december 2011 green living monthly

Green LivingMonthlyDecember 2011 • greenlivingmonthly.com

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLDGreen Thoughtful GiftingSHIFT YOUR SHOPPING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Toys for your fur kids!Walk -n- Shop Map Downtown Spokane

2 • GreenLivingMonthly.com • December 2011

Be it Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice or Christmas, December is a festive, light-filled time. It is also a time of reflection on the past year and the hope for a good New Year. Green Living Monthly celebrates the unique traditions that differ-ent cultures express for the Christmas season.

Christmas in Germany“Fröhliche Weihnachten”Christmas preparations often begin on the eve of December 6th. People plan special evenings for baking spiced cakes and cookies, and making gifts and decorations. Little dolls of fruit are traditional Christmas toys. Young boys dress up as kings and carry a star round the village, singing carols. And of course, Germany’s famous Weinnachtmarkt (Christmas Market) has been adopted all over Europe and in many places around the world.. The Weinnachtmarkt is a huge open-air market with booths of food, hot-mulled wine, beer, artisans selling their unique gifts, music and entertainment.German children leave letters sprinkled with sugar to make them spar-kle) on their windowsills for Christkind, a winged figure dressed in white robes and a golden crown who distributes gifts. Germans make beautiful gingerbread houses and cookies. The German Christmas tree pastry, Christbaumgeback, is a white dough that can be molded into shapes and baked for tree decorations. In some parts of Germany, people believe that the Christ Child sends a messenger on Christmas Eve. He appears as an angel in a white robe and crown, bearing gifts. The angel is called Christkind. There is also a Christmas Eve figure called Weihnachtsmann or Christmas Man, who looks like Santa Claus and also brings gifts. Some homes in Germany have several Christ-mas trees, and in all towns across Germany, they can be seen glittering and glowing. In Germany they hang up Advent wreaths of holly with four red candles in the center. They light one candle each Sunday and the last one Christmas Eve. Children count the days until Christmas using an Advent calendar. They open one window each day and find a Christmas picture inside. On Christmas Eve, the traditional visitor is the Christ-kindl who is the Christ Child’s messenger. She is a beauti-ful fair-haired girl with a shining crown of candles who visits each house with a basket of presents. In some homes a room is locked up before Christmas Eve. The children are awakened at mid-night by their parents and taken to the locked room. The door is opened and they see the tree all lit up, with piles of parcels on little tables.

Christmas in Greece“Kala Christouyenna”St. Nicholas is important in Greece as the patron saint of sailors. According to Greek tradition, his clothes are drenched with brine, his beard drips with seawater, and his face is covered with perspiration because he has been working hard against the waves to reach sinking ships and rescue them. Greek ships never leave port any time of year without some sort of St. Nicholas icon on board. On Christmas Eve small boys go from house to house beating drums and sing-ing Christmas carols. They and are given dried figs, almonds, walnuts and lots of sweets or sometimes small gifts. After 40 days of fasting, the Christmas feast is looked forward to with great antici-pation by adults and children alike. Pigs are slaughtered and on almost every table are loaves of christopsomo or “Christ Bread”. This bread is made in large sweet loaves of various shapes and the crusts are engraved and decorated in some way that reflects the family’s profession. In almost every home the main symbol of the season is a shallow wooden bowl with a piece of wire suspended across the rim; from that hangs a sprig of basil wrapped around a wooden cross. A small amount of holy water is kept in the bowl

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLDto keep the basil alive and fresh. Once a day, a family member, usually the mother, dips the cross and basil into the holy water and uses it to sprinkle water in each room of the house. This ritual is believed to keep the Killantzaroi away from the house. Killantzaroi are mischievous goblins who emerge from the center of the earth during the 12 days of Christmas. Priests sometimes go from house to house sprinkling holy water around to get rid of the bad spirits who may be hiding in people’s houses. Very few presents are given to each other. Instead, small gifts are given to hospitals and orphanages. On Christmas Eve, groups of people gather around the holiday table. Figs, dried on rooftops are served with the spicy golden Chrisopsomo bread. People greet one another by saying “Hronia polla” or many happy years. The table filled with food may include such dishes as kourambiethes, a Greek nut cookie. In most Greek homes an evergreen tree is decorated with tinsel and a star placed on top. Gifts are exchanged on January 1st, St Basil’s Day.

Christmas in the Holy Land“Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova,” Hebrew

“Milad Majid,” Arabic

The Holy Land where Christ was born is often full of travelers coming to celebrate Christmas. Here in a

grotto there is a 14-pointed Silver Star on the floor is where the birthplace is said to have been. There are three Christmas Eves in the Holy Land. One is celebrated by the Protestant and Catho-lic Churches. One is for the Greek Orthodox, Coptic (Egyptian) and Syrian churches. The third is the Armenian Church. At times, all three services are going on at the same time, but, in different parts of the church, as well as in different languages. For lunch they eat turkey, spiced with pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg and stuffed with rice, meat, pine nuts and almonds.

Early in the evening, members of the Protes-tant church groups go around singing carols. On

Christmas morning children open their presents before breakfast. After breakfast Protestant people

go to church, and then visit friends to wish them a happy Christmas.

The Catholic Church priests bless water from which all members of the family sip.

In the Greek Orthodox Church, Epiphany is very important. Epiphany is on January 6th and celebrates the revealing of Christ to

the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (3 wise men.) They have a special church service where a cross is dipped into water to bless it. People take the water home with them and drink three sips before eating anything.

Christmas in India“Shub Naya Baras,” Hindi for “Good New Year”Christians in India decorate banana or mango trees. They also light small oil-burn-ing lamps as Christmas decorations and fill their churches with red flowers. They give presents to family members and baksheesh, or charity, to the poor peo-ple. In India, the poinsettia is in bloom and so the churches are decorated with this bril-liant flower for the Christmas Midnight Mass. In South India, Christians put small clay lamps on the rooftops and walls of their houses at Christmas, just as the Hindus do during their festival called Diwali.

Feliz Navidad!continued, 4

December 2011 • GreenLivingMonthly.com • 3

Vol. 1 Issue 5December 2011

Contributing Writers:

EditorChris Ellis

[email protected]

509-981-3839

greenlivingmonthly.com

January 2012Deadline:

Wednesday December 16

Green Living

Contents

Our goal is to bring useful local informa-tion and tips to individuals, organizations and businesses that every day are joining

the collective movement towards more responsible stewardship of our environ-

ment and planet.

Monthly

PublisherDana R. Michie

[email protected]

509-467-3826

Frog Artist,Kristi Stout

Holidays...

Chris Ellis

lakespokanemedia.com

[email protected]

509-981-3839509-467-3826

2 ChrIstMAs ArounD the WorLD5 Green thoughtful Gifting7 Quick tips for Cold and Flu Prevention8 shIFt Your shoPPInG thIs hoLIDAY seAson8 Walk -n- shop Map of Downtown spokane10 reduce recycle, reuse & repurpose: Card Boxes11 Delicious holiday eggnog12 Crafty Kid Friendly Christmas Gifts12 organic Pets: toys for your fur kids13 Kids’ Corner: Christmas, by Jaiden14 event Calendar

The staff at Green Living Monthly, while respecting the opinions and views of our writers and advertisers; don’t always agree and/or support those views. We feel it is important for everyone to “do the re-search” on controversial topics. Please feel free to send your letters to the editor to [email protected].

It’s easy to feel stress and wor-ry this time of year. Stress over get-ting everything done for the holi-days; worry about finances, worry about the right gifts, worry about the worrying affecting our health.

I remember a good friend tell-ing me that life’s memories are “snapshots” in our mind. The most powerful moments, good or bad, are measured in seconds in our memo-ries. I realize now how powerful moments are, and how important it is to “live in the moment.” Those snapshots do not include the past or future surrounding that moment, only the moment itself.

It’s easier said than done. But when I have practiced this “living in the moment” stuff, I know that my stress level is greatly reduced. I can appreciate that second for what it’s giving me, not thinking about what caused it or how it will turn out.

Therefore, it makes sense to me, especially this time of year to take this present moment and

breathe…take in the season: the lights, the beauty of the snow, the sunsets, the smiles, the gathering of friends and family, the sight and smells of good food, the comfort of your pet’s lovable look. Seize the moment, because it will not pass this way again.

Wishing you and yours a bless-ed and beautiful season!

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. “

Anonymous

Dr. Alycia Policani, NDBill Bloom,

Sustainable Business Network Maree KoolstraCarol Byrnes,

Diamonds in the RuffJaiden, Kids’ Corner

Trish Vieira, Spokane’s Family Farm

Artist/Designer WALK/SHOP Map, Carine Mossay, Avignon Essentials


Christmas in Iraq“Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah”In the Christian homes an unusual ceremony is held in the courtyard of the home on Christmas Eve. One of the children in the family reads the story of the Nativity from an Arabic Bible. The other members of the family hold lighted candles, and as soon as the story has been read a bonfire is lit in one corner of the courtyard. The fire is made of dried thorns and the future of the house for the coming year depends upon the way the fire burns. If the thorns burn to ashes, the family will have good fortune. While the fire is burning, a psalm is sung. When the fire is reduced to ashes, everyone jumps over the ashes three times and makes a wish. On Christmas day a similar bonfire is built in the church. While the fire burns the men of the congregation chant a hymn. Then there is a procession in which the officials of the church march behind the bishop, who carries an image of the infant Jesus upon a scarlet cushion. The long Christmas service always ends with the blessing of the people. The bishop reaches forth and touches a member of the con-gregation with his hand, putting his blessing upon him. That person touches the one next him, and so on, until all have received “the Touch of Peace.”

Christmas in Peru“Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo”In Peru nativity scenes with Retablos altar inside are very popular. When priests were first taken to traveling they would carry small altars around with them for festival days. These gradually developed into portable boxes with saints above the altar and scenes from everyday life below it. Now the retablos depict Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, with local people crowding around.

Christmas in Vietnam “Chuc Mung Giang Sinh”Traditional Vietnamese religions are Buddhism and the Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. However, during French rule, many people became Christians. Christmas is one of the four most important festivals of the Vietnamese year, the others being the birthday of Buddha, the New Year and the mid-autumn festival. On Christmas Eve the Christians attend a midnight Mass. After Church people return to their homes for the most important meal, the Christmas supper. The dinner usually consisted of chicken soup, with wealthier people eating turkey and Christmas Pud-ding. European customs of Santa Claus and the Christmas tree are also popular.

Christmas in Africa“Geseënde Kersfees” Afrikaans“Een Plesierige Kerfees” “Afrikand“Rehus-Beal-Ledeats” African/ Eritrean/ TigrinjaPreparation for Christmas in the Congo begins when a group of people are desig-nated to prepare the annual Christmas pageant. Christmas day begins with groups of carolers walking through the village, along the roadway, and by the houses of the missionaries, singing lovely carols known the world around. Often people may be awakened by a group of carolers beginning to converge on the house of worship. They return home to make final preparation as to the clothes one must wear and also as to his offering for the Christmas service. The most important part of their Christmas worship service is the love offering. This is the gift in honor of Jesus. Then at about 8 or 9 o’clock in the morning everyone makes their way to the celebration of the birthday of Jesus. Everyone who attends the service goes forward to lay down their gift upon the raised platform near the Communion table. Not one person will attend the service without giving a gift. People have Christmas dinners after the service, preparing tables out in front of their home and inviting many of their good friends to share. Christmas in South Africa is a summer holiday. In December, the southern summer brings glorious days of sunshine that carry an irresistible invitation to the beaches, the rivers, and the shaded mountain slopes. Schools are closed, and camping is the order of the day. In South Africa there is no snow, but rather many flowers; beauti-ful varieties of cultivated and wild in full bloom.In the cities and towns carolers make their rounds on Christmas Eve. Church serv-ices are held on Christmas morning. Christmas Eve celebrations in larger centers include “Carols by Candlelight” and special screen and floor shows. Homes are decorated with pine branches, and all have the decorated Christmas fir in a corner, with presents for the children around. At bedtime on Christmas Eve, children may also hang up their stockings for presents from Father Christmas. Many South Africans have a Christmas dinner outside. For most, it is the tradi-tional dinner of either turkey, roast beef, mince pies, or suckling pig, yellow rice with raisins, vegetables, and plum pudding. In the afternoon, families go out into the country and usually there are games or basking in the warm sunshine, and then home in the cool of the evening. Boxing Day is also a proclaimed public holiday usually spent in the open air. It falls on December 26 and is a day of relaxation. In Ghana, on Africa’s west coast, most churches herald the coming of Christmas by decorating the church and homes beginning with the first week in Advent, four weeks before Christmas. This season happens to coincide with the cocoa harvest, so it is a time of wealth. Everyone returns home from wherever they might be such as farms or mines. On the eve of Christmas, children march up and down the streets singing Christmas carols and shouting “Christ is coming, Christ is coming! He is near!” in their own languages. In the evening, people flock to churches which have been decorated with Christmas evergreens or palm trees massed with candles. Hymns are sung and Nativity plays are presented. On Christmas Day, children and older people, representing the angels in the fields outside Bethlehem, go from house to house singing. Another church service is held where they dress in their native attire or Western costumes. Later on there is a feast of rice and yam paste called fufu with stew or okra soup, porridge and meats. Fami-lies eat together or with close neighbors, and presents are given. On the west coast of Africa, in Liberia, most homes have an oil palm for a Christ-mas tree, which is decorated with bells. On Christmas morning, people are woken up by carols. Presents such as cotton cloth, soap, sweets, pencils, and books are exchanged. Also in the morning a church service is held in which the Christmas scene is re-enacted and hymns and carols are sung. Dinner is eaten outdoors with everyone sitting in a circle to share the meal of rice, beef and biscuits. Games are played in the afternoon, and at night fireworks light up the sky.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life. ~Buddha

Feliz Navidad!continued from 2


Written By Chris EllisThe Holidays have arrived and the pressure to find the “perfect” gift which is

also affordable can be daunting. A few years ago I took my niece and nephew to a large box store to pick out gifts for them. This was a major mistake. While I stood on the sidelines like a deer in the headlights, hundreds of children were running around the store and through the aisles like mice trying to find their way around a maze. The sound volume was piercing. After an hour in the store, and raising my previously negotiated gift-cost ceiling, we left with a bunch of junk that I doubt they paid much attention to three days later. My head was pounding, I was exhausted, and I’d spent way too much to justify what we’d gotten. I don’t think I’m alone in this scenario. I resolved from that point on that shopping should be fun (for me) and the gifts should be meaningful (therein lies the challenge with kids.)

One year, considering recycling to be meaningful, I went to Goodwill (fun for me), and bought four beautiful gowns for my niece. (She was seven and loved to play “dress up.”) I folded the dresses (ranging in prices from $10 for a long-trained wed-ding dress, to no more than $3 each for the other gowns,) and put them in a HUGE box. I will never forget her face as she opened the box and pulled out yards and yards of beautiful silk and taffeta. She immediately put on the wedding gown and by the look on her mother’s face, it was probably a mistake (but, aunties can get away with such things.) For the next few days she would pull the dresses out and spend hours dressing up. And even now, I see the dresses in her room and the fun she and her girlfriends have “playing dress up.” All this for under $25.

Another year, I took a huge risk. I was involved with a non-profit wolf rescue as-sociation (Wolf Haven International: wolfhaven.org/adopt.php), that had a program where, for a certain donation, you could “adopt a wolf,” giving the animal food for several months, medical care, etc. For the donation, the recipient received an “adop-tion certificate,” a photo of the wolf and a bio on his/her personality. It seemed like the right thing to do, and my nephew loved dogs. However, it was Christmas and this was not a Hot Wheels. Much to my joy, he opened his package, let out a long sighhhhhhhh, and spent at least an hour looking at the photo and having us read the wolf’s bio. Months later, he asked his mother (my sister), if they could send some dog food to his wolf.

I wonder now if our children want mass quantities of expensive gifts because that’s what we’ve taught them? My nieces and nephews are like any other kids, they love that stuff. But to my amazement and joy, I saw a deep appreciation for gifts that were well thought-out and unique, not the amount of money I spent.

This year, I will BUY LOCAL, supporting our community. We have a fantastic variety of fair trade, green and locally owned businesses right in our backyard that can meet every gift need. The Spokane Public Market is a one stop shopping option as well as the surrounding neighborhood businesses (see WALK/SHOP MAP.) There are also huge arrays of non-profit gift shops, some online, some with store fronts in our town. WAMAL (WA State Malamute Adoption League) is one @Wamal.com; they have great gifts whose profits go to the rescue, feeding,

health care and adoption of orphaned malamutes. And finally, don’t forget your local craft fairs and church bazaars with their wonderfully handcrafted items.

This year, I want my holiday dollars spent with a triple purpose in mind: 1). the thought for the recipient, 2). supporting local businesses and non-profits thereby keeping my dollars circulating within my home town

and 3). keeping it green: fair trade gifts, recycled gifts, using recycled wrapping paper, or inspirational gifts motivating love and respect

for our environment. It just feels right.These are just a few ideas for gifts for children, which

for me, can be the most confusing. The following is another idea submitted by a writer who will remain nameless (for

obvious reasons.) We’re talking about…Re-Gifting (shhhhh-hhhhh!)

Green Thoughtful Gifting

re-Giftingcontinued, 6


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When it comes to re-gifting you will find differing opinions on the subject. Some people think re-gifting is a great way to recycle and reuse, while others would never re-gift and are even offended at the mere thought of it. Here is an idea.

have a “re-gifting exchange.” Here’s how it works. Get a group of friends together. It can be a small group or

large group. Just make sure that you have a varied or diverse group of people. For example you wouldn’t want to invite only friends you see every day because then the chances of you selecting a gift at the exchange that you think would be perfect for Ginger was brought to the exchange by Sandy and it was originally given to her by Ginger… you get the idea. Agree on the number of “gifts” to bring to the exchange and if you are bringing a gift that you received from one of the friends in the group, keep in mind some feelings may be hurt. So you might create invitations to the party with a cute disclaimer that talks about it being fair game to bring “any and all gifts” so not to be offended.

If re-gifting is not your thing, then for your group of friends, make an arrange-ment that gifts can only be handmade, under $10, from the clearance rack or pur-chased by extreme couponing. Get creative. Then don’t forget to wrap them in recycled paper and ribbons.

You can use the “exchange” idea for lots of other things too. What about small household appliances, seasonal clothing and accessories, children’s clothes and toys, the list goes on and on. Get the guys involved and have them bring tools, garden seeds or young plants or sporting equipment. You have lots of possibilities.

“to re-Gift or not to re-Gift?”Continued from 5


Dr. Alycia Policani graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1996, with a B.S. in Hu-man Biology and went on to National College of Naturopathic Medicine, where she achieved her doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine in 2000. She has ten years of experience in private practice as sole proprietor of Evergreen Naturopathic (509) 755-5100 Dr. Policani practices as a primary care physician with emphasis on women’s health, menopause, and thyroid disease, using science based natural medicine. Dr. Policani grew up in

Spokane, pursuing many outdoor activities that allowed her to develop a deep appreciation for nature, ultimately leading her down the path to naturo-pathic medicine. When she is not at the office you can find her horseback riding, gardening, hiking or traveling with her husband and son.

By Dr. Alycia PolicaniEvERGREEn nATuROPAThiC

Yes, the cold and flu season is upon us again, although this year, it seems as if it never left. So what can we do to prevent these viruses from using us for their own nefarious pur-poses? Well, if you’re like many peo-ple, you might find yourself standing in line for a flu shot. This isn’t the an-

swer for everyone though, and some health populations need to avoid it. So what is the alternative you ask? Naturopathic physicians believe the alternative is using the immune sys-tem we already have in place for this very purpose.

There are a few very simple things you can do to help your own innate immune system eradicate these nasty invaders.

1. Vitamin D. This nutrient/hormone is proving itself to be of utmost importance to our immune system and overall health. A recent study out of UCLA found that 8000 iu per day of Vitamin D3 helped pre-vent cancer, MS and Type 1 Diabe-tes in adults. They also found that doses of 40,000 iu daily were non-toxic. Not that you should take this amount but just to show that 8000 iu per day will not be harmful to a nor-mal functioning adult liver. Cold and flu season happens in fall and winter because we have less daylight and therefore, less Vitamin D.

Quick Tips for Cold and Flu Prevention

Main & Washington and Riverpark Square838-0206 • 456-4775 auntiesbooks.com

2. Probiotics. Specifically, Lactobacillus, Acidophilus and Bifi-dobacter. These three good gut bugs, which comprise a major portion of your intestinal flora, are integral to immune defense. A Journal of Pedi-atrics study released a few years ago found that school age children that received a daily probiotic supplement became ill 75% less of the time! The rate of illness was decreased by 90% in daycare children who received a daily probiotic! Unfortunately, yo-gurt won’t do the job alone. There isn’t enough of a culture present in yogurt and many people have a dairy allergy which will lower immune function with consumption.

3. Elderberry syrup (sorry, el-derberry wine is not a replacement). The elderberry contains antioxidants, bioflavinoids, vitamin A and vitamin C which boost immune function and prevent the ability of the cold and flu viruses to infect our cells. Unlike Echinacea, Elderberry can be taken every day throughout fall and winter without interruption.

These are some very simple tips for cold and flu prevention that are safe for most children and adults. Of course, washing hands, staying home when ill, publicly humiliating co-workers who come to work sick or siblings who bring their sick children to your home are just common sense measures that will reduce the spread of disease.

Dr. Alycia Policani, ND Evergreen Naturopathic 315 W. 9th Avenue #105 Spokane 755.5100

Submitted PHOtO


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This holiday season local shoppers have a great opportunity to find some unique and beautiful gifts while also giving our local economy a little boost as well.

The Sustainable Business Network of the Inland Northwest (SBN) is a group of local business owners who have recently partnered with the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) to help bring some attention to the importance of local independent retailers.

More than 150 communities across North America, along with partner organiza-tions including American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) and BALLE and New England Local Business Forum, are taking part of an unprecedented national campaign that encourages residents to take job creation and economic concerns into their own hands by exercising their power to strengthen their own local economies.

“We’re asking community residents to shift your purchases of food, cards, gifts, flowers and other holiday purchases to where it matters most, from your friends and neighbors at locally owned businesses. And while you’re at it, see some familiar faces and enjoy the experience,” said Joe Grafton, director of Somerville Local First in Massachusetts.

Americans are about to spend a large portion of their annual shopping budget between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31—the Na-tional Retail Federation predicts about $700 per shopper. Numerous studies show that if those dollars are shifted to locally owned, independent businesses, they’ll generate 2-3 times as much eco-nomic activity in local communities than if that money had been spent at a national chain. Across North America, that could mean billions of dollars of local econom-ic impact.

Locally-owned businesses typi-cally generate up to three times the lo-cal economic activity of national chains because independents spend more money in the local area, including using more lo-cal goods and services such as banking, printing, advertising, legal services, fur-nishings and more. Through this “multi-

plier effect,” the added taxes collected from local expenditures provide support for local schools, parks, law enforcement and more.

Numerous studies on the impact of buying from local, independent businesses have found impressive benefits. For example, a 2008 study of Kent County Michigan by Civic Economics projected shifting 10% of the county’s per capita spending from chains to locally owned, independent businesses would create “almost $140 million in new economic activity and 1,600 new jobs for the region.”

Here in Spokane, the SBN will be distributing tickets to everyone who has al-ready signed one of their “Shift Northwest” pledge cards, through their partner busi-nesses and a wide variety of social media outlets. People are strongly encouraged to share the email and links to tickets with friends, family and coworkers. You can download tickets and find more information at ballespokane.blogspot.com/.

Participating businesses to date include; Eco Depot, Hula Hut Grill, Kelly Lern-er - Architect, Kizuri, Maid Naturally, Mountain Gear, OPA Restaurant, Rings and Things, Roast House Coffee, Rocket Bakery, Spokane Holistic Chamber of Com-merce, Sun People Dry Goods, The Family of Light Healing Center, with others to be announced. At the businesses you will find a place to drop you ticket for the chance to win a variety of prizes. Tickets will be collected from November 21st through December 21st, so there will be plenty of time to drop off your tickets in the course of your regular holiday shopping. The drawing will happen on December 23rd.

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SHIFT YOUR SHOPPING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

By Bill Bloom Sustainable Business Network


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Large Selection of Organic & Natural

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Reduce, Recycle, Reuse & Repurpose with Recycle Rita

This is a great way to use up Christmas cards and Birthday cards.

Before you start gather to-gether all of the supplies. For this project you will need:

Greeting Card*Pen or PencilCellophane TapeRulerScissors

*Both Square and rectangu-lar greeting cards can be used

for this box!

1 - Start off by cutting the card in half.

This is done easily by cut-ting the card along the fold.

You should then have two pieces of equal size.

2 - Cut just a sliver off of each edge of the back of the card. You will want the back about 1/8” to 1/4” smaller than the front.

3 - Lay both the front and the back of the greeting card on your table with the side that was the inside of the greeting card facing up.

Line up the ruler along one of the short edges and mark the card 3/4” from each cor-ner. Repeat this on the other short side.

Card Boxes

Now line up the ruler along one of the long edges, mark the card 3/4” from each corner, and then make another mark 3/4” in from there. Repeat this for the other long side.


Delicious Holiday Eggnog

12 farm fresh egg yolks2 cups super fine sugar4 cups Spokane’s Family Farm milk4 cups Spokane’s Family Farm cream1 liter dark or spiced rum1 Tablespoon vanilla2 teaspoons of fresh grated nutmeg*can add 1 cup brandy (optional)

Whisk egg yolks and sugar together well until sugar liquefies (about 3 minutes). Add milk to egg yolks and heat on med heat stirring constantly to 160 degrees (do not boil or it will curdle)! Add the rum, vanilla and nutmeg and refrigerate overnight. Add cream and mix well before serving. Dust with fresh nutmeg and cinnamon if desired and serve chilled.

Since there are very few ingredients in delicious egg-nog, make them all count! Start with fresh eggs, milk and cream and make sure to grate your nutmeg fresh…you will need more than the prepared stuff but once you try it fresh you will never waste your time with prepared nutmeg.

This method uses a slight-ly cooked method or custard type which is a bit thicker and you will have no worries about consum-ing eggs raw.

By trish VieiraSpokane’s Family Farm

4 - Use the picture as a guide to draw lines on each of your greeting card pieces.

Using a ruler and pen, con-nect each of the marks you made on the short edges of the card.

Note that the marks you made 3/4” from the corner on the long side of the card are not connected. Line up a ruler along those marks and draw a line from one line to another, not going all of the way to the edge of the card.

5 - Use the scissors to cut on each line you draw on the short edge. Only cut up as far as the intersecting line which should be about 1 1/2” from the edge.

6 - Start off by making two folds along the side with the two lines you drew. First fold in the edge on the first line you drew, until it touches the second line. Then fold it in again on the second line.

2925 N. Monroe Spokane, WA 99205

Classes for whole families and their pets start monthly.

Kids welcome!Questions? Please email!

[email protected] mail (509) 325-RUFF

or call Carol: (509) 328-6959

A candle is a small thing.But one candle can light another.And see how its own light increases,as a candle gives its flame to the other.You are such a light.

Moshe Davis and Victor Ratner, Hanukkah

7 - On the other edges of the card, fold in each edge on the line you drew. Now fold in each of the pieces - tabs - you cut.

Now we can assemble the box...

Finally, use the ruler to connect the second marks you made on each of the long edges.


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Continued on page 14

Old color crayons get a new life with this easy to do home craft

Crafty Kid Friendly Christmas GiftsBy Maree KoolstraMother of six

Submitted PHOtO

The holidays are just around the corner and it’s an exciting time for eve-ryone, especially kids. Most children love to think of a special gift and create it with their own two hands. The delight on the child’s face is an incredible testimo-ny to their hard work and love. Therein lies my problem, my kids are crafty and love to make things and I have a hard time drawing a stick figure. But there are a couple of things that we have done over the years that even I could manage with little difficulty.

What do you do with a thousand little broken crayons left alone in a box because the kids get a brand new box of sharp ones each year when school starts? When I was a little girl a missionary came to our church from Af-rica and she asked us to send all our bits of crayons to her. She

would dig a hole in the hot desert sand and put the crayons inside where they would melt to form new crayons for her students. I thought, “Why can’t we do that in our oven?” My kids and I spent a rainy afternoon going through our mul-tiple crayon boxes, sorting, and peeling paper off of our crayons. We decided that we wanted multi-color crayons so we took the crayon bits and pieces and put them into muffin tins. We filled the cups ¾ of the way with the crayons. I turned on the oven to 250 degrees and watched closely, checking them every 5 minutes after the first 10 minutes. It took about 20 minutes for them to be completely melted. I carefully removed the muffin tray from the oven and set it to cool. Once they were cooled they slid right out of the tray and we colored some very pretty pictures. This is a great gift for kids to give to kids with a package of paper.

ORGANIC KIDS

Crafty Kid Gifts

Submitted PHOtO


ORGANIC PETS

Stocking Stuffers for your Special Pet

Toys for your fur kids!By Carol A. Byrnes,Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed

Carol A. Byrnes, Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed Purveyors of product that

nature intended... ...Pure ...Natural ...Wholesome ...Holistic

M-F 8:00-6:00 | Sat. 8:00-5:00 | Sun. Closed919 N. Argonne Rd., Spokane Valley

Pet Vittles

Wild Bird Food, Houses & Feeders

petvittles.com

Are you look-ing for a special stocking stuffer or a fun toy to keep your pet entertained dur-ing the busy holi-day and beyond? We have some great suggestions for you. What? He doesn’t like toys? Perhaps you’ve been selecting the wrong type of toy for your particular furry friend or he hasn’t learned that the best part of a toy is getting to play a game with you!

Once upon a time, the toy section of most pet stores contained a small selection of hard rubber toys shaped like balls or bones and flannel catnip mice. “Fancy” toys had a bell inside. That was about it. “Real dogs” chewed sticks. Times have changed. Stop into

one of Spokane’s great locally-owned pet boutiques and you’ll be amazed at the vast array of fun toys to stimulate

your pet’s senses and exercise both body and mind. Choosing for your favorite feline is pretty simple - as long as it meets their stalk, chase, and pounce de-sires, cats are happy. Predatory games rule! Feathers, fur, catnip scented toys that roll, flutter or crinkle will definitely float the fe-line boat.

Choosing the right toys for dogs can be a bit more com-plicated - mostly because we choose what we think is “cute” and don’t always take their in-stinctive drives into account

when toy shopping, like we do for our cats. The types of toys your dog will enjoy is pre-programmed by his ge-netics: what job his breed, or predomi-nant breed, was bred to do. Most, in-cluding the tiniest Yorkshire Terrier, were bred for a specific purpose. Your Yorkie’s ancestors were fierce vermin catchers , so toys that squeak, can be shaken, “killed” and disemboweled

will be favorites. (Yes, taking the in-nards out is a normal part of playing with stuffies.) Try puzzle toys - toys inside of toys, or if your dog likes food more than toys, a food puzzle will fill the bill.

“He plays with it for awhile, but then loses interest.” Once caught or “killed” the hunt is over -and so is the fun. Play hide and go seek! Is “chase” your herding breed’s favorite game?

How about a flirt pole - a toy that dan-gles on a rope from a pole - or a ball launcher or frisbee? Always quit when your dog would like to play longer and then put the toy away until next time rather than leaving it in the yard. This will keep the toy and the game novel and fun and maintain your participa-tion as part of the fun.

STOCKING STUFFERSContinued, 14

PHOtO CHRiS eLLiS


Do you have wood scraps, paint, and extra nails lying around? With supervi-sion a child can turn those scraps into a bird house with flair for a special adult in their life. An adult will need to do the sawing of the wood but a child can nail and paint it, with supervision. My kids recently took a large scrap of wood and painted it a solid color with some left over house paint and then painted “WE LOVE MOM” in a different color with more left over house paint. It proudly sits by my steps next to my front door and warms my heart every time I see it. If you have scraps of trim wood and an extra piece of large tile left from a project, it can be turned into a trivet as our Uncle Doug did last year with my boys.

Do you want to preserve your child’s hands that become big almost overnight? Pick up some large solid color mugs from

What kinds of things does your dog get into that you wish he wouldn’t? He may be trying to tell you, “This is what I want to play with!” What texture does your dog crave? Many retrievers adore soft, mouth-filling items. (Think dead duck.) Does your dog gnaw the legs of your wooden chairs? Choose hard chew toys of similar size that satisfy the crushing power of his mo-lars. Does he grab a dish towel or your underwear and run with it through the house? Try a long braided fleece or floppy rope tug that he can fly like a flag as he races around the yard. Amy at Prairie Dog Pet Mercantile on Regal and the Palouse Highway gave me her “Top Ten Stocking Stuffers” from playthings to pacifiers list:

1. From the Field: Shelby the Re-

fillable Hemp Mouse (Seriously cat kangaroo kicking

fun at my house!)2. Premier: Funkitty Egg-Cersizer (For cats that need more exercise

or just to exercise their brain!)3. Fat Cat: Showgulls Catnip Toy(It will make you laugh and your

cat will love it, too.)4. Huggle Hounds: Wiley Macho(Great fun and incredibly durable!)5. Nina Ottoson: The Twister(Right paw blue?)6. Perfect Pet Chews: Deer, Elk or

Moose Antlers(Long lasting for the heavy chew-

er in your life. Antlers are shed natu-rally, so no animal must die to produce them. Soak overnight in a beef broth to make a tastier chew!)

7. Safe Made: Biggie Bones(My new favorite stuff-able toy--

dogs love the texture for chewing!)8. Himalayan Dog Chew(Did someone say, “Yak’s milk”?)9. West Paw: Bumi(Eco-friendly, made in Montana.

So durable, if your dog destroys it, they have a one-time replacement policy.)

10. DAP: Dog Appeasing Phe-romone and Feliway for cats.

(Holiday Stress! Do they make it

STOCKING STUFFERSContinued from 13

He may be trying to tell you, “this is what i want to play with!” What texture does

your dog crave?

a thrift store or the dollar store. Wash them very well with Dawn dish soap, it’s a degreaser. Then in the area you will be painting make a thick paste of baking soda and water and rub on the area, rinse well, and rewash with Dawn. Now for the fun part! Take paint (check with a craft store for the right kind) and brush it on your child’s hands and then carefully wrap the hands around the mug, then re-move the hand trying not to smudge the paint. Once the paint is dry, spray the handprint with a sealer. Please remem-ber to do this part! I did this project with my oldest son when he was 18 months and only sealed part of the mugs. The mugs without sealer washed off.

Gift giving doesn’t have to be ex-pensive and the gifts don’t have to be purchased from a store. A homemade gift can join hearts together and create a special feeling between the giver and the receiver that will last long after the holiday season.

for humans?!)

The best thing about local Spokane pet boutiques? They have great stuff for the human end of the leash, too! Keep it local - support our many great local pet boutiques. Happy Holidays!

Carol Byrnes is a Certified Profes-sional Dog Trainer. She and her hus-band are owners of Diamonds in the Ruff in Spokane, where their primary focus is helping families build good

relationships with their dogs through positive force-free training. Carol has created two Powerpoint presentation tools which are used by trainers all over the world: “What is My Dog Say-ing?” Canine Communication 101, and “What is My Dog Saying at the Dog Park?” Dog Park Safety & Eti-quette and Dog-Dog Play. Both are available through tawzerdogvideos.com and dogwise.com. She is cur-rently working on “What is My Cat Saying?” Feline Communication 101.

Praire Dog Mercantile, 2917 E. Palouse Hwy, 443.9663, PraireDog-Mercantile.com

Pet Vittles, 919 N. Argonne Ave., Spokane Valley, 927.0675, PetVit-tles.com

Yuppy Puppy, 9423 N. New-port Hwy., 467.8221, YuppyPup-pySpokane.com

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. Here are the things I like most about Christmas:

• Placing ornaments of different shapes and sizes in many places on the tree.

• Watching the snowflakes float down from the sky. *Unwrapping presents is a big surprise!

• Wrapping presents for family and friends.

• Making gingerbread houses. • Spending time with your family. • Looking at the lights on other

houses.

Christmas By Jaiden

• Making snowmen.• Throwing snowballs. • Sledding down the hill.• Skating on the ice. • Being very nice. • Sitting by the fire. • There are so many things to do I

never will get tired! But the most important part to me is

celebrating Jesus’ birthday.Jaiden is a new writer for Green

Living Monthly. She is 9 years old and has written 1 book and is finishing her 2nd. We welcome her work in “Kids’ Corner.”

Kids’ Corner

Continued on page 14Crafty Kid Gifts


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Rescuing Malamutes and Encouraging Recycling Since 1986

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509-413-1403 www.sproutsalonspa.com

[email protected] W. Francis, St. 2, Spokane, WA 99205

Locally Owned Aveda Concept Salon

Color Service for New GuestsO�er expires December 31, 2011

sun People Dry Goods Co. offers Free recycling Drop-off CenterCollection Program to ensure environmentally safe disposal

Sun People Dry Goods Co., a locally-owned retail store specializing in sustainable products for the home & garden, now provides service for proper disposal of (hazardous) household materials, including compact fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, inkjet cartridges and cell phones.

(These products contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and nickel, which can contaminate the environment when improperly disposed of. Cell phones and light bulbs also contain valuable materials that can be reused for new products. The Environmental Protection Agency and many manufactur-ers encourage proper recycling to protect the environment.)

The Spokane community is welcome to bring used compact fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, inkjet cartridges and cell phones to the store’s collection station. The collections are then sent to Earth Works Recycling, a recycling center located in Spokane, where any waste is safely removed so that it does not enter the environment.

The recycling drop-off is located inside Sun People Dry Goods Co. at 32 West 2nd Avenue, Ste. 200, in downtown Spokane. Store hours are on Tues-day through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Store is closed on Mondays.

1st Anniversary Party & Customer Appreciation Day - Saturday, De-cember 3rd from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Join Sun People Dry Goods as we celebrate our 1st Anniversary and YOu our customers! Stop by for cake, Roast house Coffee, drawings, prizes, dis-counts and fun! Everyone’s a winner - we’ll be giving away gift certificates, discount coupons, products, jute bags and more!

Film showing of “radically simple” - Sunday, December 4th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

FREE. no Preregistration Required. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Jim Merkel is a crusading author, engineer and advocate of sustainable living who’s used his knowledge to demonstrate and exemplify a less-resource intensive lifestyle—one that allows people to be happier with less.

“shop for a Cause” - a fundraising event for The Lands Council- Wednes-day, December 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Shop at Sun People on this day and 10% of your purchase will go to The Lands Council to support their work to preserve and revitalize inland northwest forests, water, and wildlife through advocacy, education, effective action, and community engagement.

Vermicomposting Workshop - Saturday, December 10th from 10:00 a.m. to noon

FREE. Preregistration Required - only 20 spaces available. Register at the store or online at www.sunpeopledrygoods.com

Join Cliff Winger, Master Composter/Recycler (a program of the Spokane Regional Solid Waste System) and vermicomposting expert, to discover the joy that worms can bring to your family and garden; see active worm bins; learn the benefits of worm composting; learn about proper care & how to avoid com-mon problems. See how you can create your own worm bin with inexpensive materials.

Film showing of “Quantum Activist” - Sunday, December 18th from

DeCeMBeR eVeNt CAleNDAR 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.FREE. no Preregistration Required. Everyone is welcome to attend!

With a poignant relevance to the problems of our day this film follows quantum physicist, Dr. Amit Goswami as he demonstrates how our mistaken views of reality had led to our current environmental, social, economic and spiritual crisis.

**For additional information about any of our events, please contact Juliet at [email protected]

“Laughter is the closest dis-tance between two people.”

Victor Borge

May your holidays be filled

with joy and cheer and may your new year bring you peace and happinessGreen Living Monthly

May your holidays be filled

with joy and cheer and may your new year bring you peace and happinessGreen Living Monthly

december 2011 green living monthly

Documents

christmas man

christmas season

christmas picture

christmas eve figure

christmas eve small

traditional christmas

german christmas tree

unique gifts