Magical, Eco-Friendly Birthday Parties.

A great eco-friendly birthday party plan lets you minimize your environmental impact without sacrificing the fun.   We asked birthday party expert and New York City magician Hijinx for the secret to hosting an environmentally conscious and fun children's party. Here are some of his tricks and tips to throwing a delightful event while contributing to a greener world.

Think Local. Host your child's birthday party at home and not at a party venue.   Hijinx said, "Party rooms are notorious for using loads of plastic party goods and serving unhealthy food. Hosting your party at home will save fuel and give you complete control over the food and party supplies." If your home is too small consider having your party in a public park within walking distance.  In inclement weather you may choose to rent some party space at a nearby museum or community center that's easily accessible by foot or public transportation.

Short List. There is no rule saying you have to invite every kid in your child's school.  Keep your invitation list small. It's better to throw a wonderful party for eight children then a chaotic event for twenty. The party will be easier to organize, less expensive, and lots more fun for everyone.

Focus on Fun, Not Stuff. Children don't require an overabundance of food and décor to have a good time.  Instead of hiring out inflatable rides and other expensive services pick out some fun party games and activities instead.  The children will have a much better time playing organized party games instead of just bouncing around in an inflatable amusement.

Invite or Evite?  Don't think that e-mailing invitations is going to help reduce the amount of environmental waste. When people receive an e-mail invitation they'll often print it out several different times using non-recycled paper and harmful inks. Choose environmentally friendly paper invitations instead.

Décor. Use biodegradable latex balloons instead of Mylar. Latex balloons are available in a dazzling assortment of colors to match any décor plan. Avoid helium balloons which can float away and land in wildlife environments where they may be accidentally ingested by animals. Compostable ribbons can add color to your party without adding more plastic waste to our environment.

Food and Beverages. Provide healthy snacks to the guests like fresh fruit and vegetable dips. Buying in bulk not only saves money, it reduces packaging pollution too. Instead of bottles and cans, serve punch, fruit juice and water in pitchers.  Reduce the number of abandoned beverages by giving each child a cup with their name written on it.

Party Tableware. Choose tableware products that are biodegradable or made from recycled materials.  You can buy plates and trays made from palm leaves, sugarcane, bamboo here at Little Cherry. Compostable cups and straws look great and will break down unlike so many plastic party goods.

Gift Wrap.  There's no reason to wrap your child's birthday presents in dingy old newspapers just to save a tree; order some recycled gift wrap instead. Made with recycled paper and environmentally safe inks this gift wrap will make your child's present look fantastic.

Entertainment. Turn off Nintendo, hide the TV remote control and plan for some real fun. Hiring a children's entertainer is a great way to add lively amusement without harming the environment. Compared to other types of party amusements that require electricity (often using a noisy gas-powered generator for outdoor events) a live children's show has almost no environmental impact. Inflatable bouncing rides and cotton candy machines are fun, but they require energy to transport. A local children's clown, juggler or magician can entertain a large amount of children and create magical memories to last a lifetime. "The kids will remember the fun of seeing a live magic show years after they've forgotten about the presents and cake," magician Hijinx says.

Hijinx is one of the busiest magicians in New York City. "Everything in my show is recycled, included the jokes," he said. The Brooklyn magician travels all over the city and brings his magic show to Long Island using public transportation whenever possible. "I get some strange looks when I bring my magic trunks and bunny rabbit on the subway, but I don't mind. There's no faster way than the train to get around New York, even if you are a magician."

"You can have just as much fun with an eco-friendly party and do something good for the earth too," he said. "Just take a minute before you by anything and think about how it will impact the earth. A cleaner earth is the best thing a parent can give their children."