5 DIY New Year’s Eve party ideas that are super eco-friendly
Ring in 2020 with climate-friendly NYE essentials like home-made confetti and photo booth accessories
We know you want this New Year’s Eve party to be better than the last, but that doesn’t mean you need to deck your place out with decorations that will only end up in the trash the next day.
Here are some alternative eco-friendly ideas to traditional NYE essentials that will help you start your 2020 on the right foot.
Photo booth
Everyone enjoys a good photo booth, and it’s always nice to have pictures you can look back on at the end of each year. Props and signs are just more things that will end up in the bin at the end of the night. And why waste money buying them from the store when you can easily make your own? Invite a few friends to come over before the party starts to help you set up. You can make some silly hats or wigs out of old newspapers and cut the year out of some nice leftover wrapping paper to stick up on your wall.
Confetti
Instead of tossing shiny tinsel or store-bought confetti when midnight strikes, make your own this year by shredding old newspapers or leftover wrapping paper from Christmas. An even better alternative to this is to punch holes out of dried leaves with a hole puncher. This is especially good for outdoor parties as you don’t have to pick them up at the end of the night.
Noise makers
It’s always great to start the New Year with a bang, but not so great when you’re left with a bin full of noisemakers. Clappers, blowouts, kazoos and party poppers all have plastic components that could take 1,000 more New Years to decompose. You can easily create your own shakers with toilet paper rolls. Simply fill them with uncooked beans and press the ends inward to seal them in.
Dinner table
When hosting a dinner party it’s always good to use your existing tableware, but if you’re staying up till midnight, we understand if you want to avoid having to wash any dishes after your guests leave. If you do decide to go with disposable tableware, avoid using plastic plates and cutlery. Opt for ones made of recycled paper or wood instead. They may be single-use, but they are a lot better for the environment than plastic.
Escape room tips from the co-founder of LOST Hong Kong
Outfit
Many people like to go full glitz and glam on New Year’s Eve, but how many more times will you pull that flashy suit or sparkly dress in the 365 days ahead? To save you the stress of having to find something shiny and new to wear, we’ve got a better idea. Tell your friends you’ll be throwing a pyjama party. You’ve already got some, so you won’t need to spend, plus they’re comfortable and you can jump straight into bed after you’ve wrapped up your party.