It's the same for every party, whether it's a birthday or a holiday like Halloween.  Part of the fun for the kids helping to plan that party is picking out the "partyware." Kids love those matching paper plates, cups and napkins decorated with their favorite character or holiday designs.

While adults think those plates, cups and napkins are cute too, they don't find it fun to have to store those things away after the party's over.  Generally there won't be enough left for next year's party, and what is left will be in odd amounts.  What do you do with those five plates, three cups and seventeen napkins?

I decided years ago to solve this storage issue by sending that partyware to school in my kids' lunchboxes.  After all, I put napkins in the lunchboxes every day anyway, even though I suspect that the napkins go untouched and unused (in Mr. Third Grader's case, his preferred method of wiping dirty hands after lunch involves his white uniform shirt.  Pass the Clorox.)

It's fun to open your lunchbox and find a Frankenstein napkin, or a cake plate with a funny bat.  Those cake plates are just the right size for lunch sandwiches--and they serve an important purpose.  I've volunteered in school lunchrooms enough to know that usually the kids unwrap their sandwiches and set them right down on the table.  If you give them a fun plate, they just might use it--and that's way more sanitary as cold and flu season approaches.

So enjoy the party plates even after the party--send them to school for lunch!

And happy birthday, one day early, to my sister Gracie.  Save me a slice of cake on one of your special birthday plates, OK?

COUPON TIME

$15 off orders over $75 at ShinDigZ.com
Enter coupon code VS34D6.
Valid through: November 8, 2010
See other SHinDigZ coupons!

Free shipping on orders over $50 at WorldMarket.com
Use this link to activate the discount. Applies to ground shipping.
Valid through: October 22, 2010
See other Cost Plus World Market coupon codes!