Let’s face it—between shopping, decorating, and travel planning, you’re not exactly sure how you’ll find time to throw that perfect get-together for family and friends. But here’s some good news: plastics have your back. From the decorations to the gifts to the kitchen, plastics make planning a holiday party easier on you—and on the environment.
So if you want to be a holiday party planning pro (or at least look like one!), here are some tips for your entertainment game plan, made possible by plastics:
Set the scene
Create a fun and festive atmosphere by looking for durable holiday decorations made with plastics. A modern, reusable, synthetic (aka: plastic) tree creates a gorgeous focal point while helping reduce waste. Beautiful, shatter-resistant plastic ornaments make it easy to get the whole family involved in decorating—even the little ones. And plastic flameless candles help create that cozy ambiance you’re going for, while helping keep your friends and family safe.
Prepare the meal
Sure, you may be preparing and serving one of your family’s most anticipated meals of the year, but plastics can help keep it low-stress. Easy-to-clean kitchen tools such as mixing bowls, cutting boards, and measuring cups help make food prep and clean up speedier. If you’re whipping up some sweet holiday treats, nonstick silicone plastic baking cups, trays, and molds promote fast, even baking. And when it’s time to serve food and drinks, durable plastic serving ware is your go-to antidote to clumsy guests and tiny fingers—no more shattered glasses!
Give the perfect gifts
You know that toy or jacket or handbag you’re planning to give as a gift this holiday? Chances are there’s a version made with recycled plastics. Choosing gifts made with recycled plastics helps keep used plastics out of landfills—with the added benefit of making you look like an extra-thoughtful gift giver. A wide range of great brands now use recycled plastics routinely, and it’s easy to find their products by simply adding the word “recycled plastic” to your online search.
Store the leftovers
You’ve probably been to a holiday dinner where the food sits out on the table for hours after the meal. That’s not only a little gross—it’s also wasteful. Avoid this holiday party faux pas by immediately transferring any extra food into sealable plastic bags or storage containers and putting them in the fridge or freezer. Keeping air away from food helps reduce the chance of spoilage, so try to use appropriately sized containers and squeeze out extra air from bags.
Clean up with less waste
It’s time for the dreaded post-party cleanup, but look on the bright side: now’s your chance to get a jump on your New Year’s resolution to do more to help the environment. You can reduce waste by recycling the plastic food packaging you may have used to prepare and serve the meal, including beverage bottles, yogurt and margarine containers, milk and juice jugs, condiment containers, and much more. A great way to make plastics recycling even simpler? Before the party, simply place clearly marked recycling bins in your home and encourage your guests to use them.
This holiday season, it can be easier—and less wasteful—to host a memorable party. When you let plastics do the heavy lifting, you’re free to spend more time with your family and friends… which, of course, is a big part of what the holidays are all about.
