Dementia for 2

I have been reading several of Small Footprints articles on having a "green" Christmas this year.

Since we will be out of town and the kids are grown, we are not putting up a tree this year. I do miss all the decorating I must admit. I won't miss taking all that stuff down and putting it all back in the attic.

I found some interesting articles on Christmas lights that I wanted to share with all of you. If you want to read more you can go here. Once you get to the page, on the left sidebar is a list of articles. you can click on the one titled "Recycling Christmas Lights" to read the article.

Some other recycling options are Holidayleds.

While I realize that it is probably a little late to participate in the below program, it is a great thought for next year. This is a program that helps Toys for Tots which is a program sponsored by the USMC my favorite branch of the military:) I am listing the address and steps to take if you desire to do this this year or next.

1.Take your old broken Christmas lights and box them up in the smallest possible box and send to:
Christmas Light Source Recycling Program
1923 6th Avenue
Fort Worth, TX 76110

2. Please include your name, address and email address. They will send you a coupon good for 10% off a single order of Christmas Lights.

They take the proceeds from recycling and use them to buy books for the Toys for Tots program in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

There you have it. New ideas for old lights.

Christmas Cards

I really enjoy sending and receiving Christmas cards. The problem is what to do with all of mine after Christmas.

Here are some options:

1. Send holiday cards to St. Jude's Ranch, a nonprofit home for youths that collects old holiday cards for reuse. Either cut off the backs of the cards or leave them intact. Children at St Jude's earn money by creating new cards from the old.

2. Mail the cards UPS "ground" or "bound printed matter" to St. Jude's Card Recycling, 100 St. Jude Street, P.O. Box 60100, Boulder City, NV 89006.

3. Cut off the backs of old holiday cards that do not have writing behind the front and use them as postcards.

4. Cut them apart and use for gift tags.

5. Put your sentimental ones in a scrapbook.

These are just a few ideas. I am sure there are many many more. A special thanks again to Small Footprints for her informative and conscious raising blog!

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!