Have a simple, meaningful holiday

Reduce and reuse. This are important words in our effort to “green” up our lives. But they can also be the mantra you use to simplify your holidays.

Reduce

Excess is as important holiday tradition as gifts, decorations and food. However, after weeks of excess, the excitement fails, you're left with an empty budget and extra pounds. So this year, start reducing before the holidays. Do less, spend less, eat less. Make your home center stage this holiday. Make family events out of decorating your tree, cooking, and making gifts. Say no to parties you really don't want to attend. Reduce the number of people on your gift list. Donate to a charity in the name of your friends, co-workers and family members instead. Simplify your holiday menus. Bake one dessert instead of two or three. Find healthy alternatives for the high fat, high calorie traditions.

Reuse

Make a vow to reuse decorations, wrapping paper and even your holiday food. Narrow your decorating scheme to include only the items you have on hand. Check your lights and replace bulbs rather than throwing a whole string in the trash. Spruce up last year's wreath and garland with some glitter and tinsel. Get out your glue gun and repair ornaments.

Be creative with wrapping paper. First, use of any leftovers you have from last year. Then try some alternative materials. Newspaper looks festive tied up with red ribbon. Use colorful holiday stamps to liven up brown grocery bags.

Cook once and make two or three meals. This method of meal planning is gaining in popularity. It's different than just serving leftovers. In this method of meal planning, you prepare a large quantity of the same ingredient (s) but make two entirely different recipes. This saves time, money and energy.

Sometimes simple is best. In the case of holidays, simple can be less stressful, less expensive and more meaningful.

photo by Sanja Gjenero