Edible Birthday Garland

Planning a child’s birthday bash? Forgo traditional garlands, which are often made of synthetic materials, and instead opt for playful strands of candy necklaces. When guests begin to file out, encourage the kiddies to help with clean-up duties (they’ll love snacking on this sweet party treat!).

Photo: Martha Stewart

A Sweet Accent

Creating a final DIY accent to compliment a candy or dessert bar is just as simple as the sweets themselves! A collection of pretty pastel cupcake liners can easily be weaved into adorable strings of homemade garland. This is such a great way to rid your pantry of unused items and fashion something stylish simultaneously.

Photo: Green Wedding Shoes

Fruit Favors

Give your guests something sweet at your next get together. Instead of a candy bar, arrange individual bags of organic cherries or any other variety of local and/or organic seasonal fruit for guests to pick up and enjoy on their way out of the party. They’ll be grateful for a healthy, yet sweet, snack.

Photo: Martha Stewart

A Sweet Parting: Organic and All-Natural Candies

Send your guests away from your big event with a little something to help satisfy their sweet tooth. Many candy companies now carry organic and all-natural lines of chocolates, hard candies and gummies that will make inexpensive favors for any special event. One company in particular is Sweet Botanicals. Sweet Botanicals specializes in confections that are free from added preservatives and instead rely on pure plant extracts to give their candies beautiful colors and unique tastes. In addition to their hard candies, which are uniquely shaped thanks to the use of antique candy molds, the company also offers sour jellies, candy canes, lollipops and a sugar-free line – all made using completely conscious ingredients. Set one small container of these delicious candies at each place setting. With eclectic flavors such as fennel, rose, elderberry and (my personal favorite) “hangover”, they’ll serve double duty: a small, extended thank you to each guest as well as an excellent icebreaker. 

Photos: Sweet Botanicals