Oct 28 2008
Halloween goes green
How does one make what has traditionally been an orange and black festival, a green one? And I’m not referring to hanging out green pumpkin tea towels such as the one my mother recently sent me!
In our family, festivities have always been about including a little bit of charity in them. Isn’t it strange for example, that at thanksgiving, a time to give thanks, most people are busy preparing meals and filling their homes with store bought ‘necessities’, as opposed to thinking of what they can ‘give’ back - be it to family, friends or strangers. Isn’t that what the essence of thanksgiving is all about? Being grateful for what you have instead of wondering what you can get?
For Halloween, this year, as with all years, my two children get to select the number of sweets they realistic can have. My 4.5 year old has chosen ‘6′ and my son, ‘3′. The rest they give away to charity. We have yet to select a charity of choice- our donations are spread between Big Brothers and BC Children’s foundation - any suggestions?
Other ways to go green this year, can include some or all of the following:
Decorations: If you don’t have mini helpers who are eager to make, draw and create their own little decorations, and if you don’t feel you have an artistic-enough soul (or time) to imagine up your own, then go ahead and buy some from your neighbourhood store. Try and get some that you know will last for the next few years or that can be recycled. Invest in a few good pieces and your home will look spooky, yet chic!
Sweets: Recycle them by donating them. If you can, make you own and that’s sure to be appreciated. Or if that’s too much trouble and you are going to buy them, then ensure you purchase healthy candy-popcorn bags, strips of fruit leather or fruit candy etc are all excellent choices.. There’s enough cheap sweets going around. If possible, consider buying sweets with the minimum amount of wrapping involved -little boxes of smarties for example are a good choice as opposed to individually wrapped candy.
An even better option would be to buy non-candy treats such as pencils, sharpeners, erasers etc. Just make sure they are not plastic, contain lead or are small enough to present a choking hazard.
Candy bags: You don’t need to buy a new bag each year. Invest in a bucket that can be reused. Or be creative - strong sturdy paper bags can be decorated and will hold plenty of loot. You can create bags from old pillowcases, t-shirts or discarded containers. Just make sure they are washed before you begin your decorations. Kids will have as great a time creating them as using them!
Pumpkins: Nowadays, a lot of farms offer special treats- hay rides on tractors, train rides through spooky tunnels and a chance to visit their petting zoos- visit some of them when it’s time to pick up your pumpkin. Not only will you be supporting local farmers, but the kids will have a spooktacular time doing it. And when your pumpkin begins to spoil, don’t forget to toss it onto your compost heap.
Costumes: This one is usually a big expense, and the kids outgrow their own costumes fairly quickly. It’s easy to create costumes especially as there are a lot of online resources available. Think of recycling your old clothes and inventing something new. Or how about visiting thrift stores to see what hidden treasures you can find there? Making masks and accessories are all part of the fun.
Party invites: Send them by email rather than posting them. This way, you’ll get a quicker response too.
Party food: And when it’s finally party time, consider serving wholesome healthy food and snacks. The choices are limitless and with it being pumpkin and squash season, it’s easy to get creative - pumpkin soups, pumpkin cheesecakes, pumpkin pies, home-made cupcakes etc.
Happy Halloween!
Some excellent resources to check out include:
