Don’t Trash It, Pass The Party On!
People come to parties to enjoy each other’s company and the food—decorations are secondary, but they add to the experience. With a little imagination, you can create a unique and festive atmosphere while being kinder to the planet…and bonus, your wallet.
Though we prefer non-plastic materials when possible, we believe giving existing decorations a second life is far better than tossing them after one use. Reusing decorations saves money by reducing the need to buy new items, helps keep unnecessary waste out of landfills, and sparks creativity as you find ways to make old things new again. It’s rewarding to see how simple adjustments can create something beautiful and unique.
With the Oscars coming up, we’ve designed an example table to show how you can reuse decorations and give them a second life. This is just one way to creatively repurpose items from past events.
For this party, we repurposed gold-rimmed plastic china plates (all leftovers donated by a friend) by placing small red paper plates in the center for a pop of color. Many of the decorations came from Jenn’s Hollywood-themed 1991 Bat Mitzvah—her mom saved everything, so now was the perfect time to reuse it! Leftover movie slate keychains with magnifying glasses doubled as both party favors and name cards. Pieces of film strips from the pre Iphone era were scattered around the table as décor, adding to the cinematic vibe.
We also had black-and-white director movie slate-style bags, which we filled with faux flowers (Lainie’s summer outdoor decor that’s waiting for better weather) to create unique centerpieces. Since we didn’t have enough of any one type of wrapped silverware, we alternated red napkin-wrapped silverware with white napkin-wrapped ones tied with red ribbon. The result? A mix-and-match table setting that still looked cohesive. Leftover plastic champagne glasses added a touch of elegance, and we even used a director movie slate frame to display the party name.
Our goal is always to reuse as many decorations as possible. While the items weren’t originally designed to go together, they created a fun and inviting atmosphere.
Creative Ways to Use Food as Decoration
Another great way to decorate sustainably is by using food as décor! Edible decorations eliminate waste since they get eaten instead of discarded. Colorful fruit platters, themed desserts, and decorative cheese boards can serve as both visual focal points and delicious treats for guests. You can look online or browse Pinterest (we found this blog to be a good source of inspiration https://windycitydinnerfairy.com/easy-oscar-party-ideas/) for creative food display ideas that match your party theme while keeping sustainability in mind.
Fruit & Vegetable Displays – Create edible centerpieces using colorful fruits like pineapples, grapes, and citrus arranged in a tiered stand or hollowed-out watermelon. Skewer cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers to make vegetable “bouquets,” or carve patterns into melons for extra flair. There’s nothing wrong with making it easy and just putting a mix of fruit in a big bowl - its already colorful and beautiful!
Themed Grazing Boards – Arrange meats, cheeses, nuts, and fruits in fun shapes or patterns, like a holiday wreath made from cheese cubes and olives. Dessert boards featuring cookies, chocolates, and fruit also make for eye-catching, edible décor.
Bread & Pastry Displays – Use a round loaf of bread as a soup or dip bowl, or create a pretzel or donut wall for an interactive touch. Stack pastries and cookies on tiered stands for an elegant dessert display.
Ice & Beverage Enhancements – Freeze edible flowers or herbs in ice cubes for a fancy look in drinks, or create fruit-infused water jars with floating citrus slices and berries for both flavor and decoration. Sculpted butter in themed shapes also adds a unique touch.
Themed Food Arrangements – Arrange colorful candies or chocolates as table scatter, or decorate pies and baked goods with shaped dough cutouts. A cheese and olive “wreath” or a fruit platter in the shape of your party’s theme can add a creative and sustainable flair.
So before you throw anything away, consider how you might repurpose it for your next gathering or send it our way for us to share with other sustainable minded friends! Your creativity might surprise you—and the planet will thank you!
Next time you go to a party, think of SMALL CHANGES ATX and grab the extras or pass our information along to the host. What’s left behind can light up another celebration!