Earth Day Party Ideas
Decorate your home with tree branches and garden
cuttings.
Fill jars, baskets, and containers with spring bounty
found in your garden.
How to Host an Earth Day Party
(FeatureSource) On April 22, 2006, Americans will
celebrate Earth Day with speeches, campaigns and
environmental activities. You can take part in any of
those commemorations, but you can also take the holiday
a step farther.
"An Earth Day party brings your fun to a higher level,"
says Patty Sachs, author of "Pick-A-Party: The Big Book
of Party Themes and Occasions" and "The Pick-A-Party
Cookbook: Menus, Recipes and Serving Suggestions for 101
Theme Parties" (Meadowbrook Press).
"Of course, it will be a joy, like all good parties
are," Sachs says. "However, you can also use the
gathering to get people thinking about the environment
and our place in it."
Sachs says your invitations should spell out the details
and the significance of the day. Just be sure to write
clearly, because your invites will be on brown paper
bags, which symbolize the importance of recycling.
Encourage your guests to dress in any color that is
found in nature. Green is a great choice. Or they can
wear secondhand clothes that exemplify their commitment
to avoid waste.
For decorations, put out globes and maps. Posters of
stunning vistas, oceans or mountains are easy to get and
display. And of course, the more small trees or plants
that you can fit into the party site, the better.
Serve refreshments in earthenware containers. The
beverage of choice can be anything from mineral water to
homemade lemonade. Of course, for a truly fitting
refreshment, mix a batch of dandelion wine for your
guests.
Making this unique delicacy takes some advance planning.
Start by scalding four quarts of dandelion blossoms in
boiling water. Let them stand overnight. The next
morning, strain the dandelions. Add the pulp and juice
of six oranges, the juice of four lemons, two yeast
cakes and four pounds of sugar. Let the beverage ferment
for four days. Then strain and bottle it. Serve the
dandelion wine in small glasses at room temperature.
Your appetizers can include the simple pleasure of fresh
fruits or vegetables with dip. A buffet with items such
as lentil and brown rice soup, or sandwiches on
home-baked rolls, will keep everyone happy. But you
could also embrace the theme further by asking everyone
to bring leftovers for a communal potluck.
Dessert is a no-brainer. Because Earth Day is also Arbor
Day - the day that Johnny Appleseed is honored - serve
apple pie.
Once the party is under way, gather your guests together
for a trivia contest that will test everyone's
environmental awareness. Besides being a lighthearted
activity, this is a perfect opportunity to inform your
guests about the status of our planet. If you chose your
questions right, this educational experience will double
as fun.
To keep the party rolling, challenge your guests to come
up with the best Earth Day poem or song. The results
will range from the hilarious to the poignant.
Every game needs a winner, so present prizes of flowers
or plants to those guests who have distinguished
themselves. And to solidify the theme of community,
offer packets of seedlings to everyone as a parting
gift. At your party next year, be sure to ask how
everyone's seeds grew.
These and other hints come from Sachs' "Pick-A-Party
"
and "The Pick-A-Party Cookbook." which offer celebration
tips for almost every holiday or event.
Author: FeatureSource Staff
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