Happy green DIY Halloween!

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With the blizzard that hit Denver this week, we’ve been a bit discombobulated — what holiday is it? Is it Christmas? Thanksgiving? Oh, still Halloween! But we’ve been gradually getting ready for the holiday.

We got crafty on Wednesday and Thursday while we were snowed in. I am a grown-out-of-costumes person, but it’s fun to do a little something. I have a Halloween T-shirt that I dig out and wear every year. But with school events and a party the day before the actual event, I used an old T-shirt of Mr. Cheap’s and some leftover sparkly letters from a T-shirt project Mlle. Cheap and I made a few years ago to create a Halloween public service announcement:

It’s a little bit of a pet peeve of mine that people think zombies are hilarious. Because zombies are living dead that eat brains. Not funny! But better expressed in zombie language. (That, and I didn’t have enough letters left for correct grammar.)

Mr. Cheap and Mlle. Cheap called upon his theater past to create her costume. She knew she wanted to be a black horse, wearing black shirt, pants, shoes and gloves. They got out the papier mache to make her mask:

To make the mask, they bought small containers of black and white enamel paint and some “fake fur” cloth, plus a pack of two pairs of black “magic gloves.” The total outlay was $12, and most of that was for the paint, which we’ll be able to use for other projects.

Green Halloween treats and decorations

We have not even gotten out our Halloween decorations this year. We have several reusable decorations that have stood us well for at least the past 8 years, and maybe we will dig them out before tonight. In fact, it wouldn’t really even occur to me to use disposable decorations until I read this post about tips for a green Halloween that addresses throwaway decor. Actually, it’s possible that I have some decorations that were intended to be disposable, but just like foil and plastic bags, I reuse them instead, because I’m cheap like that.

We also have a cute, reusable candy bag Mlle. Cheap takes trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. This year she’ll walk the streets with a neighbor who has just moved away. They love seeing the neighbors, making it down to the house that often hands out hot cider to the grownups, and trick-or-treating for UNICEF as they go. (They often raise $40 or so in spare change on just a few blocks; we carry a plastic zipper bag to transfer the change into when the box is full.)

What about candy?

This year, I’m reading a lot on blogs about not giving out candy. Those activists do have a point:

Individually wrapped candies create a lot of waste.
Some candies have nut or other allergy problems for some kids.
Chocolate that is not sustainably produced really is a guilty pleasure.
Kids (and grownups) have enough trouble with being addicted to sugar and high-fructose corn syrup without being encouraged.
Sugar suppresses the immune system – not what we need in this flu season. Some believe winter cold season affects us much more because of all the sugar ingested between Halloween and Easter.

Unfortunately, this year, we already bought a big bag of candy, because I happen to love candy, and justify it with “it’s just once a year” and “but the kids love it.” (Call me a social climber with the junior set, but I like to be a house that gives out “good candy” rather than one that gives out undesirable treats.)

But if you are still looking for greener or non-candy treats, check this list of options from Green Halloween. It goes beyond toothbrushes and stickers to some healthy treats that have appeal.

Other traditions and the Candy Witch

We have raised Mlle. Cheap with a tradition of having just one treat a day after Halloween or other holidays. On Halloween itself she can have a few, and then the treats go in a bowl or jar and she can pick what she has each day. When she was little, she often wanted her treat as soon as she woke up — I didn’t care, as long as that was all she asked for. As she is older and bigger, she can have a couple, but because she is used to the policy, there’s no arguing. Hopefully, that stretches out the treats, prevents super-addiction even for a sweet-toothed girl like her, and avoids some of the immune system problems from over-ingesting.

She also brought home a tradition from a classmate that on Halloween the “Candy Witch” visits. If she turns over a pile of her candy, the Candy Witch will leave her some goodies — she’s received little toys from the dollar store, a pair of cute socks, a book or other small goodies in exchange for a mound of sweets.

What are your Halloween traditions? Are you for or against candy at Halloween? Have a fun and safe celebration!

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Comments ( 1 Comment )

I love your t-shirt! You are so right Zombie are not funny. Anything that eats brains isn’t funny. But the best line from a horror movie (I only watch the old school ones because I’m a wuss) came from a zombie movie. In Night of the Living Dead 2 a guy who was zombiefied said sweetly to his nonzombie girlfriend,”honey, let me show you how much I love you – LET ME EAT YOUR BRAIN!” She thought it was better to scream and run away instead. I agree.