidays.

If you are looking for ways to incorporate tradition, old fashioned ways of holiday celebrating while going green here are three green holiday books that offer a wealth of information on celebrating the holidays in green style. They offer ideas for food, decorating, DIY projects, handmade gifts, even green gift ideas.

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas: Gifts, Decorations, and Recipes that Use Less and Mean More by Anna Getty is my favorite green holiday book. It is an awesome book that can really help you green the winter holidays.

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas is filled with heartfelt holiday tips, recipes, expert advice, crafts, and decorating ideas - just about everything you need to make the holidays more eco-friendly.

I really enjoyed reading this book and plan to keep it on my shelves. I hate how the holidays are always stressful for me no matter how well I plan or prepare. One thing I really adore about I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas is that so many of the crafts for gifts and decorations are made with items that can be found around the home. Simple things that won’t cost you a thing to make if you already have the supplies.

Several of the great crafts ideas  that I really love are the: decorated matchboxes (page 70-71), the cute little twig stars (page 106-107), the salt dough ornaments (page 90-91) these are so very country Christmas I love them, the old fashioned cranberry and popcorn garland (page 104-105), the vintage button clutch (page 136-137), and the bottle cap refrigerator magnets that are so super cute for kids to make (pages 142-143).

Then there’s the recipes. Yum. Many sound absolutely delicious: mini apple strudels with brown sugar whipped cream, artichoke dip with baked pita chips, roasted acorn squash soup with Parmesan and crispy sage, stuffed mushrooms, pumpkin gnocchi with browned sage butter, pumpkin butter and tamari roasted pumpkin seeds, chai hot cocoa with whipped cream…and so many more.

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas offers honest and traditional old fashioned style charm to help return Christmas to the love and joy that Christmas was originally all about.

This book can really help you have the type of Christmas you’ve always dreamed of without the stress and hassle and worry of commercial sparkle and false joy.

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas: Gifts, Decorations, and Recipes that Use Less and Mean More

Author: Anna Getty

Publisher:Chronicle Books

ISBN: 978-0811867672

Cover Price: $24.95

Release Date: September 30, 2009

Green Christmas: How to Have a Joyous, Eco-Friendly Holiday Season

Another awesome eco-holiday book is by Jennifer Basye Sander and Peter Sander with Anne Basye. All three of these books can help you green the winter holidays-this year you can make them more memorable, more magical, and so much greener.

Green Christmas: How to Have a Joyous, Eco-Friendly Holiday Season is a wonderful guide to help your holiday season become greener, happier and much more eco-friendly.

It was written by the husband and wife team of Jennifer Basye Sander and Peter Sander along with Jennifer’s sister, Anne Basye. This is a complete guide about greening Christmas. They cover everything you could consider about greening the holidays from Christmas cards, to gifts to traveling during the holidays-they give you great green suggestions for everything. Lighting,greening the  decorations, gift wrap, parties, energy savings…everything is covered in this easy to read, easy to use, compact little book you can carry with you wherever you go. I suggest taking it holiday shopping so you can refer to it often.

These writers truly believe in living green. Their mantra for an eco-friendly Christmas is “give more, consume less.” They encourage you to give more of yourself, give more meaningful gifts and turn away from commercial consumption. This is a great idea because not only will you tread lighter on the planet but you will feel better about yourself and your wallet won’t be so drained…no debt hangover or buyer’s remorse after the holidays.

Title: Green Christmas: How to Have a Joyous, Eco-Friendly Holiday Season

Author: Jennifer Basye Sander and Peter Sander with Anne Basye

Publisher: Adams Media

ISBN:978-1605500416

List Price: $7.95

Release date: October 17, 2008

Celebrate Green

Celebrate Green is a great green book by mother daughter team Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson. It is the green holiday book to have because it not only covers how to green the winter holidays but it also covers pretty much every other holiday and celebration as well. It is full of fabulous green ideas, party planning tips, even recipes and food suggestions.

Celebrate Green has several yummy recipes and fun ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Christmas ideas in Celebrate Green are heartfelt and wonderful. They cover all the basics of reduce, reuse and recycle and then they even get into my favorite part- going DIY. Now that’s something I can do. I am a DIY Diva.

In Celebrate Green you’ll also find that simple, fun old fashioned Christmas ideas are encouraged- old fashioned popcorn strands for the tree that can later be put out for the birds, natural decor - twigs, pine cones, and live greenery, and handmade crafts, ornaments, and decorations.

One of the best parts of the Christmas chapter is an extensive list of eco-friendly gift ideas. You’ll find something for everyone on this list of eco-gifts.

Title: Celebrate Green

Author: Corey Colwell-Lipson, Lynn Colwell

Perfect Paperback: 232 pages

Publisher: The Green Year LLC; 1st edition

ISBN: 978-0615239736

List Price: $24.95

Release Date: October 1, 2008

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Posted under Information & Resources, Product Reviews, Recommended Reading.