Well, the fall holiday season is apon us. Surprise, there is a holiday every month. We want to celebrate, have fun, be eco-friendly, and do this on a limited budget.

Right now you may be thinking, "What are the kids going to want to be for Halloween?" Oh you didn't think of it yet. Well let me give you a heads up it is a month away. To do work with costumes on a limited budget you will probably have to make it yourself or have your child make it. That will take time. Unless that is your child likes to just throw something together at the last minute. Which is what usually happens around here.

Well never fear, our friends from Celebrate Green are here. They can also be found at: www.Celebrate Green.net  with many more ideas for the holiday seasons ahead.

They have some great ideas to help us celebrate this costume holiday. Myself I would like to dress up year round, but I digress. They have ideas on how to talk with your children on making this holiday more environmentally friendly, costuming, and even treats and treasures. So let's get onto the good stuff:
 

Get ready for an EEK-O-friendly Halloween (Part 1)

 Halloween should be fun, but every year it gets scarier--for parents and the planet. From the discovery of lead in fake teeth and candy, to chemicals in costumes, to the garbage left in the holiday's wake, it's a wonder more of us haven't given up the festivities and spent October 31 watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

The good news is, there are loads of child- and earth-friendly alternatives to the usual Halloween fare.

The most important point when planning to green up any holiday or celebration, especially those involving children, is to get their "buy-in." And of course, your approach makes all the difference. Telling kids, "We're going green this Halloween--that means, no candy," isn't helpful. What can be is a discussion about the challenges that Halloween brings. Obviously, what you say (or don't), depends on the age of your children. But helping them to see the wider ramifications of their actions can help make transitioning to healthier choices more appealing or at least understandable.

Many kids are learning about eco-issues in school. They often want to do something about them, but need guidance on where to begin. Talking to them about the excess and waste associated with Halloween (and all holidays and celebrations) and discussing how they can make a difference, may spark their altruism and inspire them to act in positive ways.

A great way to start a discussion is to list each aspect of Halloween (costumes, treats, decor and activities), and brainstorm child- and earth-friendly choices to what you've done in the past. Then, encourage your kids to choose one or two of the ideas to implement this year. After Halloween, talk about what worked, what didn't and what you'll do next year.

 Costumes

 In the "olden days," (the eighties?), many kids made their costumes, often with help from parents. Making the costume was actually an enjoyable, bonding activity. Today, millions of people spend millions of dollars on costumes that are made from non-sustainable materials (like petroleum), that are worn once, then discarded. 

But there are earth-friendlier alternatives. If you usually buy costumes, consider:

• Making them. Kids are incredibly gifted and creative when we encourage them. There are almost no costumes that cannot be handmade. If your children are stuck on turning a popular TV or movie character into a costume, brainstorm how you can make it happen with items you already own or can get at no cost by borrowing or making. Be sure to check online for ideas.
• Purchasing costumes made from more eco-friendly materials or at least not from plastics. Choose cotton, organic cotton, silk or hemp, for instance. Unfortunately, these alternatives are not yet widely available, but if you're interested in them, ask local stores to consider carrying them next year. And check at the end of this post for some great online sources.
• Trading them. Arrange a costume swap with neighbors, check online at swap sites like Green Halloween, or see if you can interest a local child-focused organization in sponsoring a swap.

When Halloween is over, don't throw costumes away. Save them, dismantle and hold on to the "parts," trade or take them to a thrift store.

 Treats and treasures

 Halloween may be all about the treats, but happily, there are great alternatives that kids, when given the option, will happily embrace. You can't do much about the sweets your children receive on their foray around the neighborhood (although you can have the "Halloween Fairy" replace the confections with a wonderful gift when the children are brushing their teeth...shhhh...), but when it comes to what your family hands out, planning ahead so that you are not making a last-minute dash to the grocery store, will help you avoid limiting choices to what's on the shelves at the moment.

If you have a local natural foods store, check out their offerings. Take your kids along and choose a few items to sample if you don't normally shop there. Honey sticks are a favorite and are very inexpensive (never give honey to children under age 2). Many natural food companies make small "bars" in flavors kids love like peanut butter and chocolate. Assuming you have the time to order online, check out www.GreenHalloween.org for dozens of alternatives.

One issue that often comes up when discussing organic or green choices is cost. While it is true that many healthier items cost more, there is a simple solution. Instead of handing out fistfuls (or allowing kids to take as much as they want, which has become the norm), try this: Fill a bowl with a variety of great choices, whether sweets or "treasures" like sparkly stones, feathers (yes, kids love these), hair decorations, temporary tatoos, stickers etc. Cover the bowl with a cloth. When children come to the door, get down to their level and whisper, "At our house, we have some very, very special treats and treasures. You may now choose your favorite." Then with a flourish, whip off the cloth and let them sift. Compliment them on their choice afterwards.

If you're not yet ready to totally embrace greener treats and treasures you can still help cut down on expense and waste by choosing one of these options:

• Put out two bowls, one with conventional candy, the other with "treasures." Let kids choose one item from either bowl.
• Hand children whatever you are giving them. Do not allow them to take as much as they want.
• Let older children know that unwrapped candy can be composted.

 Whatever you do this Halloween, taking time to plan and implement will make the holiday a lot less spooky!

 Eco tips for a green Halloween

 Plan, plan, plan. Sit down and talk about what you need to buy or make, then schedule time to do it prior to the night before Halloween.

• Get your local school involved. For instance, see if they'd like to host a candy composting party. Children bring in leftover candy, unwrap it and place it in a compost bin. They can be rewarded with a healthy alternative treat or treasure (see above).
• Talk to your neighbors and friends about offering healthier, more earth-friendlier alternatives.
• Older kids might enjoy reverse trick or treating. Check it out here.
• Plan a neighborhood Halloween party with likeminded parents. You can control all aspects of the event so it is as eco-friendly as you want.

Costume ideas:

 Organic cotton costumes for "wee ones" can be assembled by pairing themed onesies and caps. (Try Kee-Ka's pumpkin body suit with Under The Nile's veggie cap.) 

•  Sarah's Silks, Nova Natural, A Toy Garden and Magic Cabin sell costumes made out of silk, rather than petroleum. While these are more expensive than others, they can be used for years for dress up and kids adore them.
• Check out BoxWorks' ingenious new templates for making costumes out of old cardboard boxes.

Treats and Treasures:

• Snack bars such as LARABAR, Cascadian Farm
• 100% honey sticks DON'T GIVE HONEY TO CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 2
• Glee Gum "minis" or other individually wrapped small gums
• Spooky S'mores Clif Kid's Organic ZBar
• Organic licorice bars, rope, and gum, (cut into pieces), by Tundra Trading
• Adhesive "bandages" with pirate, black cat and other fun themes (one per child. Great for older kids!)
• Coins (US or non-US)
• Confetti-biodegradable, water-soluble
• Cookie cutters - mini
• Cootie Catcher Note Cards (one card per child)
• Crayon "rocks" (soy-based)

Do you have any ideas that can help "green up" this holiday? I know we would all love to read about it. So please feel free to share your ideas in the comment section. I look forward to hear from you. You can also email me with your ideas and I will be more than happy to post them for you.

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