Have a Green Halloween!

One of my favorite childhood memories is of Halloween. I loved making my own costumes (my favorite was being a gypsy because I got to layer on lots of beads and bracelets that my father brought me from Mardi Gras, plus put on a little makeup!).

I gathered my loot in a paper grocery sack or pillow case, then at the end of the night dumped it all on the living room rug to sort through my treasures. I was very excited if I got Hershey miniatures, and not so excited if I got the black and orange wax-paper wrapped peanut butter kisses :(

My highest prized treats, though, were either homemade popcorn balls, or a big juicy red apple!

As an adult, I love passing out candy to the kids...I even dressed up, too. But with more Halloween festivities taking place at churches and school, and even malls, I haven't had any trick or treaters in years :(

Halloween sure has changed since the 60s. Wal-Mart and other stores are filled with ready-made costumes, even for infants. And all the plastic pumpkins! Geez...not to mention plastic bats, crows, witches, scarecrows, spiders and more.

If you're like me and longing for a simpler--and greener--Halloween, Woman's World magazine offers some great tips:

1. Free costumes!!! Make your own from stuff you already have around the house, or host a costme swap party where you bring your kids' old costumes and trade them for costumes that are new to you!

2. Pass on the plastic pumpkins...Woman's World says the hottest green trend this Halloween are eco-freindly canvas bags and pillowcases for hauling home the loot.

3. Got leftover empty cookie wrappers from all those school and church Halloween parties? Sign up at terracycle.net, send in the wrappers for free, and receive up to 5 cents in donated funds for your favorite school or charity. The empty wrappers get turned into tote bags, bulletin boards, and even plant food.

4. Buy candy in bulk to save on packaging.

One tip WW didn't add was to carve a real pumpkin, and then add the "innards" to your compost pile. Hmmm...I bet if you saved those seeds, next year you could have a backyard pumpkin patch of your own.

So...have a safe, green Halloween and send any extra Hershey miniatures my way!