Plastic ornaments, strands of electricity-hogging lights, trees chopped down by the millions: Christmas decorating isn’t exactly known as environmentally friendly.
Here are some ways to bring the sparkle and style of the season into your home without increasing your carbon footprint.
Interior designer Mallory Mathison creates holiday centerpieces by filling bowls or baskets with fresh fruits and vegetables. Try an assortment of crimson and golden pears, Mathison says, or go red and green with pomegranates and artichokes.
Designer Brian Patrick Flynn, of the TBS series “Movie and a Makeover,” says many vendors of live Christmas trees will offer cut branches for free. “I like to turn those into my own wreath. If you Google ‘basket weaving,’ there are easy instructions online,” he says.
Look for mismatched, transparent Christmas balls at a thrift shop. Change their look by unscrewing the top, pouring in a few drops of eco-friendly paint and swirling it around. The color will show through, giving the group of ornaments a cohesive look. Flynn searches flea markets for old holiday record albums. Laminate them to use as placemats.
Search etsy.com and elsewhere online for decorations made by crafters who work with recycled or sustainable materials.
Flynn suggests combing secondhand stores for glass or crystal pendants from old light fixtures, Attach ornament hooks and drape them on sturdy tree branches.
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