Last Minute Costumes & Crafts for a Sustainable, Spooktacular Halloween
This year, due to COVID-19, October 31 looks a little different. You may not be hosting your annual bash or trick-or-treating along your usual route, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with your loved ones. Whether you’re comparing costumes over Zoom, participating in a socially distanced meet-up, or spreading the joy through outdoor decorations, we’ve got your sustainability needs covered, even if you’re just getting started. Read below for our favorite ways to keep Halloween boo-tiful.
1. Swap It Up
Did you really want to invest in a store bought costume anyway? If you haven’t had any luck pairing up odds and ends in your own closet, hop on the phone with friends who live locally and see what you might be able to exchange. You can trade ensembles, or elements of them, from previous years—just drop off what’s needed at each other’s doorsteps. If you have children, or live in a larger household, this applies to you too. One sibling’s trash is another’s treasure!
2. Check Your Recyclables
Cardboard and other disposables aren’t just for the curb anymore. Have you ever considered making a wig out of toilet paper rolls? What about using old soda bottles and a bit of spray paint to make a jet pack? If you have plastic bags lying around waiting to be taken to a drop-off location, try your hand at making an upcycled tutu. All you need are a couple of hours and a little bit of imagination. Opportunities abound!
3. Old Shirts, Anyone?
If you’ve got an old t-shirt, you’ve got the basis for a Halloween costume. Transform yourself into a scary skeleton with this easy ribcage DIY (we’ve seen people tape a pink or red paper heart to the shirt underneath and love that idea too). You can also grab some puffy paint, markers, or stick-on letters (try making your own with Washi tape) to make a statement t-shirt. We’re particularly tickled by this tech-inspired ‘404 error’ tutorial.
4. Take Your Upcycling Outdoors
Everything we’ve recommended above can apply to your decorations as well. What better material to make ghosts out of than old sheets or t-shirts? And we know you probably have some shipping boxes handy. Rip them up, trace spooky shapes onto them, and voila! With a little paint, you have handmade cutouts you can affix to the wall. You can make spirit lanterns for your yard, balcony, or windowsill with nothing more than empty milk jugs, a black magic marker, and tea light candles, and we love the idea of sprucing up your front door with monster cutouts.
5. Pump(kin) It Up
What’s more eco-friendly than decorating with vegetables, especially if you purchase them locally? Pumpkins, squash, and gourds look great all on their own, but they can also provide a lot of fun activities for Halloween night and beyond. Carve jack-o-lanterns, dry out the seeds, and roast them with salt and olive oil for a savory treat. Save the puree and make a pie or other baked treat. You can even make your own pumpkin spice latte! Whatever you decide to create, it will make staying at home this year all the more memorable.