The holiday shopping season is in full swing, and we've put together a few of our favorite green gift ideas to share with you.

Wishing you a happy holiday season from all of us at Toxic Free NC!

A Cleaner, Greener House

A cleaner, greener home is a gift that anyone can appreciate. New moms, families, busy coworkers ... Everyone deserves a clean living space that's free of cleaners with harsh and potentially harmful ingredients!

Our Toxic Free Home Kit has all you need to kickstart your transition to a greener, cleaner home. The organic tote has recipes for home cleaners, tips for less toxic pest control and materials to help you start making your own cleaners.

Bonus! For every kit purchased, we give one away to someone who can't afford their own. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

What are you waiting for? Get your Toxic Free Home Kit today!

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Honor Your Loved Ones with a Gift

In the spirit of giving less stuff, and with the goal of expanding the impact of your gift beyond just the recipient, give a gift to charity in honor of your loved one!

Choose an organization that's particularly dear to them and serving their local community, or choose a charity with a green mission ... May we suggest a gift to Toxic Free NC?

Bonus! Make a gift in honor of a loved one before December 15th, and we'll send them a handmade holiday card to acknowledge your generosity!

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An Experience to Remember

Also in the spirit of giving less stuff, give the gift of an experience!

Some great ideas: tickets to a concert, a membership to a local museum, a pass to their gym or yoga studio, a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant, or a gift certificate for a facial or massage.

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Homemade Pickles

For people who love pickles, the subtleties and variety of flavor in homemade pickles are a real treat! Homemade by you is best, of course, or you can buy them locally.

In the Triangle, try the Market Shoppes at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, look for Farmers Daughter Pickles & Preserves at the Carrboro Farmers Market, or ask around at your local market.

Tip: Recipes vary widely, so try some out first, then pick your favorites to buy as gifts!

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Fresh, Local, Organic Veggies

Give your loved ones a wonderful holiday gift that will give back all year: a CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) share from a local farm!

Buying a CSA share supports a local farmer now when they really need it, and it gives you fresh local produce all season long.

Check out Growing Small Farms to find a CSA near you - and choose one that is Organic!

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Cookbooks from Local Chefs

What better way to cook up locally grown produce than by using recipes from local chefs!

Our favorite locally grown cookbook of 2011 is Cooking in the Moment by Andrea Reusing of Lantern Restaurant in Chapel Hill. Far from a traditional-style cookbook, the recipes are accompanied by beautiful photography and concise essays that celebrate seasonal cooking.

Take a sneak peek at one of Andrea's book on her website.

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Compost Pail

Need a gift for the gardener or cook in your life? Many people think about composting during the height of gardening season, but we consume vegetables and drink tea or coffee all year round, right? Winter scraps can be turned into great plant food in time for spring planting!

A quick search online will bring you compost bins in a variety of materials and styles to suit every budget and taste.

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Homemade Soap

Giving homemade soap is a great gift because a) everybody can use it, and b) you can craft limitless combinations of scents and textures to fit the tastes of just about any friend or family member.

There are a ton of recipes, calculators and videos on the web for beginning soap makers -- here's a link to help you get started.

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Homemade Play Dough

Play Dough is a great gift for the kids in your life. And when you make it yourself, you know it's free of creepy chemical additives!

Here is a great recipe for do-it-yourself play-dough.

And here are some great tips to color it naturally without chemical food coloring.

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[Image credit:WikiCommons]

Kid Sized Garden Kit

Kids of all ages enjoy working in the garden! Make a kid-sized garden kit for the little gardener in your life. Just put together a canvas tote bag with some of the basics:

• Kid-sized garden gloves
• A spade
• Some easy-to-grow flower and vegetable seeds like beans, squash and tomatoes
• An age-appropriate gardening book

Here are some great tips for gardening with kids!

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