Host a cookie party: You could spend hours baking cookies solo or you could invite friends for an afternoon of cocoa, conversation and cookie dough. Swap stories while rolling out dough and cross an important item off of your holiday to-do list. "You'll have more than enough cookies to serve throughout the holidays but more importantly, you'll have the memories of a cherished afternoon with friends," says Monique Tilford, co-author of Your Money or Your Life.

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Proof holiday cards online: 'Tis the season to snap photos, which means department store photo counters are crowded. Check the proofs of your holiday cards and place your order online. You can even have the cards sent directly to your house instead of trying to squeeze in an extra errand to pick up the printed cards on your lunch break.

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Save time in the kitchen: Monica Bhide, author of Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen, advises making part of your holiday meal ahead of time so you're not stuck in the kitchen on the big day. "The best dishes to prepare in advance are ones that can be reheated without losing texture or flavor," she says. Her favorite dishes to make early include cranberry sauce, vegetables, dinner rolls and desserts like pumpkin pie. "Advance preparation really reduces the stress so that the host can enjoy the gathering," she says. You could also have part of the meal catered: Gourmet delis and supermarkets offer entire premade holiday meals that were designed to heat and serve.

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Decorate with natural materials: You don't need to spend all afternoon crafting the perfect centerpiece. A simple glass bowl filled with dried branches and colorful cranberries or a grouping of pillar candles will look stunning on your dining room table. Ditto for a simple poinsettia that you can buy at the supermarket along with your other holiday staples. Remember, it doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming to look great.

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Schedule time with Santa: You could wait in line for hours for a chance to sit with jolly old Saint Nicolas and whisper your holiday gift list in his ear (while little ones dressed in itchy party clothes throw temper tantrums in line). Or, you could make an appointment to have your kids' photos taken with Santa and skip the lines altogether. Photo studios all over the country offer Santa photos by appointment. Schedule a time first thing in the morning to give the kids less time to get their holiday clothes wrinkled and dirty!

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Shop and ship: Who wants to lug extra suitcases filled with gifts through security lines at the airport? Instead, ship gifts in advance. Not only will you save on hefty baggage fees, traveling with a carry-on means you can skip the long lines to check luggage at the airport and less time having your bags checked in the security lines. "It takes just a bit of organization to get the presents in the mail before the trip but it's worth it," says Jacobs. "It's one less thing to worry about during an already stressful time." Just remember to wrap gifts in unsealed gift bags in case the post office or delivery service has to inspect the packages.

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Let someone else do the wrapping: Instead of agonizing over wrapping paper choices and spending precious hours looking for ribbons and bows in the perfect shade of crimson, leave the wrapping to the experts. Drop your gifts off to be wrapped at one of the kiosks in the mall. They'll take care of the wrapping and you'll have extra time to attend to some of the other things on your to-do list. Most online retailers also offer gift-wrapping for a nominal fee. You can have gifts wrapped and shipped to the recipients without ever stepping foot in the mall.

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Order postage online: Standing in line at the post office during the holidays often takes longer than finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list. The good news: You can access all of the same services online. Calculate postage, print shipping labels, order stamps and track shipments with the click of a button. Just be sure to leave plenty of time for gifts to reach your nephews in Colorado and your best friend in Maryland: Shipping early is your best bet to avoid post-holiday deliveries.

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Hire help: Yes, it'll cost extra to have a professional hang the holiday lights on the eaves and clear the dust bunnies from the guestroom. Consider it money well-spent if it lowers your blood pressure and frees up time for you to focus on the most important part of the season: Spending time with loved ones.

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Make a list: Wandering around the mall in the hopes of stumbling across the perfect present can take hours. Channel your inner Santa Claus and make a list of all of the gifts you need to buy this season. Shopping with a list ensures you don't forget anyone (and won't have to spend extra time fighting crowds at the mall for a missed gift) and can also help prevent overspending. You can save even more time by choosing gifts from a single store: Shop in your favorite bookstore for a pop-up book for your niece, pretty stationary for grandma and a book of photography for a friend. "It's a great way to shop because you're not wasting time running all over the mall," says Connecticut-based professional organizer Leslie Jacobs.

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When it comes to choosing a Thanksgiving bird, Tofurkey (a turkey substitute made from tofu) is the best choice for the environment. If you can't imagine turkey day without the turkey, go organic.

"Organic farming is less chemical-intensive and much more eco-friendly than factory farming operations," says Honor Schauland, campaign assistant with the Organic Consumers Association. "Look for turkeys that are labeled organic, hormone-free and free range and, if possible, choose a turkey from a local farm. The farmers market is a good place to start."

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Thanksgiving is a great excuse to set the table with the good china and cloth napkins. Opting for plates and napkins that can be washed – not tossed – after dinner is the best choice for the environment. To have the least impact on the planet, wash the napkins in cold water and use phosphate-free dish detergent to scrub the cranberry sauce from the dishes.

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Think twice before scrubbing your treasured silver serving pieces with conventional silver polish. Most store-bought silver polishes contain harsh chemicals like ammonia that are great for getting silver to shine but are not so good for the environment. Opt for white toothpaste instead. Squeeze a drop of toothpaste on your finger and rub it onto the silver for instant polish. It's a less expensive alternative that isn't harmful to the environment.

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The most traditional Thanksgiving decoration – the cornucopia – is also the most eco-friendly. For a centerpiece, fill a reusable cornucopia with organic gourds and mini pumpkins that can be composted after your holiday celebration.

When it comes to flowers, "The options can be a bit limited but there are a small number of growers scattered around the country and some online retailers selling organic flowers," says Schauland. "Organic and local flowers are the most environmentally-friendly options, you just have to get creative when it comes to finding them. Ask the local florist, look at the farmers market or cut a bouquet from the fall blooms in your backyard." We also like Flowerbud.com for farm-fresh flowers.

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Soy candles are made from natural ingredients and last longer than conventional paraffin candles. They also put 90 percent less soot into the environment than paraffin candles but are just as effective for setting a festive mood at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

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It's hard to imagine a Thanksgiving celebration without a toast. This season, raise a glass to the environment, too. "Choose wines that are sustainable and organic (the wines don't have to be certified organic but should be made with organic grapes)," says Gretchen Roberts, wine expert and founder of Vinobite.com. "Ask your wine store clerk for help with finding good brands."

Be sure to look for wine bottles with real corks. The plastic stoppers and twist-off caps that are used in some wine bottles can't be recycled. Cork is a renewable resource that is both biodegradable and recyclable.

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After a day of entertaining, your kitchen probably looks like the site of a natural disaster. As tempting as it may be clean as you go, resist the urge to put piping hot leftovers in the fridge. The steam from your stuffing and gravy will raise the temperature in the refrigerator, making it work harder to stay cool. Go ahead and enjoy an extra slice of pumpkin pie – and a few hours away from the kitchen – before putting the leftovers in the fridge.

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It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without leftovers. Once all of the meat has been salvaged for turkey sandwiches, use the remains of the turkey to make soup. Simply boil the turkey carcass in a pot of water with carrots, onions, celery and salt until the stock turns golden brown. Add pieces of leftover turkey and serve piping hot. It's one of the most delicious ways to recycle.

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Reduce, reuse, recycle are the hallmarks of green living and are especially important during the holidays. Reduce the amount of waste by looking for foods with limited packaging and eating leftovers instead of tossing them in the trash; reuse decorations from past years; and recycle everything from wine bottles to aluminum foil after the guests have gone home.

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Whether you're going to grandma's house for Thanksgiving dinner or spending the evening at a potluck with friends, talk to other guests about sharing a ride. Carpooling helps reduce your carbon footprint by decreasing fuel consumption and reducing the release of toxic exhaust gases. It's also an opportunity to commiserate about having to listen to grandpa's off-color jokes and gossip about the gaudy turkey appliqué on Aunt Maude's holiday sweater on the way home.

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Mix up a secret tonic: Paul Michael, a blogger for WiseBread.com swears by a homemade tonic for keeping his lawn green. He mixes one can of soda, one can of beer, ½ cup of dishwashing liquid (not the antibacterial brands), ½ cup of household ammonia and ½ cup of mouthwash, pours the mixture into a 10-gallon sprayer and applies it to his lawn twice a month.

According to Michael, who got the recipe from a golf course groundskeeper, the ammonia promotes growth and greens the lawn and the mouthwash kills bugs and grubs.

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Take a holistic approach: You can't grow a lush, green lawn with water alone. The healthiest lawn requires a combination of water, fertilizer, proper mowing techniques and regular maintenance, notes Lance Walheim, author of Lawn Care for Dummies. "It's not about doing one thing well," he says. "It's about doing several things that work together to create a beautiful lawn."

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Find the right fertilizer formula: You've heard it before but it bears repeating: Fertilizer is important. "Lawns, like people, need a good diet," says John Marshall, manager of the Scotts Training Institute. You can't just go to the garden center and pick an all purpose fertilizer for the lawn. "All purpose fertilizers won't provide enough of the nutrients the lawn needs and too much of the nutrients it doesn't."

Instead, look for fertilizers that are high in nitrogen (the first number in the three-number formula on fertilizer bags). As a general rule, the amount of nitrogen should be three times higher than the other numbers. Marshall recommends a turf builder with a 32-0-4 formulation as a good overall fertilizer.

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Turn on the sprinkler: Watering on a regular basis helps thicken the lawn and allows the grass to develop strong roots (which will, in turn, help the lawn retain moisture). In the summer, the average lawn needs 1 to 2 inches of water per week. According to Allyn Paul who blogs about lawn care at LifeandLawns.com, watering twice a week for one hour equals about one inch of water.

It's important not to water too much – or too little. Overwatering makes the soil more prone to compaction and underwatering thins the lawn and makes weeds more drought-tolerant.

Turn on the sprinklers in the morning when temperatures are cooler and the water will evaporate less. It'll also give the lawn a chance to absorb the water before nightfall. "Watering in the evening isn't a good idea because the lawn will be wet all night and that increases the risk of disease," notes Walheim.

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Aerate the lawn: Aerating is an often-overlooked aspect of lawn care. It does take a bit of extra time but according to Mark Short, vice president of product development for Agri-Fab, a manufacturer of lawn and garden attachments, it's worth the effort.

The soil beneath the lawn cam become compacted, making it more difficult for water and fertilizer to reach the roots of the grass. Aerating aslo lets oxygen into the soil, which can improve root growth. Not sure if the lawn needs aerating? "Insert a screwdriver into a small area of the lawn," says Short. "If it's difficult to penetrate the [soil], you need to aerate."

Pay special attention to high traffic areas like the area beneath the kids' treehouse or the corner where the dogs romp where soil tends to be more compacted.

You can find manual aerating tools at home improvement centers that are perfect for small lawns. If your lawn is too big to aerate manually, consider renting a power aerator or hiring a lawn-care firm to tackle the task.

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Patch damaged spots: If you've got kids or pets (or the neighborhood dog loves marking against the maple tree) you've probably also got a few damaged spots in the lawn. In order for the new grass to blend with the existing lawn, it's important to patch the damaged spots as soon as possible. Start by removing the dead patches, loosening the existing soil and adding compost. Patch the damaged spot with grass seed or a fresh piece of sod.

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Get control of weeds: Nothing ruins a perfect lawn more than a single dandelion or an entire patch of spotted spurge popping up among the green grass. You could pull weeds by hand or opt to apply a herbicide to kill the weeds. Ask which brands, including organic blends, are best for specific weeds at the local garden center. Fertilizing also helps keep weeds at bay because it keeps the grass strong, which helps to choke out weeds before they take over the lawn.

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Mow at the right height: Your lawnmower blade has different settings. Avoid the lowest setting, which keeps the grass looking like a military-issued crewcut. Instead, set the blade to 3 inches (the highest setting) to promote deep root growth. The deeper the roots, the thicker and healthier the grass, according to Paul. "A taller lawn helps shade the soil and slows the water from evaporating," he notes.

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Drop the rake: Once the lawn is mowed, resist the urge to rake up the clippings. Leaving clippings on the lawn helps the soil retain moisture, promotes deeper root growth, improves the soil and reduces the need to fertilize. Clippings are also a good source of nitrogen and other nutrients that help to green the lawn.

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Sharpen the mower blade: A sharp mower blade creates a clean cut on each blade of grass while mowing with a dull mower blade shreds the blade and makes the grass appear yellow and brown. "Shredding the grass with a dull mower blade also opens up each leaf to more disease and insect invasion," says Terry Kurth, owner of the Weed Man of Greater Madison. Keep two mower blades on hand so there is always a sharp blade available when it's time to cut the grass.

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