Comments on: Green Birthday Parties for Kids

By: kirsty

kirsty — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:41:20 +0000

The book exchange is a great idea, thanks to Jessica for that and the list!

By: suzannah

suzannah — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:06:57 +0000

these are such great ideas, and i’m extra impressed about composting paper products! you’re so right that so often the details are more for adults anyways–young kids can easily be please with simple!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:39:44 +0000

For those interested, I have created a Green Birthday Party Planner to help busy parents have a low stress party that’s simple and eco friendly. It’s my thought that if we are going to make green something not alternative, but a normal way of life, we have to make it simple and practical.

http://www.hoisingtonbooks.com/Green_Birthday_Party2.pdf

By: rebecca

rebecca — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:28:33 +0000

I think the donation-as-gift idea could be a great way to get kids to focus on the nonmaterial aspects of their celebration, and of course it’s wonderful to support a worthy cause rather than add to a kid’s stockpile of toys and clothes. However . . . I might feel a bit under pressure and annoyed if I received an invitation with the “suggestion” that I donate to a charity. What if it was a charity I didn’t want to support? It puts the guests in the uncomfortable position of having to look stingy. To me there is a big difference between asking someone not to buy a gift at all and telling them (even in a really nice way!) exactly what to get as a gift.

Perhaps, though, there is a really good way to do this without making guests feel obligated to donate money to a charity? Perhaps it could be done anonymously somehow, like “In lieu of gifts, please consider supporting X foundation”? That might work well!

By: joy

joy — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 04:32:07 +0000

I love your idea Erika! I suppose that older children could help choose the cause that they wanted their guests to support. Family and parents could still pick out special gifts for the child, but having friends support a worthy charity at the party would probably give our son a chance to really enjoy the unique joy of generosity. I’m saving this tip for next year’s party!

By: Erika

Erika — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:07:46 +0000

So I keep getting mental blocks for this carnival:( But my green party idea comes from a one-year old party I attended this year. Instead of gifts the parents suggested guests bring donations to a medical research foundation. In this case it was an ailment a family member had suffered. The one-year old didn’t miss the extra toys and it made others pause for the cause.

By: joy

joy — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:59:03 +0000

Eileen is sharing the dark secrets of my sugar-encrusted past! The (ironic) truth is that I love cake decorating and often made my best friends rich birthday cakes as gifts a few decades ago. Someday I’ll just have to succumb to my urge to frost and whip up a 3-D medieval castle made of marzipan for Roscoe’s festivities, but for now I’m trying to hold firm on the muffins!

By: Eileen

Eileen — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:10:20 +0000

Oh my goodness Joy, I think it is so ironic that you served muffins because when I make my kids’ birthday cakes I ALWAYS think of you.=) I am very impressed. I think I love cake too much myself to not have it.

Happy Birthday to Roscoe!

By: Mama Zen

Mama Zen — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:16:04 +0000

I love the link to the chalk recipe!

By: Greenstylemom

Greenstylemom — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:23:07 +0000

I keep meaning to comment that I have every intention of joining in, I just haven’t gotten it together yet! Soon, soon!