Entertaining this holiday? Be naturally festive, and don't let your green choices fall by the wayside.

Keep things environmentally-friendly and feel good because whether you adopt one suggestion or all of them, every little bit helps.

Gatherings at this time of the year can be stressful and wasteful. If you haven't already wrapped your presents, try something different and imaginative this year. You will be sure to get a great response and even start a trend.

"Every year, Canadians toss some 545,000 tonnes of gift bags and wrapping paper into the garbage." (November 2009, Chatelaine.)

Rather than using traditional wrapping paper, try to personalize your gift wrapping to the person that you are giving gifts to, and keep in mind that tissue paper should not go in the green bin and is not recyclable. It is gargbage.

Use an old map, newspaper, or the comics, a sleeve from a sweater for wine or liquor, old sheet music, and cut out pictures from old cards. Pine cones as a bow, twine, yarn or anything that can be re-used--instead of petroleum-based tape--is a creative alternative.

Source: Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin