Are you ready for a green Christmas? The global idea of becoming eco-friendly has percolated down to the year-end festivities this yuletide season. Instead of a white hue expect green to dominate the season's first look of decoration, gifting or charity.

Though still drawn by the red nose reindeer, this year Santa Claus might come in a recycled sleigh. Okay, he will still be wearing the red suit, jingling the bells and saying ‘Oh, oh, oh' to the new generation of Maltese children, but this year his gifts consist of solar lights, floral décor and eco-friendly toys. He sent word to the president recommending sustainable suggestions so that life at the North Pole will still be habitable for him and his elves!

Here are some green ideas to help you do your bit for the environment this Christmas:

• Spread the cheer with beautiful Christmas flowers in and around the house. If you have been using buntings, this year, try a floral décor. Colourful flowers brighten the atmosphere and are always more appreciated than their artificial substitutes. Designs can be customised according to your tastes, so long as they are your materials are kind to the environment, your mission is accomplished.

• Use the Mexican Poinsettia flower - the universal symbol of Xmas and watch the ‘flower of the Holy night' come alive.

• Use the Xmas green Cactus - with its bright green leaves and long lasting stamina, it makes a terrific present.

• Combine them with hollies and red berries, winter roses, and mistletoe and Voila! You have a colourful hamper by the tree.

• Light up the dark night with solar lights - this is a fantastic way to save electricity and the carbon neural lighting is a superb way to create the old world charm.

• Use e-cards instead of paper ones. We might not be cutting down Christmas trees but guess what paper cards are made of?

• Make your own paper wrappers by recycling old ones and used magazine and comic pages.

• Fill stockings with more bio-degradable goodies like toys made out of replenishable wood.

• Spare your niece the future body crisis by not giving her a plastic doll with unrealistic features. Instead opt for a stuffed animal crafted from hemp, organic cotton, seed hulls, and recycled plastic.

• And this year bring out community cribs instead of individual cribs. Make them of recycled material and have one for every street.

• Encourage children to give away there old toys to charity stores, Christmas bazaars and orphanages.
Oh! And word has it that to limit his carbon footprint, this holiday season even Santa will be leaving his turbo sleigh in the North pole, so let's all help out.