The stress of the economy has certainly put a damper on holiday revelry but it doesn’t mean that we should forgo the season’s festivities all together.  All you need to do is get back to basics and remember the reasons why you are entertaining family, friends and colleagues in the first place. 

Here we’ve rounded up some creative yet affordable ideas for your holiday gathering that will go easy on the pocketbook as well as the planet.

Reuse What You Already Have
Before you rush out to buy new serving trays and specialty dishes, check to see what you already have in your pantry.  At a recent event, my friends at Relish Caterers designed a fun crudité platter using a variety of mismatched, left-over glassware including a martini glass, a bud vase and a water glass.  It’s a fresh way to present the typical platter and solves the problem of including different sized vegetables.

Turn Fruits and Vegetables into Tableware
Winter vegetables come in rich colors and make great table decorations. Not only are they readily available at the local farmers’ market but, they are inexpensive.  Another insider trick picked up by Relish Caterers – using  hollowed out acorn squashes as soup bowls.  Just cut the bottoms off to make them lay flat on the table and an ice cream scoop to empty them out.  Need more easy ideas? Try using a piece of cut melon as a serving plate for your hors d’oeuvres.  Cranberries have a gorgeous holiday color and they can be used as winter décor accents to any dish.  And, sticks of cinnamon look great around a punch bowl of eggnog.

Stay Away from Disposables
Everyone needs extra tableware from time to time but using disposables is not only extremely wasteful but a poor return on your investment.  A typical cocktail party goes through hundreds of disposables that are only used once and then go straight to a landfill.  Here’s a great discovery:  Preserve Everyday by Recycline.  The collection  features brightly colored, 100% recycled plastic cups, plates and cutlery that are reusable, dishwasher safe and recyclable (when you are finally finished with them).

A seasoned event planner, Celia Chen is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Notes on a Party, an online magazine about entertaining that celebrates Events from the Inside Out™.  For a behind-the-scenes look at VIP events and more tips on party planning, visit http://www.notesonaparty.com