Once Fall is here, it seems the year is almost over because the next several months seem to whizz past us so quickly. However, Halloween comes first and is just around the corner.  Since Monday’s are my “fun” day, here are some tricks and treats for you.  Also, check out some of my past posts:

There is lots of concern and talk these days about living “green” – reduce, reuse and recycle.  Therefore, to help make your Halloween green, here are some tips:

  • Buy organic and local.  Visit one of the many pumpkin patches I wrote about last year on this blog.  After Halloween, break your pumpkins or gourds into pieces and place them in the woods or a field far away from your house to feed deer or other animals providing them with their own Halloween treat of seeds and pumpkin flesh. Or, dry the pumpkin seeds for the bird feeder.
  • If you purchase bales of hay to decorate your porch, buy barley hay which can later be composted and used as mulch for your garden or flower beds.
  • There have been dentists in our area who buy back unused candy to avoid trips later to their dentist. Or, Wheels on Meals and children’s charities appreciate donations of unused and unopened candy. You can also crush hard candy and use them as toppings on your Christmas cookie dough before baking or as dessert toppings.
  • Reuse old clothes from around the house for costumes.  Here’s some tips for “green” costumes.  If you’re out of time and need a last minute costume, here are some ideas for eco-friendly costumes.
  • Donate any costumes to children’s hospitals or any number of charities.
  • Instead of purchasing a plastic container or plastic pumpkin to collect those goodies, craft a treat bag by sewing a drawstring on old pillowcases and let the kids decorate them with non-toxic markers or paints instead.  Or let the kids decorate brown paper bags you’ve recycled.
  • Bake cupcakes without paper muffin cups or make other healthy snacks or treats and make your own goody bags with the kids and especially include Monster Toes!
  • Use nature’s bounty for decorations utilizing Fall leaves, hay bales, corn stalks and more of the pumpkins,gourds and apples. Make old- fashioned candy apples as the treats. Help the kids make a scarecrow, or two.
  • Craft –   Buy or make decorations that can be reused. There are many outlet stores locally where you can buy inexpensive items and decorate further for Halloween to make them look like something out of a magazine.
  • Check out this website – Green Halloween - for more eco-friendly ideas.
  • There’s an eco-friendly website that lists “green” crafts, projects for Halloween.
  • Recycle items from around the house.  Use old milk bottles and use as luminaries to light your walkway or cut off the top and use as a plastic bucket for the treats.  Use egg cartons to create decorations like this bat.
  • When buying treats, buy in bulk or products with limited packaging.  Or, better yet give non-food treats like funky pens or pencils.
  • You can also reuse a brown paper bag by crafting items that can be reused later for other purposes like this grocery bag.
  • Don’t litter with left-over candy wrappers, figure out a craft project to use up all the wrappers.  While in Hawaii last year, there was a cart in the local shopping mall that had purses and other accessories all made out of recycled candy wrappers, juice containers, etc. that they were selling.
  • Walk, don’t drive to neighborhoods for trick-or-treating.  Better yet, have a masquerade party for the kids.
  • Trade decorations or costumes with the neighbors or family.  Get more mileage out of what either you or they already have.

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