A new holiday tradition you may want to start with your family and friends is decorating an outdoor tree with edible decorations for the animals.
Making biodegradable edible ornaments for the wildlife in your area can be a fun activity for the little ones in your family, while being a great treat for the animals to eat when food sources are scarce in winter.
Tasty decorations can start with pinecones covered with organic peanut butter and frozen before hanging. Oranges can be made into bird feeders by cutting them in half, filling with bird seed, and hanging with three cotton strings. People have made suet cakes for birds for many years.
Strung popcorn, unsalted, makes a decorative garland, as well as cranberries. Just be sure to use 100 per cent compostable twine or other natural materials that will decompose. Avoid synthetic materials, such as acrylic yarn or fishing line, that could trap or entangle a bird or other small animal or be harmful if swallowed.
Dehydrated fruit slices made from apples and oranges can be hung on cotton string. Fresh fruit and vegetables, such as berries, carrots and grapes can also be hung from branches.
Ice cubes filled with seeds and berries can be hung from twine that has been knotted, looped and frozen into the ice.
Edible nuts and seeds, chopped raw carrots and dried corn may be spread on the ground around the tree for ground animals.
Avoid using rancid bird seeds, raw meat, mouldy fruit or bread, potato chips, cookies or chocolate, as these can be harmful to wildlife and domestic animals.
Trimming an outdoor tree with healthy edible decorations for wildlife is a great way to give back to nature.