Christmas is right around the corner and we’ve been busy preparing our home for friends and family.  Since holiday decorations seem to stay in a box for most of the year, I’ve decided to incorporate some eco-friendly holiday decor accents in our home.  This week it’s all about “greening” your decor.

As your guests gather into the living room (or family room), why not greet them with the lovely fragrance of natural herbs and spices, essential oils, or freshly baked cookies.  My father used to boil cinnamon sticks, a lovely scent that lasted for hours.  If you simply must have candles in your home, opt for organic, soy or beeswax.  Check out Anna Sova Luxury Organics, Big Dipper Wax Works, and Beeswax Candle Company for eco-friendly candles that will make your home warm and inviting.

Modular flooring has been setting the trend this year.  I love the ability to alter the look and feel of a room with the switch of a rug!  Since the hazards of conventional wall-to-wall carpet are numerous, it makes eco-sense to stick to hardwood or laminate and use modular rugs as decor accents.  FLOR’s innovative, fashionable, and functional modular carpeting options allow you to stylize area rugs, runners, and wall-to-wall carpeting.  Their Ho Ho Holiday rug is warm and festive with it’s vibrant red and green hues.  The rug arrives in tiles that you then get to arrange for your very own personalized look. It’s super easy to put together.  You simply create your area rug by using the adhesive FLOR dots provided by the company when you order the rug.   We altered the suggested layout of stripes for a more funky, checkered pattern to reflect our style.  The best thing about the product is the ability to change the look of your rug at any time!  FLOR’s products are made with renewable, recyclable materials and they have one of the lowest levels of VOC’s in the industry.  Their commitment to environmental responsibility is evident in their Return & Recycle program.

I am not a fan of trinkets and knick-knacks that gather dust and spend most of their life in a box.  This year I’ve decided to decorate with sustainable alternatives like fresh fruit and greenery.  From live potted plants to homemade ornaments, decorating your home has never been greener.  If you still want to purchase holiday decorations, be sure to purchase fair trade items. Be sure to check out Gaiam and  VivaTerra’s holiday selection of fair trade, eco-inspired, decor accents for your home.

If you’re crafty and would like some ideas for activities you can do as a family, check out Family Fun Magazine and Annie B. Bond’s articles on eco-decorating.  They’re so easy even I can do them!

I’m a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night.  My husband and I savor the warm Southern California sun.  We love to travel…so much so that we spent 8 weeks backpacking Europe before moving to Edinburgh, Scotland where we found out I was pregnant with my son.  I am a babywearing, co-sleeping, breastfeeding mama whose passions include health, fitness, and all things green.  If I’m not running after my 15 month old son…or my husband…you can find me frequenting the local tea room, shopping, baking, or reading.

My blog is Rockin’ Mama