Back to the Christmas Tree Farm

We cut our own tree from the Ergle Christmas Tree Farm again this year. It was another fun family experience. That's my husband cutting down the tree and my two sons watching.

Will this become a long-standing family tradition for us? The jury is still out. The tree is not a typical Christmas tree. It is grown in Florida, after all. It's very pretty in it's own way, but the needles are really sticky and tend to fall off easily. Not to mention, they are nearly impossible to vacuum up. It also has kind of an unusual smell.

Sometimes it's difficult to know where to find the balance between tradition, frugality, and eco-friendliness.

Read my post from last year, Our $25 Christmas Tree from Ergle Farm, to find out why we chose to buy a locally-grown Christmas tree, and weigh in with your opinion.

By the way, here's a $2 Coupon for Ergle Farm.

Earth-Friendly Cutlery $1 at Publix

I found a huge stack of Earth-Friendly Cutlery on the clearance table at Publix for only $1 a box (24 pieces). This comes out to 4 cents per utensil, which is cheaper than even the economy-size plastic ware. However, they are so much greener than plastic ware. This Terra Ware, which is made by Acadian:

• biodegrades in 4 to 6 months
• is not made from plastic
• is made from GMO free cornstarch resin
• is made using sustainable resources
  

Each Publix has different items on clearance, so yours may not have them. But it's certainly worth a look! I got mine from the Apex Publix in Lutz.

Wow - I wonder if these would meet the cradle-to-cradle standard of design?

Gift Idea for Kids: Jump, Jump, Jump!

Need gift ideas for kids?

One of the best presents my boys got for their birthday last year was a gift certificate to Planet Bounce, a local bouncy place for kids. Here's why I loved it:

• It provides a great way to get exercise for the whole family, regardless of the heat or rain.
• It's an experience, rather than a thing (any parent can tell you about their clutter problems).

Another bouncy place, Jump Zone on Race Track Road in Tampa is having a Halloween Bounce & Haunted House Rate tonight (October 17) from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Cost is $8.

Bouncy places are popping up all over. Find one in your area and give it a try. I have to wonder, though, if bouncy places are very green given all the electricity they have to use. What do you think?

Cupcake Stands Have Some Green Benefits

Consider using a cupcake stand instead of a traditional cake for your next birthday party, holiday event, or even a wedding celebration. Depending on how it's done, it could be a cheaper, greener, and more convenient way to go.

• You may be able to reduce (or even eliminate) the need for plates, forks and serving utensils. Guests just take one and eat it!
• If you are having a party at a park or a location away from home, it's nice not to have to fuss with cutting, serving and distributing the cake. It just saves time and aggrevation.
• If you use a silicone muffin pan, you won't need generate the waste that comes from the baking cups.
  
• You can make some beautiful displays with cupcakes without spending a lot of money.
  
• One way to create a unique look is to use some of the unusual-shaped silicone pans (such as hearts, squares, butterflies, etc.).
  

You can purchase cupcake stands and silicone bakeware at places like Target, Joann, and Michaels. Joann and Michaels both had 40%-off coupons in the Sunday paper on October 11 (expires today).

I also came across the online company, Cupcake Tree that touts their cupcake stand as a greener option because it is made from recyclable materials, is lightweight (which reduces the impact of delivery), and is made from locally-grown materials. Cupcake Tree has some very beautiful pictures of wedding displays (including the picture shown above).