Happy Hallo-"Green" !

For a new generation of trick or treaters, it may not be all about the "treat" anymore. Concerns about excess.........excess shopping, packaging, and excess waste weigh heavily on the minds of the ecoist, but by simply reducing the amount of Halloween candy, treats and related products you buy for your Green Halloween celebration, you will be teaching your family the value of moderation and being friendlier to our planet. More and more people may find themselves forgoing the "ritual" of trick or treating altogether by hosting dinner parties for adults, all the while providing food and fun activities for the children that promote laughter and lasting memories for all to enjoy.

For the adult Halloween party, reusable, melamine table settings like this one from Target's Raven Scroll Dinnerware collection adds just the right amount of "spooky". Bring on the drama by placing several candelabras (like the one pictured above from Target) along the table to create the perfect glow to a dimly lit setting.

If you are looking for tableware that is more versatile and can be used well after your Halloween party is over, consider this set from Target's Melamine and Acrylic Dinnerware collection, featured in Persimmon. Pairing these bright and colorful plates with a black tablecloth and the Haunted Hallows 3 piece set of spooky trees as your centerpiece, you will have a table setting to "die" for!

The kids may enjoy a 'frightening feast" on a spooky display of (reusable - dishwasher safe) Spiderweb Plates & Ghostplacemats . These, and other kid-friendly decorations are available on the Pottery Barn Kids website.

To borrow a snippet from the Green Halloween's website referring to decorations, they suggest the following:

"Having a Green Halloween does not mean your party has be decoration-free.
Gourds, pumpkins, apples and other items from nature look great as accents on front porches and table tops while also reducing the use of paper and plastics.
Decorations such as fair trade skeleton streamers and colorful recycled and
recyclable dinnerware may add a touch of festivity. If you’d like to use candles for a little ambiance, be sure to keep them out of the reach of kids and only use those made of soy or beeswax instead of petroleum. Regardless of how you decorate for Halloween, being green also means eliminating as much waste as you can, so if you are going to purchase items that will end up in the trash, try to find items that can later be reused or recycled, or composted."

*For other great ideas and tips, please visit Green Halloween's website. Green Halloween is a program of the non-profit Treeswing , who's cause benefits children by helping to improve their health through nutrition and exercise.