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It's that time of year again! Halloween is just around the corner and once again you don't have a clue how to dress up your kids without having to buy new, unsustainable costumes, let alone decorate the house in theme. There's also the problem of finding sweets that are as environmentally friendly (aka without plastic packaging), locally, and healthy as possible for the spooky kids ringing the bell.
Don’t worry, we'll give you a few tips and tricks to help you have a sustainable Halloween!
DeCORAtions
As a sustainable decoration option, you may have thought of carving out pumpkins with your kids (nutmeg pumpkin or Hokkaido are great for this) and then letting them light up. However, it's best to make sure that the candles you use are truly sustainable (usually free of plastic packaging, palm oils, or genetically treated soy wax). Also, don't just throw away the pulp that gets cut out. You can, for example, roast the seeds with a little oil and salt in the oven and use them in salads, or you can use the pulp to prepare a pumpkin soup or even something sweet.
Of course, as another sustainable option, you can reuse your old decorations or upcycle things from your household.
You can also easily pick up some leaves from the colourful fallen autumn trees next door, wash them well, and use them as decoration in your home (of course you can use this decoration idea for the whole autumn season).
If you have the time and materials, you could even make a scarecrow. Let your imagination run wild (and spooky) ...
As you can see, there are loads of possible decorations that don't have to be at the expense of nature and are a great way to entertain your children and get them into the Halloween spirit!
TRICK OR TREAT
Now the issue regarding sweets. In the end, it always ends up like this, you buy something easy and packed in plastic at your supermarket so you don’t have to send the dressed-up children away empty-handed and to have something to snack on for your own children.
The most sustainable option for children is probably to hand out something homemade. This gives you all the leeway and control over what will be inside the final product and how it will be packaged. The best thing you can do is work with local sustainable ingredients and then package them individually in reusable packaging. One idea could be to use pumpkin cookies made from the pulp leftover from the pumpkin carvings ...
You should still bear in mind that many parents are sceptical when their children are given unwrapped food by strangers (maybe it’s the fear of allergies or maybe, especially this year, the fear of Corona). But if you have a good relationship with your neighbourhood and know the kids, you shouldn't have too much trouble giving away your treats.
If you don't know your neighbourhood so well, you can also look for fair chocolate at the organic supermarket or even offer the kids a super healthy sweet alternative: a seasonal fruit.
Of course, you can also give away something non-edible, such as old toys you have lying around at home or something DIY.
COSTUMES
Okay, now you have a few tips and tricks for the decorations and treats, but the most important thing is still missing! You're probably wondering: how am I going to dress up my kid?
Maybe you have some old clothes that you would otherwise throw away that you can upcycle. It's also super easy to make a ghost costume out of old bedsheets. Or you can go to a second-hand shop or even borrow a costume.
Otherwise, we at CORA happywear offer you another sustainable alternative. Why not dress up your child in our great ghost motif, which even lights up in the dark? The motif was drawn by a child and is perfect for the spooky season but also for the darker days to come. This way you have a "costume" and at the same time, your child can have fun with it all season long!