I actually meant to get this post up in time for Christmas, however, things got crazy. Still, I decided to go ahead and post in case you’re planning a green New Year’s Eve bash (or you can bookmark this post for next year’s holiday season).

Here are some green candle holiday or party arrangement ideas…

First the candles:

You want clean burning candles of course. Great choices include soy candles or beeswax candles. If you’re looking for safe, green, and long term candle light, go with LED candle lights.

Arrange your candles:

Use glass: Recycled glass candle holders are a super eco-friendly choice. Even if you can’t find recycled glass, glass is still an eco-smart choice. Arrange glass candle holders on a table, or on a tray or plate. Place recycled glass beads or rocks around the candles.

Use real rocks: Which look just as good as glass, it’s just a different sort of mood. For a casual family-minded get together, you could even have your kiddos paint the rocks.

Use pretend crystals: This is a great New Year’s eve decor idea. Place your candles in a wine glass, bowl, or on a elegant platter. Sprinkle recycled rock gravel in pretty colors around your candle. The best place I’ve seen to get crystal looking recycled rocks is Recycled Rocks! They have really cool glass rocks in various sizes and beautiful colors, such as…

4-6″ Glass Rocks in Cobalt and Pink (many more colors)

Recycled Glass Gravel in Clear and Avon Blue (many more colors)

Glitter up with stolen art gear: If you’ve got kids, you most likely have the supplies you need already to create a shiny candle arrangement – no buying anything new. Grab some acid-free glitter and a short, squat silver or tin tray (think trays look better; as in under an inch sides. Place one or two larger candles in the center of your tray, place smaller candles around the large ones. Fill in the bottom of the tray with glitter and some random glitter stars.

Use natural items: I recently saw this really pretty idea for floating candles in bowls or glass of water, along with cranberries. It’s a cool idea and without the holiday greens (that you’ll see if you visit the link) you could use this idea for various winter holidays and events.

You can also arrange flowers in your floating water with candles, or place any sort of pine cones, greens, flowers, or fruits around candles on a plate or tray. Decorating For Autumn: Fall Tablescapes and Floral Arrangements – is autumn based, but is actually a good general tutorial about how to make natural arrangements. Plus common mistakes are discussed. It’s a good read if you’re looking to incorporate nature into your candle arrangements.

[Various candle images via stock.xchng, unless otherwise noted]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

There are a few places online that are still taking last minute holiday orders. Shipping may cost you but it’s possible to still save because you aren’t in your gas drinking car driving around frantically. If you’re going with online solutions check the fine print of the shop’s shipping policy carefully.

Here are a few online ideas:

Dirt Candles: First off, these candles are soot free (yippee). The perks just go up from there. Each candle is made from organically grown American soybeans and natural essential oils. Recycled glass and papers are used for packaging. Plus a portion of profit from each candle goes to a select charitable cause. Also they come in crazy fun scents:

• Bah Humbug: bayberries and cranberries with a top note of fresh crushed cinnamon bark and a hint of orange.
• Catch 22: patchouli, sandalwood, spice and fresh Spanish moss
• Slow Poke: fresh lavender and vanilla
• Old School: begins with old-fashioned notes of natural bergamot, galbanum, lemon, petitgrain and lime, leading to a sweet-spicy middle of amber, vanilla, nutmeg, and clove, with rich bottom notes of ambergris, balsam peru and sandalwood (WOW; can someone send me Old School!)
• And many, many, more.

Soaptopia: Eco friendly, delicious scents, and as they say, “100% junk-free” body products that come in a seriously large array of selections. Also, they’ve got some killer holiday sales and shipping deals going on. Just look what you can find:

• Build a MACHO Gift: Fun for the guys; choose from various eco -friendly and manly bath products.
  
• Festival of Lights: Shea Massage Candle, 50/50 Body Balm, 2 Soap Bars, Allota Bubbles, Salt Soak and Remi Mitt.
• Way more soaps than you can believe (on sale – $5 for $25) in cool slices like: Candy Cane, Blue Pearl Jam, Soap. Revolt!, Tequila Sunrise, Lean Mean Tangerine, Staying A-Lime (shown to the side), and more. Go look because the real fun is seeing these soaps; each one a work of art. Amazing shades and textures.
  

Soaptopia also offers lovely eco-gift wrap. Free!

And in super easy chocolate gift giving is the Endangered Species Chocolate of the Month Club. Almost everyone will love this gift. And bonus, no wrapping. Just send. This gift includes a 3-pack of 3oz. all-natural chocolate bars and a 3-pack of 1.4oz. organic chocolate bars each month. You can choose between dark chocolate only or a mix of milk and dark chocolate. Available in both 3 and 6 month gifts.

Next up some green gift solutions you can find right in your own town — for the brave few waiting until this next weekend to shop.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family