It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

The season of joy, peace and love has arrived.

Your favourite holiday tunes are back in the rotation.

Festive décor and holiday treats have made their way to the mantle.

Canadians enjoy the traditions of our culture and we take pride in our selections of wrapping paper, ribbons, boxes and bows. Our love for gift giving is as strong as our love for hockey. There is an overwhelming amount of newer and more desirable products hitting the shelves daily. This season Canadians will generate approximately 545 000 tonnes of holiday waste.

It is difficult to balance our desire to give with our need to conserve. We hope to inspire you with some unique ways to reduce your environmental footprint.

RECYCLE CANDY CANES AND HOLIDAY CANDY: Grind mint candy canes in a clean coffee grinder to make instant peppermint powdered sugar. Store in a small jar and add to coffee, hot chocolate or cappuccino, or sprinkle over vanilla ice cream.

HOLIDAY WREATHS: Remove all the holiday ornamentation from the wreath (save for next year if silk), and use the bare wreaths to make a giant bird's nest centerpiece, perfect for a year-round display.

HOLIDAY CANDLES: Recycle old holiday candles into new candles. Melt and pour wax into wine glasses that have been chipped from all the festive cheer for brand new, very elegant candles. Make a large candle in a trifle dish, too.

CHEAP AND EASY STORAGE IDEAS FOR LIGHTS AND ORNAMENTS: Keep ornaments organized and protected with two easy ideas: One, store delicate ornaments in egg cartons to keep them separated and stored neatly. For lights, use squares of cardboard and cut notches along the edge. Then, wrap the square in the lights.

NEW YEAR'S EVE BALL: Bundle two to three strings of white Christmas lights into a large ball; just wrap them on themselves over and over to make a large ball and hang in your home for New Year's, just like the famed Times Square ball!

RECYCLE COOKIE BOXES: Transform those holiday theme candy and cookie tins into useful storage bins for around the house.

RECYCLE HOLIDAY CARDS: Make tabletop luminaries out of holiday cards. Start with two cards identical in size. Stack them on top of each other, both with the folded side to the left. With a hole puncher, cut holes along the open-side edge, approximately every 1/4 inch. Thread a needle with twine, and sew the two cards together to create a box shape. Use a well-protected candle in a glass container or rechargeable light to illuminate your craft.

GIVE EXPERIENCES: Laughter, Relaxation, and Learning are quality choices when it comes to memorable experiences. We live in a land of exciting outdoor opportunities, culinary arts, music, theatre, travel opportunities and philanthropic options that will ensure a lasting and meaningful memory that is attached to your thoughtful intentions.

• Give chickens, goats and cows for Christmas – yes, really - Buy a family in Africa an animal that will allow them to feed themselves and their community.
• Give services – a soothing massage, facial or
• Give Yoga – the gift of balance and breath. A great start to the New Year.
• Give Food - Food is the essence of life – does someone you know have a favourite restaurant or maybe they’ve mentioned a restaurant they’d like to try.
• Give a Local Mini Holiday - $89.00 will buy you a week night getaway at Harrison Hot Springs with as much time in the “Healing Springs” as needed.
• Give a Lesson - Pottery, Snowboarding, Cooking, Fishing, Scuba Diving, Jewellery Making...

THAI AWAY GIFT CARDS: $10, $15 or $25 denominations buys you lunch for 1, dinner for 1 or dinner for 2. Great value for the Thai Food lover on your list and an excellent choice for busy students or young professionals. Gift Card Purchases of $50 or more will receive a 10% discount. Available for purchase at our Cambie location.

FaceBook Challenge: What other ideas have you got for gifts that have a positive impact on our world? Post your ideas here…