Who can forget the Christmases of the ’80s? Every inch of the tree draped in tinsel; mounds of wrapping paper and ribbon destined for the landfill; incandescent bulbs sucking the life out of the power grid.

How times have changed. With Santa Claus’s home in danger of liquefying into a giant puddle, the Griswold-style Yule is a thing of the past. But just because you’re dreaming of a green Christmas doesn’t mean you have to forgo twinkling lights and ornaments. In fact, taking a sustainable approach to your seasonal festivities means you can deck the halls in style, minus the guilt. You’ll just need to invest a bit of planning and creativity.

First of all, there’s the matter of the tree. It’s a question that has plenty of well-meaning decorators puzzled: do you go real or go plastic? According to Kate Moore, creative director of the recently launched sustainable-consulting group Lime Green Solutions, wood is good. “Artificial trees are only better if you can use them for a few decades,” she explains. “The reasons for that are that they require a lot of petroleum-based products to be manufactured. And of course, they’re usually shipped from far away, and that creates a lot of carbon emissions as well.”

Moore recommends organically grown, locally harvested trees. Or even better, a potted tree (available at David Hunter Garden Centers [2084 West Broadway and 15175 72nd Avenue, Surrey]) that can be planted outside in the new year, or even reused year after year. If you do opt for a nonpotted one, whatever you do, don’t toss it in the trash when Boxing Day rolls around; you can take part in one of the Lions Club chipping events or have the city recycle it. If you live in a condo where strata rules forbid trees, consider opting for a tree-shaped rosemary bush. “They have the look of a conifer, but they’re also really fragrant,” says Ariane Truong of Natural Habitats design studio. “They make your house really smell great, and then you can use them in cooking.”

As for what to string on your Tannenbaum’s branches, Truong encourages a less-is-more attitude. “I’m really a strong believer in buying objects that you truly love and that you will treasure forever,” she says. “Use decorations that you can keep, or have something that you can really reuse. Use things that are really meaningful, and build it up over the years.”

Emily Murgatroyd, president of event planner Greenprint Events, suggests replacing tinsel (which renders a tree unrecyclable) with traditional popcorn and cranberry garlands. And rather than shop for decorations, she recommends unleashing your imagination. “You know how when you were little you did eggs for Easter, and you took out the yolks and ended up with a hard shell and painted them? You can do that for Christmas,” she notes. “Just paint them with a Christmas décor and wire them and hang them.” Cutting out images from old cards is another option for ornaments; just attach them to the tree with a bit of string.

And the lights? If you haven’t chucked out your incandescents in favour of LEDs, you’re asking for a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past. “LED lights use up to 95 percent less energy than the old-fashioned kind,” Moore says. And when it comes to candles, don’t be seduced by essences. “Stay away from really heavy-scented candles that may have lead-stiffened wicks, and just go with natural beeswax,” recommends Julie Hardy, green-building project manager at the Light House Sustainable Building Centre.

Of course, no tree is complete without presents under its branches, but there’s no need to whip out the wrapping paper. “I use newspapers and magazines. Honestly, who cares what it’s wrapped in? It lasts for two seconds,” says Murgatroyd, who also suggests taking a cue from the Japanese, who use elegant cloths called furoshiki to wrap and carry objects (available at Murata [15 East Broadway]). “There are stores like Dream Designs [956 Commercial Drive]”¦that sell bamboo or hemp linens,” she adds. “It would be kind of cool if you got a themed gift set around the kitchen, and you wrapped it up in a tablecloth.” After all, she observes, “It’s the love put into the gift and not so much the wrapping.”

After all, an eco Christmas “is such an open door for creativity,” she says. And Santa, who has no plans for a back-yard swimming pool, will be all the merrier for it.