Here is an exciting and simple project for you and your kids to do this upcoming party season! Make your own party favors – the green way. Gift away plants and trees to bring in the much needed eco-friendly practices in our daily lives.
When my son came back home from a birthday party with party favor bags with plastic and lots of extra-sugary candies, it really made me think (or I was aghast rather) about the kind of life and lifestyle example we set for our kids. We did not want to follow this tradition. The birth-day was no doubt special for us, but we wanted a bit more out of it. We wanted to share something that was close to our hearts and to give the best we could – to all the lovely little kids.
I believe that implementing or embarking eco-friendly practices was a great way to celebrate special occasions. By planting trees or gifting trees, we not only teach and learn about the concept of sharing, but also implant a sense of belonging to the nature.
Giving a small plant as a gift seemed as the most beautiful idea to me. Even though the kids are two plus tiny tots, I thought that they could begin right away. My inspiration to give plants as give-aways came from the lovely time me and my kid have when we sponge clean and water our home plants. Instead of gifting trees, small plants would be a better option for kids as they will be able to see steady growth in the plant, if well cared for. They can tend to it, water it, sponge the leaves and learn a lot more about plant life and hope fully, they will get to love plants and trees as much as we do.
Tutorial on Gift Wrapping Plants as Party Favors
Money plant (Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum) was the only option I could narrow down to. This easy-to-care-for plant is native to the land, grows easily, can be kept indoors, and more over, very beautiful to look at. I could not think of any other plant species that could be so versatile for kids to tinker with while they learn and get closer to nature. I went to a near-by plant nursery along with my son to select the money plants for his friends. He loved the visit and the experience. We came back with two boxes full of little plants – ready to be gift-wrapped by us.
If you are going to gift the plant after a day or two, it’s a better idea to wrap the plant pack with some left-over plastic paper or bags to ensure that there is no water leakage after packaging as it may wet the corrugated paper.
Assess how much paper will be needed to wrap around the plant. Leave some paper at the bottom for folding into flaps. Take only what you need and cut the required amount of paper. Form a roll and staple it to keep the shape and size secured.
This stapled roll needs be closed athe bottom. Cut four equidistant slits and fold them inwards to form a box cover like flaps. These flaps can be stapled or glued to each other and sealed.
The roll looks like a bucket with one open end and the other open. Insert the plant in the corrugated paper bag and adjust it till it stands well independently.
Cut a thick strip of corrugated paper and run it along the sides of this pack, though the bottom and back. Ensure that the strip goes under the bag to provide the reinforcement as mud can be quite heavy.
Staple at points which ensure that the handle is sturdy. You should be able to pick up the plant by its handle comfortably. The bag is ready but it can be made prettier.
Since no gift is complete with our satin ribbons bow-tied, chose the ribbon color of your choice or according to the selected theme and make big bows to add your personal touch. An ecofriendly alternative is to make corrugated paper bows or leaves and tie them around or use grass cords.
Do not be inhibited while doing what you feel is right. All I along this exercise, I was hoping that this exercise does not fall flat or that we come across as un-cool parents. But the response was beautiful and over-whelming. Everyone loved the gifts and appreciated the effort that went behind making it. Needless to say, the birthday turned out to extra special for all of us.