Halloween is my favorite holiday. Autumn is here. The leaves are turning their vibrant colors, the winds become crisper, the temperatures drop and everywhere you turn is apple pie, cinnamon and pumpkin spices. Halloween itself is a wondrous holiday. It is a day dedicated in some cultures to honoring the ancestors, the past, those who have gone before us. In America, it is mostly about pretend, magic, dress-up, scary pumpkins, the bumps in the night and let’s not forget the treats.

Our family does a few Halloween things a bit differently though. I thought I would share these family traditions so that others may enjoy them, but also so you too could begin thinking how to incorporate green living into this fun holiday.

A Green Halloween Party? What to buy?
Consider hosting a Green Halloween Party! This is an opportunity to celebrate the holiday without rotting your teeth or feeling guilty over gluttony. Not to mention that cutting down how much consumer waste we contribute to not only is easier on our purses, is kinder to our earth but it also teaches our children the fine art of simplicity and moderation. Last year 36 million kids between the ages of 5-13 participated in trick or treat outings. With that said, the US spent a total of 6 billion dollars on Halloween décor, food, party items, costume and the like. Think about that for a minute. Thinking green is about what you don’t buy as much as it is about you do buy.

• Use evites or Facebook invites to cut down on paper waste and postage waste.

• Rather than buying plastic flowers or investing in another cheesy centerpiece, make your own arrangement. Grab a seasonal soy candle, a few ornamental squash and a couple mini pumpkins. This display is not only Green; it’s eye-catching as well.

• Give preferential treatment to local farmers and farmer markets. The kids will love picking out the ingredients for their party!

• Focus on buying products with the least amount of packaging

• Utilize products that are harvested in safe, fair and sustainable manners.

• Focus on decorating ideas that either biodegradable or re-usable

• Utilize thrift stores, garage sales and rampage sales for décor. I’ve been able to spook-tidy my home accordingly with very little money and little waste and a lot of eco thought.

• Many Halloween decorating items can be made from paper and cardboard scraps. The kids will not only love the project, but save you and the planet from further waste.

• Allow the kids to use shakable flashlights. They will love them and they conserve the battery power.

• Think about using soy or beeswax candles. They burn cleaner, longer and contain no petroleum-based products.

• In addition to candles, consider using LED lights. They last 133 times longer, are 80% cheaper, and since they generate no heat they are perfect to use around children! LED lighting these days comes in all shapes and sizes- perfect for your celebration.

• If you prefer solar powered, go for it! Its great for the environment, uses no electricity and only the sun’s renewable power. Check out Inventor Spot! Their lighting products and décor is perfect for your own spooktacular get-together!

Think Seasonal and Colorful Food
Food is huge! Especially for little ones and Halloween is no different! The families expect bright, seasonal foods decorated for the season. When planning your menu remember to focus on organic, local foods if possible.  Try to utilize food items that are organic and free of hydrogenated oils, trans-fats, and artificial colors and flavors. Going meat-free or even cutting down meat dishes is another way to help the environment. The resources for Halloween dishes and recipes on the internet are vast! I personally prefer www.food.com, Creepy Cuisine and the Penny Whistle Halloween Book (both found on Amazon.com). Each year our menu changes- the possibilities are endless! This year we will be dining on home-made cider, swamp monster punch, roasted pumpkin seeds, air popped popcorn, spook-tacular hot dish and monster toes for desert. Needless to say, they are anticipating our celebration!  Don’t forget that to put your food scraps and soiled paper products in the compost when you are done preparing!

Green Games
There are hundreds of game ideas online. Many of which are easily modified to be Green. These are our personal favorites but don’t take my word for it!

• Dunk for apples or better yet do the older, more traditional version with hanging apples!

• Make a Halloween themed mural! Tape a large sheet of recycled paper or tree-free paper to a wall. Each child can contribute to the outcome!

• Halloween themed puppets! Sock puppets are a great way to use craft bits and left -overs on socks that have seen betters days. No socks? No problem. Use recycled paper bags.

• Build a scarecrow! Fill old clothes or sheets no longer needed to make lifelike scarecrows and ghosts! Get creative! We have sometimes made entire scenes with corn stalks and hay bales for our “people” to sit on or better yet, put them in the branches of the a tree!

• Build popcorn balls to hang outside for the birds

• Forsake party gifts and instead let the kids make and take home their own Halloween project. We have really enjoyed the ideas in the The Children’s Year and Earth way (again, both available used on Amazon).

• Carve, paint, or decoupage pumpkins! Do-it-yourself crafters have really fun ideas all over the internet!

• Use craft paint or iron-on letters on canvas bags and make your own Halloween bag! There are many catchy sayings like, “Trick or treat- Green Style” or “I’m turning Halloween Green!” Get innovative and come up with our own picture or wording!

Costumes
Most costumes in today’s market contain petroleum-based products that require oil drilling as well as conventional dyes which pollute our waterways. Consider trying a Green Costume! Handmade costumes can be far better looking as well as much greener than store-bought. There are numerous patterns easily available online. Another option would be making use of your local thrift shops. Many of them have seasonal Halloween items and vintage clothing easily turned into costume. That isn’t an old prom dress after all; it’s now a starlet’s gown. That couldn’t be an old graduation cape? Of course not! Its Harry Potter’s uniform! Have some fun! That’s what Halloween is all about! Get messy! Get creative! Once you let your mind wander the possibilities are endless! Don’t forget to donate or re-use your costume when you are done this year!

Spread the Green
Spreading the word and offering information to others is critical in any aspect of the Green movement. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Host a Costume Exchange

• Spread the enthusiasm! Blog, post, and tweet about your Green Halloween! People will be talking about it in no time!

• Offer to speak at your children’s school

• Talk to your children about what a Green Halloween is and why its important

• Start a dialogue with local businesses

• Contact your local market and encourage them to carry green Halloween products.

• Host a post Halloween composting party

• Contact your local media

• Make a Green Halloween sign for your window and yard. Include it on your invites and thank-you cards!

Halloween is a fun celebration, full of laughter and goodhearted scary fun. It is possible to enjoy this celebration with your family and still be mindful of the ecological impact. Looking forward to seeing your own Green Halloween ideas, party reviews and photos!