"Protecting our environment is a year-round effort that is getting increasing attention from people from all age groups."

Halloween is the season of dress-up, make-believe and fun. Great preparation goes into buying costumes that transform young children, teens, college students and even adults into an array of characters including ghosts, goblins, witches, devils, superheroes and storybook characters. It’s a time when it’s okay to be something or someone other than yourself for a day.

This year some thrill seekers may want to consider Halloween alternatives to provide a new twist on an age-old event. During this season of green witches, slime and other spooky characters, going green for Halloween can extend the positive theme of protecting the environment even during this season of dress-up and make believe.

“Halloween is a perfect time to demonstrate commitment and concern for the environment,” says Dr. Debra Huntley, program chair of the BA Psychology Program at the Argosy University Twin Cities Campus. “Protecting our environment is a year-round effort that is getting increasing attention from people from all age groups.”

While the traditional ritual of trick or treat has its place, going green for Halloween is an opportunity to host a costume party and serve treats without food coloring or preservatives. Guests can enjoy healthier snacks like popcorn balls with salt and butter substitutes or caramel apples and fudge with sugar substitutes. The host can serve juice drinks, flavored water and apple cider instead of sugary soft drinks that are loaded with calories and caffeine. By preparing treats, money and the environment are also protected by not using extra packaging and wrappers. And with fall harvests, it’s a great time to shop at a local farmer’s market for nutritious, local snacks. Buying locally is not only a healthy choice, but patronizes vendors that are nearby as opposed to those that require resources to transport.

Going green for Halloween can also mean deciding not to drive that evening or identifying activities and events closer to home to reduce driving time and air pollutants from vehicles.

Dr. Huntley explains some youth or college-age groups may want to share the green Halloween spirit while lifting the spirits of senior living and nursing home residents. They can visit residents and share wholesome snacks, play music and lead a ghoulish and festive dance around the facility. In addition to enjoying the costumes, the residents can enjoy healthful snacks and the afternoon with friendly little ghosts and characters.

For those partaking in traditional trick or treat activities, Dr. Huntley encourages everyone to remember it is important to maintain safety and caution to ensure this is a fun and safe experience for young trick or treaters. Children should be accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible older sibling. Costumes should not be too tight or obscure vision. Children must be encouraged to cross streets carefully and always with a traffic light when present. Trick or treat in familiar neighborhoods or at homes with whom you are acquainted. Many malls and shopping centers enjoy hosting trick or treaters as a fun community service initiative. Often schools help promote safety by encouraging teachers to let students trick or treat at various classrooms in the building. Some schools host a costume parade in the building or a fun assembly.

Whatever you decide, make this Halloween season a fun, safe, nutritious and tasty experience for all participants.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

"Fall Fun" by Ginger Garvey

As Halloween approaches, the seasonal “to-do” list, typically marked with finding the perfect costume and trick-or-treat route, is a bit more complicated with the growing need to protect the environment and manage household budgets. In preparing for your neighborhood ghosts and goblins, try these easy tips and tricks to “go green,” and spend less on your families’ spook-tacular celebration.

Howl to be Green
Incorporating small changes into your holiday preparation will go a long way to create an eco-friendly Halloween. Whether you’re hosting a party or adding colorful flare to the home or office, take inventory of your decorations and go back to nature by using locally-grown pumpkins, apples or fresh gourds to create tabletop and front porch accents. Organic, pesticide-free produce is widely available at farmers markets, grocery and specialty stores and leaves little waste once the celebration ends.

Also look for ways to “re-use” your Halloween accessories. Cloth or canvas shopping bags and pillowcases are great alternatives to paper, plastic bags and more traditional plastic jack-o-lanterns used by many trick-or-treaters to collect candy. Gather fall-colored scraps of fabric, ribbon, buttons or food coloring and spend the afternoon with the kids decorating a recyclable trick-or-treat bag. Use the custom creation to hand out candy at your door and your house will be the hit of the neighborhood.

Howl to Save
Spend less this Halloween by using old or outgrown clothes, sports equipment or dress-up items to make one-of-a-kind costumes. Unpack your graduation gown and buy a gavel at a thrift or prop store to transform your trick-or-treater into a judge. Dust off a wedding gown or bridesmaid’s dress, polish an old pair of pumps and grab a wig from a costume store and you’ve got a princess. Host a costume trading party and make sure everyone comes with old clothing or accessories to trade. Let the kids use their imaginations and see how many new and different costumes come to life.

You can also save by using recyclable household materials to decorate. Bed sheets hung from the ceiling or tree branches make convincing ghosts, as do balloons covered with a white sheet, tied with a ribbon around the neck and black felt tapped on for eyes. The sheets can be taken down, laundered and returned to the linen closet once Halloween is over.

Howl to Have Fun at Home
Consider baking at home this year to get everyone in the Halloween mood. Find unique recipes for Halloween treats that can be used as decorations or centerpieces before you indulge.

Gather everyone around and make creepy “edible eyeballs” with mini white powdered donuts, Life Savers Gummies, red icing and chocolate chips. Cover the hole in the center of the donut with a thin layer of icing and top with a gummy. Next, dip the bottom of a chocolate chip in icing before layering it on the gummy. Make the eyeball scary by drawing lines from the center of the donut to the outer edge with red icing. Finish the treat by poking each donut with a lollipop stick and arranging them in a bowl of candy corn to make a freaky yet tasty centerpiece.

Howl to Be Safe
Set the seasonal mood by decorating trees and sidewalks with lights and lanterns while making it easier for trick-or-treaters to find their way from door to door. Neat, well-lit landscapes make everyone feel more comfortable and confident.

Another simple way to help ghosts and goblins find their way door to door is to use makeup to finish a costume as an alternative to masks. Face paint makes it much easier for trick-or-treaters to see … especially at night.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Hosting a healthy Halloween

(NC)-Hosting a Halloween party doesn’t have to be all about the candy. Be a super-mom by hosting a healthier kid’s party that includes the classic Halloween décor but offers candy-free goodie bags and fun games designed to get kids physically active. This spooky feast will keep kids eating a balanced diet while still having a horrifically fun time.

A Creepy Feast

. Bat Wings: Bake frozen chicken wings and serve with barbecue sauce (blood!) for dipping.
. Witches Cauldron Dip (recipe available at www.homebasics.ca)
. Ghostly Potato Cakes (recipe available at www.homebasics.ca)
. Frozen Eyeballs: Scoop vanilla frozen yogurt onto cookie sheets and refreeze. Garnish with a maraschino cherry iris and a raisin for a pupil. Serve two eyeballs per child.

Horror-ific Fun

. Monster Mash Off: Have a dance competition where kids create their own dances based on classic Halloween characters like the “Slime Swing” and “Footloose Frankenstein”.
. Spiderweb Team Challenge: (For school-aged kids.) Stand in a circle with a group of four or more people. Grab hands with two people who are not beside you. Untangle, as a group, moving under and over limbs, back into one open circle, without letting go of hands.
. Haunted Obstacle course: Plan a spooky obstacle course indoors or out. For example; create a “bat cave” out of old sheets hung over chairs, a cotton batting-lined hula hoop “spiderweb”, or a pile of pillows for “sleeping ghosts”.

Candy-Free Loot Bag Suggestions

. Dollar store treasures that could include Halloween stickers, spider rings, slime toys and glow sticks.
. Trick-or-treating survival kit, which includes a small flashlight, toothbrush, toothpaste and floss.
. Make-your-own spider pet kit that includes a black balloon, pipe cleaners, garbage bags cut into legs and instructions for assembly.

Dozens more ideas for a safe and fun Halloween can be found online at www.homebasics.ca.
Credit: www.newscanada.com

Pumpkin Seeds

This year, instead of throwing your pumpkin seeds away, roast them for a crunchy treat that’s low in fat and full of heart healthy goodness.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Toss 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) of cleaned, unshelled pumpkin seeds with 2 tsp melted Becel with Bertolli olive oil margarine.

Add a dash of salt or other seasoning of your choice – such as black pepper, garlic powder or paprika.

Bake at 350° F (175° C) on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes. Cool and serve with a bowl for the discarded shells.

Olive oil is high in beneficial monounsaturated fat, contains polyunsaturated fat and is low in harmful saturated and trans fat. Find ways to incorporate this winning ingredient into your repertoire online at www.loveyourheart.ca.

Haunted Gingerbread House

(NC)-If you are looking for a ghoulish Halloween activity everyone can enjoy, why not create a peanut-free Haunted Gingerbread House? Decorated with Nestlé Fav*rites peanut-free treats, it’s not only safe for children who have peanut allergies, it’s also spooktacularily fun to make!

Haunted Gingerbread

1 1/2 cups shortening 375 ml

1 1/2 cups sugar 375 ml

3 eggs 3

1 1/2 cups fancy molasses 375 ml

1/4 cup golden syrup 60 ml

8 cups all purpose flour 2000 ml

1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger 22 ml

2 tsp each pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon 10 ml

1 1/2 tsp each baking soda and salt 7 ml

1 box of 100 Nestle Peanut Free Fav*rites snack-size chocolate bars

Method

1. Beat shortening and sugar until light. Add eggs, one at a time, with molasses and syrup.

2. Stir dry ingredients together and add in heaping spoonfuls to molasses mixture; stir until well combined. Divide dough into 4 balls. Wrap individually and refrigerate for at least 2 1/2 hours or up to 1 week.

3. Cut out and carefully label each pattern piece. Roll balls of chilled dough individually between wax paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Trace and cut out each pattern piece for the house; save cookie scraps to roll again as needed. *Remember to cut out windows and doors before baking*.

Click to enlarge the Halloween Gingerbread House pattern

4. Transfer gingerbread to parchment paper-lined cookie sheets leaving at least 1 inch between shapes. Place in freezer for 25 minutes.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes or until gingerbread is firm.

Haunted Icing

3 egg whites 3

1 tsp cream of tartar 5 ml

3 1/2 – 4 cups icing sugar 875-1000 ml Optional: food colouring

Method

1. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar for 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Slowing add icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time beating until thick (may require less sugar). Add food colouring if desired.

2. Transfer icing to large zip-lock bag. Close and set aside.

Assembly and decorating

1. Use the haunted house photo as your assembly guide, and use a foil-covered cutting board as the base.

2. Snip corner from icing bag, and pipe icing generously along edges of gingerbread to glue pieces together. Start with the walls, using cans or jars to support the structure as the icing hardens.

3. Complete structure by gluing on the roof and chimney with piped icing. Allow to harden for at least 15 minutes.

4. Use the 100-count box of Nestlé Peanut Free Fav*rites to decorate your haunted house, gluing the chocolate in place with icing.

Nestlé Canada encourages parents to read the labels when buying ingredients to ensure they are made in a peanut-free facility. For more information on Nestlé’s peanut-free offerings, visit www.nestle-peanutfree.ca.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

Candy-Speckled Popcorn Cakes

Here’s a fresh new take on the classic popcorn balls. Homebasics.ca brings you this easy recipe that can be served at sleepovers or Halloween parties. If you don’t have mini bundt pans, you can use a large bundt or angel food pan or mini muffin tins. Or simply let the kids form the popcorn balls themselves.

1/2 cup Imperial Margarine

1 1/2 bags mini marshmallows

20 cups (2 bags, 80 g each) popped microwave popcorn, cooled, uncooked kernels carefully removed

1 1/2 cups colourful candy-coated chocolate pieces

In a large pot over medium heat, melt margarine and marshmallows. In a large bowl, combine melted marshmallows with popcorn and chocolate pieces. With lightly greased hands, pat popcorn mixture into non-stick mini bundt cake pans. Place in refrigerator for 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Great for sleepovers and Halloween parties. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

- News Canada

Mystery Pirate Ships

You’re invited to a “Monster Bash.” What’s more fun than Halloween? Young or old, everyone seems to get into the spirit. Why not gather a group together this Halloween and have some spooky fun along with a frightening feast?

When planning a Halloween party, it is best to consider the ages of all goblins that will be attending. Adults and children may both love the fun of Halloween, but the fright factor will be different. Once you have established your guest list, you can start to plan “tricks or treats.”

For tricks, start the guests off by having a “frightening fashion show” where they walk down a red carpet to show their costumes. Cover the carpet with spiders and webs and, if everyone is brave enough, turn the lights down low. Be sure to play some ghoulishly good music, such as “The Monster Mash,” so that your party ghosts and princesses can get into the spirit. This is a good way to “break the ice” and let everyone showcase their costumes before the party begins.

Follow up the fashion show with a few games such as pass the pumpkin or bobbing for apples. If guests will be heading out for candy, be sure to feed them a selection of healthy “treats.” Why not start with deviled eggs?

The incredible edible deviled egg is a party favorite and fits perfectly into a Halloween theme. The high quality protein from the egg will help witches and mummies feel full longer, which could help minimize their munching on candy. Deviled eggs are also the perfect appetizer before serving a Halloween meal such as “creepy crawly chili” (chili topped with gummy worms) and “tombstone tossed salad” (decorate the salad bowls with funny tombstones).

If you really want to get into the spirit when planning your menu, why not dress your basic deviled egg recipe up in a costume by trying this recipe? For more recipe ideas visit www.incredibleegg.org.

Mystery Pirate Ships

Yields: Six servings

Ingredients:

6 hard-cooked eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 package (2.5 ounces) smoked sliced, chopped, pressed, cooked ham
12 green olives, optional
Directions:

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks. Set whites aside. Place yolks in a one-quart plastic food storage bag. Add mayonnaise, relish and mustard. Press out air. Close bag. Press and roll bag until yolk mixture is thoroughly blended. Push yolk mixture toward bottom corner of bag. Snip off about 1/2 inch of the bag corner. Squeezing bag gently from the top, fill reserved whites with yolk mixture.

Place each filled egg on one ham slice. Turn two opposite corners up over the yolk mixture and gently press. For masts and flags, stick wooden picks topped with olives into the boats, if desired. Chill to blend.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Halloween Garland

Halloween is the time of year when the home’s front door becomes the focal point of festivities. Whether it’s trick-or-treaters knocking, or family and friends stopping by for a visit, Halloween is the perfect time to create a unique and colorful front door decoration to delight your visitors. JELD-WEN, the world’s leading manufacturer of reliable windows and doors, has created this harvest-themed raffia garland.

Directions:

1. Gather these materials, commonly found at craft stores:

• Raffia rope, taken apart and loosely braided
• Small and large scarecrows on sticks
• Festive fall wired ribbon
• Artificial fall leaves
• Artificial or dried orange Japanese lanterns
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks

2. Take the raffia cluster and bind off the top, if needed, with extra raffia pieces. Braid the raffia loosely and tie off bottom about six inches from the tail of garland with a single piece of raffia.

3. Glue small scarecrow into the raffia braid up near the top. Make a double-looped ribbon, leaving long tails, and tie around braid under small scarecrow. Tuck and glue tails down into the edges of braid.

4. Glue in larger scarecrow below the ribbon, angled to the side. Use the braid like a pincushion to anchor the scarecrow’s stick.

5. Add the individual fall leaves and Japanese lantern clusters. Start at the top and work your way down, gluing and inserting the items into the raffia braid.

6. Glue in moss or lichens to give a more authentic, fall look.

For more seasonal door decor ideas, visit www.jeld-wen.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Spider Favor Boxes (Halloween craft project below article)

Halloween is one of the biggest decorating holidays of the year, second only to Christmas. According to the National Retail Federation, nearly 60 percent of people plan to purchase decorations and 47 percent expect to decorate their home or yard this year.

With everyone getting into the Halloween spirit, make your house stand apart from your neighbors’ by keeping in mind this year’s trends.

“Making homes festive with creative Halloween decorations can be easy and fun for everyone from beginners to advanced crafters,” said Susan Atchison, trend expert for Jo-Ann Stores. “This season, cute is in and creepy is out. Gone are the days of menacing mummies or frightening felines. Cute spiders, goofy monsters and playful witches will be especially hot. Also, décor adorned with sunny and unexpected color pairings such as royal purple mixed with hot green, pink and jack-o’-lantern orange will add extra personality to the inside and outside of your home.”

If you’re in the mood to embrace the charming side of Halloween this year, check out these easy ideas from Jo-Ann Stores to add a playful and creative touch to your un-haunted house — inside and out:

• Show your trendy side by dressing your table with vibrantly colored place settings that feature friendly spiders made from basic shapes with large animated eyes. 
• Accent your mantle with spider votive holders on a yarn table runner to add quirky distinction to party décor. 
• For Halloween entertaining, give your guests goofy handmade spider boxes filled with goodies and treats. With wiggle eyes and bright, glittery colors, these little favors are gifts your guests won’t soon forget! (See instructions below.) 
• Greet guests and trick-or-treaters with a festive door wreath made with silly monster and jack-o’-lantern faces in a rainbow of colors. 
• Colorful lights aren’t just for Christmas anymore. Use strings of lights to decorate outdoor trees and bushes for Halloween. For a fun, friendly feel, add lively and unexpected hues of green and magenta with traditional orange and blacks to bring fresh life to your outdoor lighting. 
• Post unique stakes in the yard featuring cute character cutouts, such as the one featured to the right, to welcome guests (instead of scaring them away!) 
• Let kids make their own personalized treat bags this year by easily stitching two pieces of black felt together with a strip at the top for a handle. Glue on ears, eyes and whiskers to make a black cat or use green and orange felt to create a pumpkin.

Spider Favor Boxes

Skill Level: No experience needed
Approximate Crafting Time: 30 minutes plus drying time

Supplies and Tools (for one favor box):

One 2-inch paper mache box
7 inches of 5/8 inch dotted ribbon, optional
4 Chenille stems cut to 6 to 8 inches, black
Glitter, examples use black, green and purple
Tacky glue
Two 10mm wiggle eyes
Two 1/2 inch black pompoms
Black spray paint
Wire cutters
Scissors

Directions:

1. Spray paint box and lid. 
2. For legs: Make one small hole on each opposite side of box near bottom. Poke chenille stems through holes in box, extending out both sides. Shape legs and make small loop at end for foot. 
3. Spread glue on lid top and top of feet, sprinkle with glitter; set aside to dry. 
4. Glue pompoms to lid, then glue eyes to tops of pompoms. 
5. Fill boxes with favorite treats.

Optional: Glue ribbon around side of box lid.

Courtesy of ARA Content

“A fun Halloween treat for kids – they will enjoy making these and eating them too! Find more Halloween fun for kids, including coloring pages, crafts and printables, at www.ActivityVillage.co.uk – Keeping Kids Busy!”