11 Eco-Friendly New Year’s Crafts

Celebrate the new year with all of the hoopla that it deserves with these eco-friendly New Year's crafts!

Celebrate the new year with all of the hoopla that it deserves with these eco-friendly New Year's crafts!

Don’t let New Year’s get the shaft, just because it’s at the tag-end of the holiday season. Celebrate the holiday with all of the hoopla that it deserves with these eco-friendly New Year’s crafts.

1. black-eyed peasWhere I come from (which is, yes, the South), it is a requirement that you eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. How else will you have good luck in the year to come? Here’s an easy way to cook them by starting them in the crock pot on New Year’s Eve.

2. cocktailsIt’s not New Year’s Eve without a mixed drink! Here are some classic recipes that use organic, American-made, and sustainably-resourced ingredients.

3. fireworks in a jarIt’s not a holiday without a science project! The best part of this one is that you can pour the entire thing down the sink when you’re done. Oh, and you definitely have the ingredients already in your pantry!

4. gift card mosaicUpcycle used gift cards into this festive New Year’s decoration. Use it as party decor, or keep it up all year and write resolutions or memories from the year on it.

Eco-Friendly New Year's5. goal boardA vintage picture frames makes a lovely setting for your goals for the year–leave it up all year, and check each goal off as you accomplish it! If you use it as a party decoration, invite guests to add their goals, too.

6. inspiration boardThis clever display is upcycled from a ceiling medallion.

7. memory jarSet this up on New Year’s Eve, then add to it all next year. Next New Year’s Eve, look over all of your happy memories again.

8. New Year’s pizzaHere’s a simple dinner that’s also a fun family activity and a festive party food!

Eco-Friendly New Year's9. New Year’s resolution treeBring a bit of the outside inside, and motivate yourself to work on your New Year’s resolutions.

10. toilet paper tube noisemakersIf you’re keeping kids up past their bedtimes to welcome in the New Year, distract them from bouncing off the walls for a minute by letting them make these noisemakers out of toilet paper tubes and dried beans.

11. vegan finger foodsNo animals have to die for your party nommies.

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Written by Julie Finn

I'm a writer, crafter, Zombie Preparedness Planner, and homeschooling momma of two kids who will hopefully someday transition into using their genius for good, not the evil machinations and mess-making in which they currently indulge. I'm interested in recycling and nature crafts, food security, STEM education, and the DIY lifestyle, however it's manifested--making myself some underwear out of T-shirts? Done it. Teaching myself guitar? Doing it right now.

Visit my blog Craft Knife for a peek at our very weird handmade homeschool life, and my etsy shop Pumpkin+Bear for a truly odd number of rainbow-themed beeswax pretties.

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Do you have a stack of empty gift cards from holiday gift-giving? Don't toss them out! Cut them into tiny pieces and use them in a clever gift card mosaic.

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