Giving gifts is fun and of course we want to choose these gifts wisely so that our gift is appreciated by the recipient. We need to be conscious of the impact this gift will have on the environment.

It is so easy to go into a store and make a purchase without giving a thought to the packaging the item is in. The United States Environmental Protection Agency reports that household garbage increases by 25 percent in the days between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. That places an enormous burden on our landfills.

Be kind to the environment and do your part to reduce the negative impact the holiday season can have on the environment. Cut down on over consumption. Celebrate the holidays, but do it responsibly.

Here are some ideas:

Keep in mind that even a greeting card or gift tag can be recycled. It may seem like a small item, but it still needs to be given consideration.

Energy efficient appliances are marked with the Energy Star logo. Giving an energy efficient appliance as a gift is much more kind to the environment.

Send our smaller sized holiday greeting cards such as a post card. Better yet, send a special holiday email greeting your your friends with computers.

Recycle your holiday greeting cards and use them the following year as gift tags.

You do not always have to purchase a new item for it to be the perfect holiday gift. Shopping at a thrift store can turn up a unique and cherished gift. Jewelry is an item that can be found at thrift stores and makes a perfect gift.

Share your talents to create a unique special gift. If you have a hobby where you collect thing, consider making a gift from duplications you have collected. Especially if the gift is for a child, you can get them started by sharing the enthusiasm of your hobby. Coin collections and stamp collections are good examples to get started with.

Consider preparing food as a gift item, either baked goods, or even simple recipes that prepared with love. These make perfect gifts for elderly or those on a fixed income.

You have knowledge that no one else has. Share these talents as a gift to someone wanting to learn about your hobby or specialty. An hour or two of your time makes a perfect gift.

Plant a tree in honor of someone.

Donate to an organization or cause the recipient cares about.

A gift certificate for a massage or facial.

This holiday season, be responsible in your gift giving. Choose gifts that are environmentally friendly. If each consumer does makes a conscious decision to buy gifts that are kind to the environment we will all benefit.