Easy ways to make the holidays green and jolly

Remember the way your grandparents' house looked during the holidays? You can rekindle that warm, old-fashioned feeling, but with a lighter footprint.

It all starts with the Christmas tree. More than 15 area farms in the Puget Sound Fresh program offer traditional Christmas trees (pre-cut or "U-cut") and wreaths. Many of these farms use minimum pesticides and other green growing practices, and plant one or more trees for every tree harvested.

LED (light-emitting diode) or solar-powered lights add a modern look to your holiday decorations, and may save you $30 or more on your winter electric bill. Many area retailers now carry LED holiday lights, and some offer discounts on Energy Star-rated LEDs and other energy-efficient lighting through a Puget Sound Energy program. Nearly all Christmas lights, including LEDs, contain PVC plastic and sometimes lead in the wiring, so keep those out of reach of children and wash your hands after handling them.