My little guys have celebrated their birthday parties, thus far, at our home. They’re young, and can entertain each other with no more than glow sticks in a darkened room. We love throwing these parties — they’re simple! And since we’re in control of the details, what little waste we accumulate is just from plain old-fashioned fun.

We unwrap presents, play, share, and open our home to their messes (and mine.) I try not to offer anything disposable, except of course, a piñata with too much candy. Hemp wrapping paper isn’t quite mainstream yet, so to eliminate waste, we focus on the kitchen.

Here are some things we’ve tried at Graham and Cooper’s Bday Parties:

• Trays for Kids – I’ve collected colorful trays from Target which I stacked on counter.
• Reusable Cups – Every time we eat at Moe’s, the kid’s cups ride home with us — I set a tower of them next to the trays. Our cupboard holds enough cups and glasses to accommodate the adults’ drinks.

• Lightweight China Dishes – We received a free set on our honeymoon, so we used these for the adults. The plates stack easily and are perfect for laps.
• Utensils from Drawer – I simply moved our tray of silverware from the drawer to the counter.
• Cloth Napkins – I even matched them according to color and rolled them to fit into baskets for display.

Everything is utilized. And by the time the frosting has been licked and seconds of ice cream have been served, the sinks are full.

We own an energy-efficient dishwasher, and I fill it with Seventh Generation powder — beep, beep, beep — it cleans it all. The napkins go in the “getting a little old” washing machine with similar eco-friendly powder, and — twist, swish — they’re clean again too.

The birthday parties of the future may not be so simple. Eventually, the boys will request a location where I will lose some control. Perhaps I will bring my own dinnerware. But for now, my guys’ bdays don’t fill more than one trash bag. Chad and I make sure every bit of cardboard included with toys is recycled and we don’t offer paper products except by the toilet. Best of all, we sing and make birthday wishes for our children.