Most people give their homes a good scrubbing over the holiday season in preparation for more home entertainment or just to keep up a family tradition. Let in fresh air and send out toxins. Clean with mild, non-toxic and natural cleaning agents. Use baking soda or vinegar mixed with equal part of water. These are great multi-purpose cleaners which are inexpensive and work just as well as harsh, unhealthy chemical solvents, chlorine or ammonia.

2. Natural holiday decorations

Think reduce, reuse, recycle when it comes to holiday decorating. You should reuse old decorations and get creative with dried branches, colourful fruits, dried petals and flowers. Home-made ornaments can be made with scraps of fabric and old cards.

3. Freshen up the house

Play with your sense of smell using food in your cupboard or fridge. For example, simmer orange or lime peels or slices with cinnamon sticks or cloves. Simmering vanilla is also quite a relaxing aroma alongside the scent of the traditional Christmas cake baking in the oven.

4. Hand-made gifts

Again, for your gift ideas, first think reduce, reuse, recycle. Look around the house or visit garage sales (many of them right here in Kingston) and find used, but well-conditioned items like books, CDs, lamps and many other treasures. Shine them up and wrap them in recycled material, for example, pretty scraps of cotton material, scraps of plain brown paper or wrapping paper that you saved from last year's gifts.