Christmas Gifts Jersey City NJ

Green is the color for the holiday season - from wreaths and trees to lights and stockings - so why not take it a step further and decorate with truly “green” items? One of the best ways to go green is to get crafty with these edible decorations from your favorite holiday foods. OK, we know you’re not Martha Stewart but trust us, they are so easy even a kid can make these. Here is a list of our favorites…

Very Berry Christmas Tree – Make an edible centerpiece with a biodegradable Styrofoam cone, toothpicks and strawberries. Stick a toothpick in the fat end of the strawberry and then stick the other end of the toothpick into the foam forming a Christmas tree. Decorate with tiny sprigs of mint.

Cranberry and Popcorn Garland – This oldie but goodie has you adding popcorn and bright red cranberries on a string. Just tie a needle to the string, fishing wire, or twine and start layering. Wrap around your Christmas tree, the banister, or hang over the fireplace.

Clove Studded Orange – AKA, the Pomander. You probably made this in grade school but now that you have a home of your own, a clove studded orange is a fabulous way to make your house smell amazing. All you need are a few oranges, a push pin, and cloves. Prick the orange with the pin and then insert the clove. Place them in a bowl, a vase, or hang from your tree.

Gingerbread Ornaments – Even cooking goddess Nigella Lawson makes this a tradition in her home. Just follow her recipe for the dough, bake, decorate, and hang on your tree. To keep her kiddies from eating them all off the tree, she adds a little black pepper. If you plan on eating them all off the tree, skip the pepper.

Fragrant Herb Wreath – This Martha Stewart creation (we had to throw one in) combines rosemary, rosehip and eucalyptus for a decorative aromatic wreath . Don’t worry, there's a step-by-step video. The best part is it’ll last through the winter season… with just the occasional spritz of water...

Along with presents, snow angels and the neighbor who fabulously (albeit energy consumptive) overdid it with lights and decor, a quintessential part of the holidays is the fresh smell of Christmas trees wafting through the air. Even if you’re going all eco this season and skipping the tree , you can still make your home smell like pine… and we’re not talking about one of those pine scented rearview mirror air fresheners.

DIY Christmas Potpourri

What you'll need:

• 1 to 2-inch thick tree stump
• Pine branches
• Cinnamon Sticks
• Cloves
• Cranberries (any leftover raw ones)
• Water
• Small shallow wide bowl (heat safe)
• Heater or vent

What to do:

Stop by your local tree sellers and ask them for extra stumps and pine branches. They will either give them to you for free or sell them super cheap... hopefully. Place the stump in a shallow bowl and add water - just enough to cover halfway up the stump (don’t submerge in water). Scatter in some cinnamon sticks, cloves, cranberries, and broken bits of the branches with pine needles (and anything else you think would meld beautifully!). Place on your vent or heater and once the water starts to warm, all the scents will start to heat up and fill your room.

The water will dry up after a few days so just add some more and refresh your cinnamon sticks, cloves, cranberries, and broken bits of the branches with pine needles as needed. Be wary of places where kids and pets will have easy access. You can cover the top with plastic wrap, securing with a rubber band, and poke holes in the top if you need to...