By Cynthia Brian

“It’s not easy being green!” Kermit the Frog

The glitter, the sparkle, the dazzle of holiday décor! I love the smells of cinnamon, cider, chestnuts roasting, and evergreens. And although I dread the hours of decorating madness, once I start, I begin to feel the peaceful spirit of Christmas. The caroling, bells ringing, smiling children, and good cheer heralds the season of joy.

The holiday experience I have never enjoyed is the shopping mania overload.  I detest the fact that shops are decorated for the December holidays in September.

For me Christmas has always been a season of giving. When I was growing up on the farm, all our gifts were hand made. We used whatever we could find to create something special for each family member. With remnants of yarn and old wire hangers, we’d crochet a frame that any garment would hang on. With bits of paper glued onto old jars, new vases for flowers bloomed. Jams, jellies, and candied walnuts were other presents from our kitchen. When my children were young, the only toys I’d buy them would be made from wood, metal, or cloth. Even before I founded Be the Star You Are!  charity, I was rescuing books and giving them a new home on my bookshelf. In other words, we were green before green was cool.

I admit, my one indulgence has always been lights. Because we lived so far in the boondocks, my parents would decorate an acre of the farm just so Rudolph would be able to spot our house. That hasn’t changed. Just as the star of Bethlehem led the way to the manager, the twinkling lights of our hearth lead our hearts to our home.

Whatever tradition you celebrate this time of year, be it Channukah, Christmas, or Kwanza, make it a green season. Give of the gift of yourself. Spend more time with your spouse and children really connecting. Exchange gifts that are hand made, reused, grown in your garden, crafted in your kitchen, or made from sustainable materials.  Items made from bamboo, cork, wood, glass, or natural fibers are healthier for your family and for the planet. For the lady in your life, buy beautiful reasonably priced custom created, hand crafted clutches and canvases made from vintage recycled baubles, bangles, and beads from the Karmony Kollection™  (http://www.karmonykollection.com) or call 925-785-7827.

You can never go wrong by giving a book. Be the Star You Are!® has been saving trees by collecting new and used books that were meant to be shredded. You can buy great books at a super discount by visiting http://www.amazon.com/shops/be_the_star_you_are_charity. For other gift ideas, save gas and don’t leave your chair.  You can buy everything under the sun or rain clouds at http://astore.amazon.com/starstyleprod. And best of all, every purchase is a tax deductible donation!

At our house, Santa always delivered packages wrapped in newspaper and twine.  Hey, great idea for recycling and saving the earth! Don’t forget to re-use boxes, decorative bags, and ribbon. And those Christmas cards-cut them in half and use them as gift tags or postcards the following year.

Kermit had it all wrong. It’s easy and it’s fun to be green once you decide that living in this world means we have a responsibility to be good stewards. Establish new traditions and memories by offering the greatest gift of all-LOVE.

Despite the downward spiral in our economy, we are all wealthy because we have one another. Be grateful for what you have instead of moaning for what you desire. Savor the glitter, the sparkle, the dazzle of holiday décor, the cinnamon, the ringing bells, the children singing, the smell of evergreens and chestnuts roasting. Celebrate and rejoice your gift of life.

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." Norman Vincent Peale

May you all enjoy a very happy, healthy, positive, sustainable Holiday filled with joy, love, memories, mirth, magic, and hope.

Until next year! Be the miraculous STAR you were born to be!

SHINE ON!

©2008 Cynthia Brian

Cynthia Brian is the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are! ® 501 c3 empowering women, families, and youth through improved literacy and positive media programming. When she’s producing and hosting her radio show , writing, speaking, or lecturing, you’ll find her in her garden and sharing its bounty of green goodness. Tune in at http://www.ideocast.com/show.asp?sid=118 and visit http://www.star-style.com.