When I was a kid my grandmother would sing that crazy song “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth,” which was accompanied by lots of eye rolling on my part, I’m sure. Now that I am all grown up (and then some), I still don’t want two front teeth but I do have a list of things I wish for.

In the spirit of the season, I thought I would share my list in case you are one of those people who procrastinates to the last possible minute, shops only at the end of the year sales, or like me have five family members with birthdays in December and January.

All of these wishes will also make fine New Year’s resolutions, if you are into that sort of thing. In the interest of full disclosure, I am attracted to ideas that are “nontraditional” and “unusual,” just ask my co-workers.

I wish for more of us to buy local — food, clothing, décor and more. While the farmers’ markets are a great way to do this, with just a little effort we can do our part to support more local businesses. Check out the Ohio Proud website at www.ohioproud.org for all kinds of products grown in our area and around Ohio that are available all year round.

It makes me hungry looking at the website; there is honey, syrup, meats and fish, bakery products, cheeses, fruits, spices, jellies and jams, salsa and beverages. In addition to all of those mouth-watering choices you can find fertilizer, hand crafted fibers, candles, soaps, popcorn, garden plants, mulch, trees, and more.

I wish more of us would recycle. Recycling has evolved through the years to be nearly effortless. Many of us have access to curbside pick up but for those who don’t, it is easy to find a drop off site in your area by accessing the Delaware/Knox/Marion/Morrow Solid Waste District’s website at www.dkmm.org. Save many of our precious nonrenewable natural resources through recycling.

I wish more of us would plant a tree. Trees are an investment in our future, providing beauty, shade, and oxygen, not to mention the long list of products we use every day. I for one would not want to go without tissues and toilet paper. Trees give us syrup, fruit, and nuts, increase property values, clean pollutants from the air, and provide homes for people and wildlife.

I wish more of us would consider the gift of time. Instead of spending your hard-earned money on an item that gets put on a shelf gathering dust, why not spend some one-on-one time visiting with a friend, relative, or neighbor. Your attention may be the most welcome gift of all.

I wish for more of us to spend time outdoors. Delaware County is so amazing. It has gently rolling hills, impressive rivers and streams, sandstone and limestone rock formations, wonderfully productive farmland, and scenic patches of woods scattered throughout.

We are so lucky to have city, village, and township parks, along with Preservation Parks of Delaware County, Stratford Ecological Center, and Columbus-Franklin County Metro Park. All are easily accessible and free.

Many of these are excellent sites for quality educational programming for kids ages 1 to 100. You can engage in active pursuits like hiking, biking and kayaking as well as more contemplative opportunities such as dining on a delicious picnic lunch, having a cup of coffee while sitting on a bench with a friend, checking out the birds migrating through Ohio, or strolling leisurely along a path to admire the spring wildflowers.

I wish more of us would adopt conservation practices. They are not just for farmers.

Ag producers can adopt no-till, crop rotations, nutrient management and a whole host of other soil health and water quality ideas. Homeowners have options too such as composting, leaf mulching, rain gardening, native plantings, and storm water management.

It’s that time of year and sometimes the stress of searching for the perfect gift and finding self-improvement through New Year’s resolutions can produce some sleepless nights. I hope these ideas from my wish list will let you sleep like my dogs — deeply, happy and snug in their beds. Additional ideas can be found at www.delawareswcd.org.