Photo: Swiv via Flickr

You know Christmas is officially over when used Christmas trees have made their way to the front lawn. Walking around my neighbourhood in Ottawa, I was surprised to see how many households decided to opt for a real tree this year. For many it seems, the trend in purchasing real trees has caught on. Perhaps it’s the fresh scent of pine needles that fills a home, or the fun family outing that almost always ends in hot chocolate and cookies at a local tree farm.

But based on our recent quick poll, which asked “What type of tree do you have this Christmas?”, nature lovers are saying they would rather have an artificial tree than a real tree bring Christmas cheer to their home.

41% of respondents said they had an artificial tree this past Christmas, and 24% had a real tree. For religious or other reasons, 34% said they did not have a Christmas tree. See the poll results here.

For people who do celebrate Christmas, choosing the greenest option can be difficult. But there is a range of options and issues to consider. I won’t go in to detail here, as we’ve covered this in a previous post.

Making eco-conscious choices over the Christmas holidays goes beyond what kind of tree you choose to use. Here are a few suggestions on how to green your Christmas decorations from people who participated in our poll.

“I use items that were passed down from my parents as well as items recycled through second hand stores. Instead of wrapping presents, I use cloth bags that I have sewn from old jeans and other used clothing.”

“…I hang a green plastic garland purchased over 20 years ago (still in good shape) on our porch every year. I use LED lights and only at night! As the carol says, let heaven AND NATURE sing!”

“Christmas lights at a minumum, lighted only from sunset to 10:00 pm and not left on all night. No wrapping paper which cannot be re-cycled is used. Home-made Christmas Cards on recyclable paper.”

“I use a lot of handmade ornaments when decorating,and as we own a 50acre property we choose our own tree and replant in the spring.I then put the used tree under my bird feeders for protection of my feathered friends.”

Do you have tips for green Christmas decorations? Share them with us it the comments below.