Everything You Need to Throw a Sustainable Holiday Party

With the holidays in sight, there are plenty of social gatherings ahead. However, while scheduling the celebrations with family and friends, it’s also good to plan with the environment in mind. Making your holiday party eco-friendly only takes a few inclusions and changes.

Are Holiday Parties Typically Wasteful?

Things get messy after most parties, but the end of the year is a special case. Waste increases by up to 43% due to the holiday rush. That means more trash in landfills and pollution that takes you a step back from a healthy environment.

The holidays are the season of giving thanks and showing appreciation to those who have been with you throughout the year. With that spirit in mind, it‘s a good gesture to Mother Nature to adopt some environmentally friendly products and practices.

Planning a Sustainable Holiday Party

A good way to begin planning a sustainable holiday party is to let everyone know your idea. Telling loved ones about your vision for a greener get-together can inspire them to be intentional with their own preparations and gift giving. It also signals them to hold you accountable for your party plan. After letting them know your proposal, it’s time to get the right elements for a sustainable holiday party.

1. Paperless Invitations

One of the simplest ways to go sustainable is to change how you set appointments this winter. Sustainable stationery is a good option if you want physical invites, but paperless invitations are the ultimate eco-friendly way to make arrangements.

Create and design them online before sending them to people you want to spend the holidays with. It’s a fantastic way to practice your graphic design skills and it’s more accessible for your recipients as well since they can get it on their phones.

2. Reusable Tableware

Reusable tableware is a great investment for the holidays, as you can reuse it next time around and prevent further waste from going into the trash. On top of that, disposables can have poor quality and bend easily — not ideal if you want to keep the Christmas cheer up.

Some essential examples of reusable tableware are:

• Picture plates with red and green or blue bowls with little snowflakes. Seasonal dinnerware has a certain magic to it.
• Spoons, forks and knives are subtle with their holiday cheer, but that just means you can use them all year round.
• Of course, you need vessels for the egg nogs and wine. Don’t forget the straws if you’re opting for sweetened cranberry juice!

3. Eco-Friendly Cleaning

You likely need to deep clean your home before your guests arrive, so be sure to choose eco-friendly cleaning methods. Opt for plant-based and biodegradable products to ensure your home is both clean and green.

You can also choose reusable products like towels (rather than paper towels) and items made from recycled or compostable materials, like sponges.

4. Recyclable Christmas Decor

When decorating the venue for your Christmas event, try to make some conscious decisions for recycled ornaments. There are also some creative DIY projects to try out before the parties. For instance, turn some mason jars into snowmen — at least you’re certain these won’t melt.

5. Zero-Waste Wrapping Paper

When wrapping up gifts for the people you love, try deviating from Christmas wrapping paper and get more sustainable options. Newspapers and magazines are an innovative way to hide your gifts. If you want to step it up a notch, try to make the gift inside sustainable as well to keep the message going.

6. Sustainable Food Options

Food is a must-have at any holiday party, but look at sustainable options for the menu. For instance, mushrooms produce less than one pound of carbon dioxide, making them the perfect ingredient for dishes like creamy mushroom pie. You can source these locally to ensure you’re keeping things sustainable.

7. Practical Party Favors

It’s natural to want to give out holiday goodie bags to your visitors, but it’s important to be careful of generating more waste. Try to think about ways you can make the party favors more practical. If you have excess food, letting guests take home the leftovers is a smart way of ensuring nothing goes to waste.

Bring Green to the Holiday Scene

Using all these elements to plan the perfect sustainable holiday party is ideal, but it’s also a great step to utilize just one or two options. Minimizing waste this season is the most important goal, so doing what you can counts.