I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas: Gifts, Decorations, and Recipes that Use Less and Mean More
Gifted by: Chronicle Books
www.chroniclebooks.com
Reviwed by: Liz Abderholden, Editor of AllFreeChristmasCrafts.com

Did you know that American's throw away an additional five million tons of trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve? This was one of the startling facts that Anna Getty had in mind when she wrote I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas. This book is filled with fun Christmas recipes, drinks, and of course crafts. The aim of her book is to go green for Christmas. Instead of buying ornaments and decorations from the store, reuse materials you're already planning to throw away. Old sweaters? Turn them into a wreath! Cardboard from boxes? Turn them into ornaments! Going green for the holidays is easier than you might think. Not only can it help save the enviroment, but it will help you save some money as well. After all, everybody knows that a handmade gift, ornament, or decoration can be far more meaningful than a store bought item. This book is dedicated to prove that less can actually be more.

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas is split into five simple chapters: nesting, entertaining, trimming, giving, and reflecting. The first four chapters are all about preparing for the holidays from decking the halls to trimming the tree. Each craft is centered on being eco-friendly, from using parts of nature, like the Pine Cone and Nut Wreath, or reusing materials you already have in your home, like the Light Bulb Ornaments. Every craft has a brief description of the project, a list of materials to gather, and to-the-point instructions. This book isn't just solely crafts; at the end of the first four sections Getty also features healthy foods and drinks, too.  

One of the great features of this book are all the "Green Tips" that are sprinkled throughout, which explain ways you can decrease your carbon footprint during the holidays. Most of the tips can be continued throughout the year, too! While the book aims to make you aware of your spending and the effect it can have on the environment it, offering crafts and tips to help with those issues, it also goes back to the most sentimental of ideas: Holidays are a time to spend with family and friends and that less can mean more.  These crafts prove that just because you're spending less, doesn't mean you can't create something beautiful. If you're looking for new ways to recycle materials and go green, then I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas is just for you!