MNN - Mother Nature Network

If there’s one time of year when completely altering the interior décor of your home to include blinking white lights, live shrubbery, chintzy ornaments and bedazzled hosiery, it’s now. The holidays are an excuse for even the most austere interior decorators to let their hair down and submit to blow-up reindeer lawn ornaments and Department 56 Christmas villages. Needless to say, some of us get really into it.

 

The holidays are also a great, if not the best, time to embark on DIY decorating projects that make use of recycled materials while circumventing the buy, buy, buy holiday mentality. But for the non-crafty who do want to buy, buy, buy, eco-ornamentation should also be an option. So, in the spirit of giving, I’ve wrangled up 10 eco-friendly, non-DIY holiday décor items — some made from recycled materials, some solar powered, some living — that will make your abode a bit more holly-er and jollier this season.  

 

Silver Stars @ Branch Home ($15/set of 3)

These star-shaped charmers are handmade in Portugal from recycled milk cartons. Available with green or red ribbon. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LED Motherboard Menorah @ Fred Flare ($25)

Celebrate the festival of low-impact lights with this LED menorah made from recycled computer motherboards. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FilzFelt Zyklus Ornament Set @ FilzFelt ($9.75/set of 2)

Available in an array of colors, these 100 percent wool felt bike ornaments are ideal for any bike-friendly household. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cardboard Safari Alpine Free @ Cardboard Safari ($24)

This assemble-it-yourself recycled cardboard tree from the folks at Cardboard Safari can be customized with whatever trimmings you fancy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amenity Holiday Ornaments - Birds @ Design Public ($9)

Amenity's printed-and-sewn-in-L.A. christmas ornaments are made with an organic cotton/hemp blend and filled with stuffing made from recycled plastic bottles. Available in three colors. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tin Can Angels @ Viva Terra ($25/set of 4)

Handmade by a rural cooperative in Guatemala, these winged beauties are fashioned from recycled aluminum soda cans and caps. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Tree in a Can @ Elsewares ($9.95)

A festive alternative to indoor houseplants, the seeds of this mini Norway Spruce will begin to sprout within 2 to 3 weeks with proper TLC. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3D Solar Molded Penguin @ Solar Santa ($99)

I betcha Clark Griswold didn't have an 18-inch tall, solar powered light-up penguin in his front yard...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'Ever-Green' Aluminum Holiday Wreath @ Eco-Artware.com ($140)

Metalsmith Boris Bally's unique wreath is made from retired aluminum traffic signs. Red, Orange, Blue, and Yellow are available upon special request. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burlap Christmas Stocking @ 3R Living ($32)

Give your mantle a humanitarian sheen with these stockings made from recycled burlap tea and coffee sacks. They're handmade by artisans in Guatemala.