Our First Birthday Party- Planning an Eco-Friendly & Minimalist 1st Birthday Party

I still can’t believe that our bitty boy is 1! What a year we have had with our sweet little man.

We wanted to do something special for his 1st birthday, but Covid-19 has made it a little trickier to plan how we would really like to. We opted to do a family-only party (only our parents and siblings) at a park, so we can hopefully space out a bit and let the germs float off in the air more, too.

When thinking ahead to this party, I was pretty hesitant about even doing a party. Obviously, there’s the Covid stuff. But I have also had other reasons, too. I’m not a super fancy party planner. I don’t want to pour out money on decorations and what-not, paper plates that will fill the trash, and plan a perfect party that bitty boy won’t even remember. I also don’t love the idea of a pile of gifts that people feel obligated to bring and we don’t really need.

Wanting to still celebrate our little one, but not wanting to go overboard, here’s how we went about our eco-friendly, minimalist birthday party.

Why we chose to simplify

I really didn’t want to spend the day stressed about cleaning, decor, or meal prep. I wanted the focus to be on the significance of the occasion- our sweet little one year old.

I didn’t want to invest tons of money in products that would be thrown out after the party (like single-use decorations). If we spend money, I want it to be in meaningful ways that Peter will actually benefit from.

So… How did we do it?

Picnic Party at the Park

Minus the fact that we just don’t have space at home, I LOVE hosting get-togethers at the park. Why? Because there is no cleanup to do beforehand, there is built-in entertainment and decor (what could be better than the great outdoors as your backdrop 😉 ), and the after-party cleanup is also minimal! I hate being home after everyone leaves a party and realizing all the cleanup you have to do. You won’t have to deal with this if you party at the park 🙂

It’s also perfect for this season with covid-19 still spreading. The park allows you to spread out more and the risk of transmission is much lower outdoors.

BYOLC/BYOPB

This is my abbreviation for “bring your own lawn chair” or “bring your own picnic blanket”. Ha! Rather than spend money and create waste with disposable tablecloths, why not go picnic style and have a party on the grass? We did use one table for serving the food and used our own fabric tablecloth.

Potluck

Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Rather than doing all the planning, prep, food, etc. alone, we had wonderful family members who offered to help with food. This saves you so much stress on the day of the party!

You can do what we did and give people vague options like “bring a salad”, or be more specific with the dishes you request for a more uniform/themed party.

No presents, please

We opted for the “no gifts necessary” line on our invitation. I felt it was rude to say “we don’t want your gifts”, but I also wanted people to know that we really don’t expect any gifts.

This helpful article gives some ideas on how to word the “no gifts” request

I knew that some people (grandparents) really wanted to bring a gift and would do so regardless of what I say. (They are very sweet!) For this, we prepared a birthday “wish list” of things our little one needs/would actually use. For me this included mostly wooden toys, as I am trying to reduce plastic use in our home. Here is a list of some great wooden toys for babies and toddlers

Reusable Party Decor

Why waste money on paper/plastic decorations that you’ll just have to throw out at the end of the day?

Fabric Tablecloths

Instead of plastic tablecloths, try using tablecloths you have on hand or using cute sheets that you can use as… sheets… after the party? You can also eat picnic style like we did, sitting on chairs/picnic blankets and using just one table for the food!

Reusable Birthday Banners

I borrowed a felt birthday banner from my older sister… why buy one if she already has one ready to go?

Eventually, however, I think I’ll make my own from recycled denim or felt… so stay tuned!

Alternate Plate/Utensil Options

I think Dishes are definitely the biggest contributor to waste at your typical birthday party. I know that paper is definitely more convenient… especially with a large party. If you can’t stand the idea of being buried beneath piles of dishes at the end of the day, try some sustainably sourced disposable plates (like these, which are also biodegradable & compostable).

If you’re willing to do the dishes but don’t have enough plates, try the dollar store or the thrift store for fun options!

We’ll be using paper plates left behind from past tenants in our building. I figure I’d rather use them before tossing them, rather than just putting those trees to waste without being used. But I DEFINITELY think that never buying them in the first place is best…

Alternate Gift Wrap Options

Gift giving can be so wasteful with the all the wrapping paper that gets torn up and thrown out. I remember Christmas morning with my family… we would usually fill more than one full-sized garbage bag with wrapping paper alone! Instead of one-time use wrapping paper, try using gift bags that can be reused, fabric, or even newspaper. I love the look of brown paper packages tied up with strings ;)… so I just reuse the same craft paper over and over again and tie it up with a bow!

You don’t have to do it all…

I’m sure looking at zero waste/reduced waste party tips can be overwhelming! Reducing waste is HARD in today’s world! It definitely takes a mentality shift and sometime takes some extra effort in the beginning on your part. But it is SO WORTH IT. To the planet and to your wallet ♥.

Just remember as you plan… you are amazing for even having a desire to live more eco-consciously! The smallest change is still significant. Start small with the little things you think you can do. It’s definitely not an all-or-nothing deal!

If you found these ideas helpful, PLEASE SHARE them and PIN them so others can benefit from these tips as well. ♥

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