An Eco-Friendly Extravaganza

My dear baby Muffy turned one year old today. As I sit and reflect on the past twelve months, I am astonished at how quickly my sweet tender newborn has transformed into a bright, determined little toddler with a crooked grin and a keen interest in climbing! Needless to say, today was a day of celebration in our household. The festivities were both casual and lively as our families gathered to pay tribute to the charming little guest of honor.

While my baby’s first birthday was a momentous occasion that deserved special attention, I wanted to ensure that the environmental impact of the event was kept to a minimum. It seems most kid’s parties these days result in several trash bags of paper plates, disposable cutlery, excessive decorations and junkie party favors. With an eco-friendly theme in mind, I decided to pass on the paper plates and napkins for this affair and opted to use my everyday dishes and linens. I enlisted the dishwashing services of my dear husband between courses to ensure there were clean plates in time for the birthday cake. Junkie dollar store loot bags were replaced with a few adorable party favors that were handmade, all-natural and simply beautiful! The infants and toddlers each received a hand-crafted finger puppet and a wholesome crocheted strawberry compliments of the Wool Fairy. Muffy’s seven year old cousin was no doubt pleased with the small assortment of seashells tucked into his favor bag. As the big brother, Chi-Chi made his contribution to the party planning by providing the majority of the decorations. A banner comprised of his artwork adorned the dining room along with a simple “Happy Birthday” sign that I whipped up during a naptime. With the recent discovery of a balloon in Chi-Chi’s diaper, I decided it would be safe and wise to seek out an alternative to this popular party favorite. I picked up a set of paper balloons that did the trick and can be re-used for future family celebrations. A collection of goofy hats and wigs from my “tickle trunk” replaced the traditional paper party hats. Our menu consisted of a steaming pot of homemade organic chili and a healthy assortment of cheese, fruit and veggies. We all enjoyed a scrumptious chocolate zucchini cake compliments of my sweet and generous mother!

My eco-friendly party planning resulted in a fun and festive event that was enjoyable for the guests and kind to our Mother Earth!