MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hello,

My name is bwings and I stuff my stockings with a tangerine/clementine!

I don't know for sure where the tradition started, I just know that I am not the only one who grew up with a tangerine in my stocking. All through the holidays the tangerines sit on a shelf pleading with you to buy them. Sale after sale they jump out at you. Just like egg nog they are here and then gone after the new year. I was fortunate to be pregnant in season as I craved the juicy fruit.

Some sources say the tradition started in the 18th century when nuns would stuff socks with nuts and tangerines and leave them at doorsteps. Other sources say it was Bishop Nicholas who, having learned  about 3 daughters with no dowries destined to be old maids, tossed 3 bags of gold down their chimney. It of course landed in their stocking as the folk lore goes and as the fire heated the socks the sacs of gold melted and softened into balls of gold. The tangerines in our stockings are to symbolize these gold sacs.

Do you know what I think? I think it's just because tangerine season is from October to April. The centre of this season would be December & January when the fruit would be just right! Not too sweet, not too sour. Why stuff it in the stockings? Simple, so the gifts don't get stuck in the toe. It fills the toe perfectly and then parents aren't busy saying, "Are you sure you got everything out?" "yes mom" "I think there is something more....Santa told me what he left in your stocking and you're missing one thing."

Two nights ago I received a letter from one of my hippie viewers.

Dear Hippie Mom,

How do you recycle Clementine boxes? It seems like such a waste to just throw them in the garbage.

Anonymous Hippie

Honestly this was something I was curious about as I have two boxes sitting on my counter. Now to find out what is allowed in my location. My first step was to call my local waste company. They said unfortunately it would be considered garbage as far as they are concerned as it's not plastic or cardboard. Disappointing as it's wood. I suppose it'd break down relatively nicely in a waste pile. But all the same, next was to call my city office.

My city office was able to help me out. Before I even finished the question the operator told me they could be put in the green bin provided all the staples were pulled out. Well that wasn't so hard was it? Now I can stuff my stockings without feeling guilty.

Now seeing as it's Christmas tomorrow (and Kawanza on Sunday) I guess I better finish up our song.

Are we ready? Do you remember the lyrics? Sing along everyone!!

♫On the 12th day of Christmas a hippie brought to me a hand woven telephone wire bracelet, a recycled cotton wastebasket, a set of Circuit Board Cufflinks, a Truck Tire Bentley Bag, a triple razor, a splaff thin recycled tube belt, a wind up universal remote, a tie fold wallet , a biodegradable fertile tee, a flip-flop door mat, 2 cangle earrings and a bobble water filter ♫ 


That about wraps it up! Have a very, merry Christmas! 
Your friendly neighborhood Hippie Mom

Baby, it's cold outside!

Hello,

My name is "Bwings" and I don't have a wood stove...

... but some of my readers do.

Dear Hippie Mom,

I was wondering how environmental a pellet stove is for the environment both indoors and out.  

Anonoymous Hippie

Well Anon Hippie, tis the season to freeze our butts off in Canada, so that's a very festive question.

First, what is a Pellet Stove.

A pellet stove became popular in the 80's as a slow burning source of heat. They came about largely as a result of the 1973 oil crisis. Although burning pellets has been around for hundreds of years. Settlers would burn grass and buffalo chips, cow pie, meadow muffins, feces; if no wood or coal was available. Pellet stoves burn compressed wood or biomass pellets slowly with a constant flame. If history tells me much from my candle research slow burning is definitely a great thing as far as emissions go. But I'm not going to get ahead of myself.

So how green are these heat emitting devices in our family room? From everything I've read they seem to be very sound and the options for fuel consumption is quite vast. Some can use a long list of self-sustaining resources such as cherry pits, corn, wheat and sunflower seeds! Now isn't that great?! Then as far as their use goes there is a long list of pros as well. According to my findings most are self igniting and can be controlled by a thermostat or even a remote control.

I remember growing up with a wood stove and sitting on a freezing cold night huddled around the ice cold stove because no one woke up to stoke it. Smoke would pour out as attempts were made at starting a fresh fire. Often we resorted to boiling water, filling old pop bottles with said water and then tucking those in bed with us. We soon learned you wanted to keep these bottles a few blankets above you to prevent terrible burns like those my poor fathers leg experienced one frozen night. If you were really on top of things you would have 3 in your bed an hour before you went to bed.

To think these burns and late nights of smoked out kitchens and blaring smoke alarms that ended up disconnected more often than they offered security could've all been prevented with the addition of a pellet stove! Another pro, is that these pellets burn cleanly and create only a fine layer of ash rather than a thick sticky layer of creosote and therefore with proper care are far less likely to cause chimney fires. I know that could have saved a few firefighters from coming to my place too! In fact these pellet stoves pollute so very little they don't require certification from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) though most get certified anyway.

Also, it should be noted that because trees and plants suck carbon out of the air any burning of them would result in a 0 balance change in Carbon emissions. Thusly they are exempt from the carbon taxes in the world. I struggled to find anything for Canada but in the states an efficient pellet stove is eligible for a tax credit up to 30% of the cost of the appliance and labor. If you've just had one installed it is worth mentioning to your accountant during tax time.

These pellet stoves sound like a very practical and green choice for heating your house this winter. In fact the only two possibly negative thing that stood out was the fact that, like with a car, one should be aware of the grade of fuel they are using and try to remain consistent so as not to damage the "engine" so to speak. Also you'll want to make sure you have a pellet fuel source provider before making the switch as it's still gaining in popularity. In most cases cost is the same but if you have the mind power to use it I found a fuel value calculator that breaks it all down for you in determining how to save money.

Long story short a pellet stove is definitely a step up from a regular wood stove and doesn't use up precious resources such as fossil fuels. It causes far less toxic emissions and lessens our carbon footprint while trying to keep warm. It may not save you any money but it probably won't cost you more either. It will, however, reduce your carbon footprint as well as the carcinogens emitted into your home and that is a saving worth a switch for me!

If you want to e-mail your questions to Hippie Mom you can do so at hippiemom@hotmail.ca {note, ca not com}

Keep warm, your friendly neighborhood hippie mom.


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