Loving the shiny, lush magnolia leaves of the season’s most elegant greens.  A refreshing change from the everywhere pine boughs and bay leaves - magnolia wreaths and garland are gorgeous on the stairwell or mantle, and even prettier as a wreath hanging on the front door.  Live magnolia will last a little over a week and then the leaves begin to curl and darken into a gorgeous auburn color.  Order from your local nursery or floral supply and accent with a little twinkly candlelight for Christmas dinner.

By Kate Sinclair of Life in Style.

I try to be budget and Eco-friendly with party favors and hostess gifts during the holidays and I, historically, tend to make sweet treats and cookies for my friends and family.  This year I am leaning towards the healthy side of things and I have made my own granola and packaged it in festive small portions.  I started making my own granola a few months ago as I am never quite satisfied with the any of the different types I buy from the store - too sweet, too bland, too much added fat, too expensive - and I am very particular about my dried fruits and nuts.  If you make your own, you can combine all of your favorite items in different ways, add different spices or use seasonal, organic ingredients depending on what you are looking for.  I thought that adding cranberries would be very festive and I came across a great recipe at Epicurious that I changed ever so slightly after a few batches of dry runs.

Cranberry-Almond Granola, adapted from Epicurious

non-stick vegetable oil spray
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup wheat bran
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup pecan halves
1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut (optional)
1/2 cup frozen cranberry or pomegranate juice cocktail, thawed
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Spray large rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray.  Mix oats, bran, pecans, almond slivers and coconut together in a large bowl.  Combine juice, sugar, cinnamon and allspice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Whisk until sugar dissolves.  Pour the hot syrup mixture over the oat mixture and stir to coat.  Spread mixture evenly onto the baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Once done, stir in dried cranberries and let cool.

Package this healthy snack in little bags, boxes or jars with gorgeous ribbons and  attach a copy of the recipe.  For those with more of a sweet tooth, add mini chocolate chips or M&Ms to the mix! Mmmmmmm.

O Christmas tree, how eco-friendly are you?  There has been a lot of discussion lately on whether to buy an artificial or live Christmas tree this holiday season.  When you weigh the naughty and nice lists, the answer comes back that the greenest option is to buy a live, farmed tree.  Why?  Artificial trees are make of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which produces a large amount of pollution and is hard to recycle.  Also, there are reports of lead in PVC, especially in older artificial trees.

The best option is to choose a tree from your local tree farm.  Growing trees absorb carbon dioxide, and can be recycled into mulch.  Plus, that good wintry pine scent only comes once a year…

Check out Earth 911 to see where to take your tree after the holidays.

For more information, go to Yahoo’s terrific article.  By Kate Sinclair of Life In Style.

Gifts during the holidays are tricky, especially if you are on a budget.  Yet, we inevitably try to please everyone and everyone includes your children’s teachers (co-workers, the mailman, etc.).  You, as the giver, want to say an extra special thanks for all that the teacher does during the school year with your child.  Or, if it happens to be the school bus driver, the baby-sitter, your secretary or co-workers, it’s always nice to give a "Thanks for doing a great job" or simply, "Have a safe and Happy Holiday!" gift that displays this gesture but is not over the top or inappropriate.

I thought of this post after talking with my sister, a middle-school teacher herself, about the types of gifts she gets from her students at Christmastime.  Do not misunderstand - teachers love getting gifts and the gesture is welcomed and appreciated!  Sometimes, though, there are items that provoke a few laughs or a quizzical look/thought. 

Some guidelines:

Chocolate - This is a universal theme enjoyed by everyone.  During the holidays there are always many boxes of chocolates and treats floating around and although a few are a sweet indulgence, too many are a stomach ache.  My sister once received 15 boxes of chocolates from the kids in her class and so the rest of our family got, you guessed it, boxes of chocolate on Christmas morning!  If you would like to give chocolate, pick 3 or four handmade truffles and package them in an ornamental box or create an assortment of single serving gourmet hot chocolates.  Small gestures with big taste!

Candles - Candles are pretty and very seasonal with all of the cozy nights people spend relaxing with family.  If you have found a wonderful, eco-friendly and naturally scented column candle that is in a neutral color and could go with almost any decor (or something along those lines), please give.  But be careful when you are tempted to buy candles in bulk or candles with very strong scents or colors or in odd shapes and figures. If you would not use it as a center piece at a family dinner or as part of your seasonal decor, then chances are the teacher would not either

Christmas themed decorations/goodies - In general this seems like a good idea, because it’s the Holiday Season!  But, as a caution, if you wouldn’t use the Rudolph the Reindeer themed napkins or the Disney Christmas tree ornament, it’s likely your child’s teacher might just pack it away, or give it to their Great Aunt Mabel.

Wine and Spirits - My sister thinks getting a bottle of wine or a little assortment of liquors is wonderful.  She says that after long days with the kids, and sometimes long nights with parents at Parent-Teacher interviews, she NEEDS a glass or two.  You do not have to choose an expensive bottle of wine to make a generous gesture and many stores do carry half bottles that are also good gifts for those on a budget.  Also, attaching a recipe for Mulled Wine or Hot Buttered Rum to the bottle you are giving adds a personal and seasonal touch.

Other ideas - Homemade cookies (made by the children themselves so Mom gets a little break), muffins, granola, goodie bags of old fashioned Holiday candies, or even gift certificates for a spa service, a favorite music or movie store or a gourmet food shop.

If these ideas don’t work for you, remember, there’s nothing wrong with giving an elegant card with a heartfelt Holiday greeting and your child’s signature.

Happy Holiday Gift Giving!

Recipes courtesy of the LCBO, pictures courtesy of Martha Stewart and The Wine Enthusiast