Deck The Halls With All Things Green

tra la la la la, la la la laaa......yes I have poked my head out from under my frockrock and promise to deliver lots more sneaky peekys (winter buying is all done, catalogue is underway and I shall let you in on the goss over the coming weeks) as well as the usual rants, raves and ramblings. Today for some reason those wideleg 3/4 jeans that everyone wears with chunky Hush Puppy sandals, or worse, Crocs, really gave me the irks so stay tuned for my in depth analysis. In other possibly more important news, Ange the slave driver at Kidstylefile (I kid, I kids, pardon the pun) has been forcing me to churn out weekly posts on all things hip (today's: Bedding); and Kellie at NeverShoppedOut has been a busy bee redesigning her site, and it looks fabulous. I've done a grand total of bugger all to help with the redesign, but I did just do a post about having an Organic Chrissy, which is conveniently copied + pasted below for your perusal. There's heaps of cool stuff out there, I've tracked (some of) it down, so clicky-clicky and buy something lean and green this festive season!

There will be more Green then red floating about Christmas this year, with a huge shift in consumer consciousness making all that is eco-friendly and organic number 1 on most people’s wish list. And rightly so – check out these ultra-gorgeous buys for kiddies which will keep Mother Earth happy too!

First up: the tree. Aside from letting them go crazy with Clag and pasta and creating their own special pieces, Biome (one of my new fav stores) has awesome fair-trade decorations that are bright and festive enough for kids, and will look chic on plastique too! This box of Assorted Handmade Decorations is just $17.95 (handmade in Bangladesh) and my personal fave, the ceramic Word Stars by Kylie Johnson (handmade in Brisbane) at $12.95!

Generation Wonder stock only fair-trade items, and is indeed a wonderland of beautiful gift ideas! Check out these totally biodegradable Mobile Homes by Kidsonroof ($44.90) which allows kids to create, construct and decorate to their heart’s content. Plus it makes for a novel place to store toys! For a gorgeous keepsake I just love the Barefoot Mother and baby Elephant soft toy set ($43.50, buy together or separately for $19.75) – a percentage of proceeds go to the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, each one is handmade and individual, and they come in a variety of colours. Or for something simple guranteed to keep them entertained and active for hours, a Fairtrade Skipping Rope is a great stocking filler at $14.99. And let your little one say it loud and proud with these cool Eco tees by Tiny Revolutionary ($34.95)!

Eco Child have a huuuge range of eco-friendly products, including toys like the very funky Anamalz wooden toy, um, animals, ($9.95) which are not only cute but are also made from renewable resources, are non-toxic (always a plus), and a portion of sales is donated to various wildlife charities. Aw, feel those warm and fuzzies! Eco Child also stock practical ideas such as these Foogo Sippy Cups ($24.95) which are unbreakable, BPA-free and FDA-Approved, which is all A-OK in my book. Got someone super-fussy to buy for? Eco Child have it covered – stuff their stocking with Organic Cotton Balls ($7.95), which are practical, versatile and top quality. I kid, I kid, (though they are of course, very nice) – Mums will love the range of natural beauty products (try Bod Bath Salts Princess Blend $14.95) and mums-to-be will adore these cute and comfy PJ pants by Hot Milk ($49.95).

And finally (and most importantly): clothes! There are so many gorgeous organic labels out there, and not all of them are beige (sorry, ‘natural’). Purebaby is one of my faves, and Babysgotstyle have a great selection – I’m loving the idea of this pretty striped knit tank dress ($44.95) as a lightweight summer option, carried through to winter with tights and a skivvy; or for boys the khaki stripe overalls ($39.95) for something cutesy but cool. The Purebaby website also has a great range of basics and premmie wear. Gaia Organics are another well-loved label, and with good reason – the certified 100% organic cotton is whipped into beautiful creations like the Babydoll Dress ($44.95) and Grandpa Top ($39.95) or these incredibly pretty Blue Bell Botties ($29.95)! For something a bit funky, Mini Eco have a massive range of brands including Speesees, who’s bright and colourful tanks are just $25.95, and these ultra cool tees by Sckoon ($24.95). Baby Blend also do cute prints on organic tees ($29.95 a pop, my fave is “Crabby”!) as do Kee-Ka at ShopHouse ($26.00).

(PS - if you are buying your pressies online, get in quick 'cos the jolly folk at Aus Post probably won't be able to deliver it on time if you don't order before the 18th!)