If you're sick of the flash and runaround of today's commercially-driven Christmas, one way of restoring the authentic atmosphere might be by engaging in activities and buying presents that help others and bring you closer to nature. Iva Pocock suggests ways to usher in a gentler season

The odds on a white Christmas are definitely longer than those on a wet one, although Paddy Power isn't even offering any odds on a green Christmas simply because they've never heard of such a thing. But just because you can't have a flutter on a green festive season doesn't mean you can't try and make one happen.

The choice of organic and fair trade goods, local crafts, green books, toys (for adults and children), clothes and accessories has never been greater.

"Being green doesn't mean replacing all the junk that's been built up around Christmas with organic junk," says Penny Lange - who is well qualified to philosophise about an eco-friendly Christmas, as she and her husband, Udo, have reared six children on a 37-acre organic farm in west Wicklow.

"We're a large family, so it doesn't make sense for everyone to buy presents for everyone. Instead, we have a secret Santa where everyone's name goes into a hat, and each person picks one person to buy a present for. All the love and effort goes into the one present, which I think is definitely energy-saving in terms of time, petrol and money."

Eric van Lennep of Sustainable Ireland Co-operative - which is shortly opening a new sustainable living centre, Cultivate, in Dublin's Temple Bar - encourages people to think about the embodied energy of the presents they're buying. He explains this as "the net amount of energy represented in an item from the sourcing and transporting of the raw materials, manufacture and transport to the market."

If that sounds too complicated, you could follow his advice by removing the need for present shopping altogether. "Ten years ago, I started telling everyone not to buy me anything but to go be nice to someone who needs it," he laughs. "It was a bit confusing for people, but I think it raised some conciousness."

One sure way of being nice to someone without using wasteful amounts of energy is to give a Trocaire Global Gift in the name of a friend, client or colleague. They receive a personalised certificate and Christmas card while someone in the developing world receives the much-needed donation. Last year, more than 20,000 clutches of chickens were bought for families in Colombia, and clean water was secured for about 2,000 communities in Iraq, thanks to the Global Gift Plan. This year gifts include schoolbooks for kids in Somalia and artificial limbs for amputees in Angola. Trocaire's director, Justin Kilcullen, says "the idea provides an antidote for the commercialism at this time of year, and for many it has reclaimed the Christmas values of generosity, goodwill and friendship."

Bearing in mind that "the concept of green has evolved to include social and justice issues, not just trees and birds", as van Lennep explains, Fair Trade Mark goods also make excellent presents.

A wide range of fair trade products are available in Amnesty International's shops in Dublin and Galway and Oxfam's shops in Dublin, Galway and Belfast. Fair Trade Mark coffee and tea is available in all major supermarkets, and Superquinn is now stocking Fair Trade Mark chocolate. Taca Solutions are offering fair trade hampers, which include Christmas cake and pudding, chocolate, cookies, coffee and tea as well as decorations.

Another green option is to make your Christmas decorations rather than buying them. Both Penny Lange and Charlotte Colchester (another organic farmer) reckon that Christmas is a time to get creative. Colchester suggests getting everyone to make something for the dinner table, whether it's a cracker or a placemat, while Lange thinks it's a time for rekindling old crafts.

Other ideas that are great for entertaining all the family are paper chains made from old colour magazines, cut-out paper snowflakes and snowmen and Christmas tree decorations made from flour, salt and water dough. Exclusive door wreaths are easily created by pulling old wire coat hangers into circles, tying them together, then weaving ivy in and out before adding holly, fir cones or mistletoe.

Christmas tree candles are a lovely alternative to electric lights, as long as you only light them when everyone is going to sit down and enjoy them. Lange swears they "bring the most incredible peace, which slows you down, which is what's needed".

When it comes to choosing your Christmas tree, Bord Glas and the Irish Christmas Tree Growers Association are urging everyone to buy an Irish Christmas tree instead of a plastic one and thus "be environmentally friendly". However, environmentalist Jason Kirkpatrick of Sustainable Northern Ireland Programme, disputes the environment-friendliness of Christmas trees, saying "Christmas tree farms are often devoid of wildlife, and they use lots of herbicides".

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an organic Irish Christmas tree, but there is now a wonderful choice of organic food produce. Local organic produce is greener than that shipped across the globe, so choose local if possible.

If you live in Dublin and want to avoid the hassle of Christmas crowds, you can order a box of organic vegetables from Absolutely Organic or choose from their organic Christmas goodies, which include smoked salmon, preserves and wine from specialist organic wine supplier, On the Case.

"We also supply an excellent range of corporate and prestige gifts in association with Fruition, who specialise in exotic fruits," says John Healy of Absolutely Organic.

"The lucky ones have been ordering organic turkeys", adds John. "The bronze turkeys may be called bronze, but they should really be treated like gold."

His turkey suppliers are Charlotte and Ben Colchester in Kilkenny, who also supply the main supermarkets. Charlotte says the only chance of getting one of their fowl now is by ordering from your supermarket.

Another option is to order your free-range turkey from Orla Salley of Snugboro Farm in Roundwood, Co Wicklow and arrange to pick it up at the Glendalough Farmers' Market on 22nd December or direct from the farm.

The Glendalough Farmers' market, which features a collective of 30 food and 15 craft stallholders, also takes place on December 8th. Another market aimed at promoting contact between organic farmers and the public is the Leopardstown Farmers' Market on December 15th at Leopardstown Race Course.

An excellent way of greening your Christmas is to support the work of the Irish Peatlands Conservation Council. It offers a mail ordering system for its Christmas goods, which include Irish-designed and Irish-printed cards, a CD of 27 Irish songbirds and an exclusive publication, Celebrating Boglands, which features contributions from Seamus Heaney, Michael Viney and Pauline Bewick.

Ireland's Wildlife - A Photographic Essay by award-winning photographer Mike Brown (available from all major bookshops) makes another gorgeous Christmas gift, while The Little Earth Book by James Bruges is an excellent stocking filler.

For eco-clothes and cosmetics, try the Hemp Store in Dublin or the Hemp Cottage in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry. The crème de la crème of natural beauty products are ranges by Dr Hauschka and Weleda, both available in health food stores and pharmacies nationwide.

Irish-made wooden toys are available from Nimble Fingers in Stillorgan, which stocks play cots made from the leftovers from real cot production. Alphabet Jigsaws in Westport, Co Mayo supplies a colourful range of educational wooden toys for 3-10-year-olds.

A great toy, targeted at the 8-108 age group, is the eco-trivia game, Bioviva. Made of recycled materials, it includes vital questions such as "what happens to a toad when it vomits?" and "what was so unusual about the anus of the woolly mammoth?" After all what's the point of a green Christmas without a few laughs?