Tribute Trees Are the Gift That Keeps on Growing

This year, plant a tree in Houston in someone else's name for a charitable twist on a Christmas tradition.
Image: Shutterstock
You may have already trimmed your own tree this year, but have you considered gifting one?
Trees for Houston, the non-profit that does exactly what you think it does, hopes you might: With a donation of $30 or more, you can plant a tree in the city in honor of a loved one.
Dubbed “Holiday Tributes,” the trees are sized according to donation–$310 plants and maintains a 6 to 8-foot tall tree, and $450 sustains an 8 to 12-footer–and one can absorb as much as 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
Trees for Houston also reports urban forests reduce temperatures in a city as much as 10 degrees F–come July, we’ll take it.
While it’s pricier to maintain the aforementioned 15- or 30-gallon trees, any donation above $30 will help Trees for Houston continue to “plant, protect and promote trees in the greater Houston region,” and the organization will also send your recipient an acknowledgement card and a handmade, plantable seed paper ornament.
Your gift will water one tree for a year for $75, or two years for $150. To date, Trees for Houston has planted more than half a million trees around the city over the last 34 years.
If you’re feeling even more charitable, the organization is hosting a “Holiday Happy Hour” toy drive on Thursday, December 14.
RedBuds, the young professional arm of Trees for Houston, will hold a mixer at The Owl Bar from 6 to 8 p.m. Anyone who brings a toy donation–think stuffed animals, books or games–will receive a free drink and pizza. The gifts go to Blue Santa, a Houston non-profit that provides toys to underprivileged children.
One charity, two chances to get on Santa’s nice list this year–there’s still time!