Party design: Latest trends in event design

Thank-you gifts and party favors

Party gifts at swanky business and fundraising events can also be eco-friendly, useful—and charitable. For example, model Lauren Bush serves as Honorary Spokesperson for the UN World Food Programme. Bush is promoting the sale of WFP "Feed" bags. The Feed bags are sturdy, reversible burlap and cotton totes stamped with "FEED" on one side and the number "1" on the other, to signify that each bag purchased feeds one child in school for one year. (The bags can be purchased for $59.95 (free shipping) at Amazon.)

• Bold color
• Lush linens
• Dramatic lighting
• Clever new cocktail parties
• "Green" is hotter than ever
• Cool, green party elements
• Thank-you gifts and favors

For favors at events for family and friends, green choices include packets of flowering bulbs or packets of seeds to grow flowers or herbs, or even tiny tree saplings that guests can plant as a permanent reminder of a great event.

Here, for example, are a few Spring-planted bulbs that we absolutely love. They're on sale right now from our marketing partner Dutch Gardens, (free shipping included on orders over $35, too!)

Asiatic Hybrid Lily Mixture
10 bulbs (were $13.95): Now $9.79
30 bulbs: $27.87

Flamingo Begonias
8 bulbs (were $19.95 ): Now $13.99
24 bulbs: $39.87

Butterfly Gladiolus Mixture
25 bulbs (were $16.95): Now $11.79
75 bulbs: $32.97