Everyone loves the holidays because it can be a wonderful time to cut loose and have fun as the year is closing out. Family and friends are around and catching up with everyone at the Holiday parties is great fun, with drinks and yummy treats to be had by all. Decorating your house with beautiful lights and putting up a stunning Christmas tree are a must for many people. But you also want to be mindful of your impact on the environment amid all the revelry.

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Celebrating a Green holiday season is simpler than you might think. Check out these tips for ideas on how to stay environmentally friendly and keep the holiday cheer going.

Consider an artificial tree

So, tradition is in the way here. You want to be able to enjoy a fresh, green Douglas fir with beautiful needles and a piney smell. But the impact from cutting down all those trees can be immense. So, look to invest in an artificial tree, so that you don’t have to deal with the watering, the clean-up and the disposal of the entire tree on Jan. 2. It may lack a bit of the Christmas spirit but the goodwill from not fighting with your family to struggle the tree through the door and keep it from falling over makes it a viable green Christmas tree option.

Recycle your wrapping paper

You saved all your wrapping paper from last year, right? It is up there in the attic next to the Halloween decorations and your summer clothes? If not, make a point to save that paper this year, so that you can recycle it next December. Not only are you keeping landfills from overflowing, you are saving quite a bit of cash.

Make your own presents

This is a chance to boost your maker skills and give your friends and family gifts from the heart. There are a lot of DIY sites and online videos out there that can teach you how to craft a beautiful scrapbook for your sister of your lives together or fashion a hand-crafted wallet for your dad. Are you handy with woodworking projects or light electrical work around the house? Make up little gift certificates and bring them to your loved ones, offering to fix up a room or replace faulty outlets.

Shop local

If you are not the handy or crafty type, you can still stay green for the holidays by shopping local. Search out the small stores in your town that sell specialty food or handmade toys. Are the local artisans that have galleries at the town library or in town? Look for ways to purchase their art to share with your social circle. Not only are you keeping money in your own town, you are contributing less to the Amazon trucks and planes that are shipping goods all over the place.

Take a hike

Instead of packing your weekends with decadent holiday parties, take the family to a local state park or even a desolate beach for some much-needed nature time. The weather may be a bit nippy, but you can bundle everyone up and enjoy the solitude of a leafless branches and a peaceful meadow in the

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