In a lot of ways, a modern, commercial holiday is the green movement's worst nightmare: there's excess, there's waste, there are special little towels with sparkly reindeer on them.

But really, being environmentally conscious doesn't have to mean giving up all the glitz and glory of the holiday, if that's what you enjoy. Rather, it's about celebrating responsibly and recognizing that the season of giving should include a gift or two to our Mother Earth.

There are plenty of ways to show your green spirit, most of which involve the familiar mantra of reduce, re-use, recycle. We all know how to do it and this guide shows you simple ways to re-purpose with a purpose!

Make your own wrapping paper
Ditch mass-produced, non-recyclable wrapping paper by re-purposing other items, such as old maps, colorful newspaper pages, kids' artwork, cool fabric or scraps from old T-shirts. Or, wrap the gift in a reusable shopping tote so the recipient will have it when they shop in the future. So much can work here, as long as you don't buy it new. Bows and ribbons can be reused from year to year, too. Stat: If every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

Buy LED lights
You've switched out your everyday lights, why not do the same for the little temporary ones? LED lights use 90 percent less energy than conventional holiday lights, and can save you big bucks on your energy bill. They are available at many major retailers.

In with the new? Recycle the old
Got a new cell phone for Christmas? Be sure to recycle the old one. Here's how:

Donation sites across the United States: Alltel, AT&T, Batteries Plus, Black & Decker, Circuit City, DeWalt, Grainger, The Home Depot, Lowe's, Milwaukee Electrical Tool, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Orchard Supply, Porter Cable Service Centers, RadioShack, Remington Product Company, Sears, Staples, Target, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless.

Or, find a ZIP code-specific list here.

Recycle-Free is a free program that sends collection boxes to you.

Recycle My Cell Phone is a national campaign that has partnered with EARTHWORKS, an environmental non-profit organization.

In the Milwaukee area, a few other options include:

Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity -- Turn in your cell phones to Katie Kowalski at 3726 N. Booth St., Monday through Friday during business hours. By partnering with Shelter Alliance, a firm that specializes in the logistics and underwriting of fundraising programs through the collection and responsible recycling of used cellular phones, proceeds from this collection can raise thousands of dollars for building more Habitat homes.

The Wisconsin Humane Society accepts donations of cell phones, empty laser and Inkjet printer cartridges.

Whole Foods Market, 2305 N. Prospect Ave., also recycles cell phones in bins near the main checkout area.

Recycle your Christmas tree
Don't just dump it on the curb to be thrown into a landfill. In Milwaukee, you can take it to a City Self Help Center for recycling, or check out www.earth911.com.

Make your decorations
So many options here. Food works well as centerpieces and ornaments -- think strands of popcorn and dried cranberries. Turn old greeting cards into place settings or cut a few limbs from your tree to decorate your home with fir greens. Sick of your holiday décor? Instead of buying new stuff, try swapping with a friend to freshen it up.

The unwanted
We all get the snowman sweater, the red and green socks, the DVD we already have. Don't stash them in your closet out of guilt and definitely don't throw them away. Donate your unwantables / unusables to a Goodwill or list them on Freecycle or Craigslist. One man's trash ...

Alternative carding
Send electronic cards or paper cards made from recycled paper, or get crafty and make your own from what you received last year.

Consider carbon offsets
Whether you're looking to offset your carbon usage from holiday travel or are looking for a great green-themed gift to give to your fellow eco-warrior, purchasing a carbon offset (the money you spend goes toward renewable energy programs) is just a click away: betterworldclub.com.

Gift simply, gift locally
Buying locally generated gifts not only supports your city's economy, but it also cuts down on unnecessary shipping costs. Greener yet, give the gift of time. We all know someone who takes on the world. Offer to rake the leaves, shovel the snow or watch the kids. It's a priceless gift.