Hosting a holiday party this season? Here are the 10 tips to hosting a socially conscious holiday party!
- Consider the food, where all great parties start. Are you using a caterer? If so, try hiring a caterer that employs nontraditional individuals, like Miry’s List’s New Arrival Supper Club Event Catering, which empowers newly settled refugees through opportunities to earn money, meet their new community and share their culture through food.
- Cooking yourself? Consider using ugly produce, which otherwise never makes it to market, and help contribute to minimizing food waste. Ugly produce can be purchased through a company like Misfits Market.
- Don’t host a party, host an activity. Let’s be honest, how many people want to go make small talk with second and third connection friends. To avoid the obligatory networking party, consider hosting a volunteer activity as a part of or as the main activity. This offers an opportunity for individuals to connect over shared experiences that are more focused on ‘giving’.
- Ended up with leftovers? Try contacting your local shelter in advance of the event to find out what their donation or pick up polices are for leftover event food. If you are based in New York, you can utilize TransferNation, an on-demand food rescue platform similar to Uber for leftovers.
- Let’s Drink! Try exposing your guests to festive new beverages that utilize spirits that do something else. We love this list compiled by Craig Kielburger of the 6 socially conscious beverages that cover sustainability, fair trade, jobs training, providing clean water, and improve wildlife ecosystems.
- Play some games! Instead of charades or mistletoe themed games, invite all of your guests to partake in the Gifts We Have game where guests share the many gifts they are already blessed with in an active practice of appreciation that helps pause the consumerism that controls much of the holiday season.
- Festive florals upgraded. If you will be using florals to decorate, be sure to select florals that are fair trade sourced, ethically grown, with transparent supply chains, and by happy farmers, like Farmgirl Flowers. Instead of cut flowers, use potted florals that will not die days after your holiday party. Bonus, guests can take them home as party favors.
- Incorporate composting. If you’ll be using disposable dishes for your holiday party, invest in Repurpose’s compostable tableware which use renewable ingredients and have lower carbon footprints than their plastic cousins.
- Don’t forget the restroom. With extra guests over, the restroom will get extra action too. But instead of stocking the restroom with extra rolls of toilet paper, consider NooTrees’ bamboo pulp based toilet paper, which are biodegradable, sustainable, and renewable.
- Location, location, location. This adage goes beyond real estate. If you won’t be hosting the holiday party at your home or place of work, consider bringing your guests to a venue that opens their eyes to an issue area that is important to you. Many nonprofits will open their spaces and welcome visitors to see firsthand the work they’re doing.
.
Sign up here to receive the highlights from the Starfish Impact blog in your inbox.
