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You are here: Home / Blog posts / Sustainability / How to have an eco-friendly Halloween party

How to have an eco-friendly Halloween party

October 12, 2022 Filed Under: Sustainability, Blog posts

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Parties are great, and a lot of fun but they create so much waste! We spend so much unnecessary money on disposables. No one wants to do tons of washing up, so it’s just much more convenient to buy paper plates, plastic cups, napkins etc. And it is nice to have themed decorations but it is so much more cost-efficient to buy reusable decorations, and it is also far more sustainable. So in this post, I will be sharing how to have an eco-friendly Halloween party.

Featured photo by Craig Dimmick on Unsplash

Eco-friendly Halloween party decorations

The first thing to think about is the actual decorations of the party. For Halloween, it could be harder because it’s themed, but it should still be possible.

Wreath

There are a few options when it comes to a seasonal wreath. Firstly you could make your own by gathering twigs to make the base. Then gather acorns, leaves, pinecones etc. Secondly, you could buy a base*, places like Hobbycraft or Etsy sell them. With this base, you could gather natural decorations and compost them when the season is over. Then you can reuse the base for Christmas, spring etc.

Make bunting

Making your own bunting is one of my favourite things to do! I created pastel bunny-themed bunting for Easter last year which was fun. You can either save it for upcoming years or recycle it if you make it with paper or cardboard. When I was younger, my mum and I made a pumpkin garland/bunting which we brought out every year for October.

I also love the idea of fabric bunting. You can have a standard* one and maybe add different letters. Or you could make or buy a Halloween*-themed fabric one and reuse it every Halloween. You could even share themed bunting amongst your friends and family to avoid any unnecessary purchases.

Use chalkboards

Instead of buying signs for each seasonal party, use a few chalkboards. Rather than buying a chalkboard, you could make one as they are very simple and cheap to make. It is perfect if you have a board-shaped plank of wood/leftover something laying around. Then you just paint a few coats of chalkboard paint*. Voila, you have your own DIY chalkboard! You can write fun messages on them, and change them whenever you want. You can buy different coloured chalk sticks* or pens*. A very simple decoration, but it can be made to look so good.

Candles

There is such a variety of wax melts and candles that you can buy, perfect for any occasion. My personal favourite wax melts are from The Hawthorn Collection, but there are lots of cute ones on Etsy too. I have put a couple of my favourites below*. Candles and wax melts create such a lovely ambience and make the room so cosy.

Eco-friendly Halloween 3D pumpkin wax melts
Eco-friendly Halloween 'Hocus Pocus' themed wax melt snap bar

Continue reading: How to have an eco-friendly Halloween party

Pumpkins

As Halloween gets closer, lots of shops display and sell fake pumpkins. Be that ceramic, plastic, fabric, or wood, there are lots of different options. But in my opinion, the best ones are always the real ones! Pumpkins last for quite a while, so you can decorate your house with pumpkins that you are going to use for carving or cooking. Did you know that carving pumpkins aren’t the best option for cooking? Carving pumpkins tend to be more stringy, whereas cooking pumpkins are thicker so you cook the majority of it. Bare that in mind when you are choosing your pumpkins for decoration. I can’t wait to make my pumpkin-spiced cupcakes this year!

Tin can lanterns

I saw this craft on Pinterest, and now I definitely want to try it! It is a genius way of upcycling old tin cans, and it’s a less wasteful lantern. There are a few slight moderations, but this is the general method:

  1. Wash your tin can, and then dry it.
  2. Draw the shape you want onto a piece of paper (to size).
  3. Put the piece of paper on the tin can.
  4. Using a nail and potentially a hammer, make the holes in the outline of your shape.
  5. Put a tealight in the bottom
  6. Watch your tin can lantern light up!

Dried oranges

Another great eco-friendly Halloween party decoration is dried oranges. You will want to make the dried oranges in advance. You simply cut up your oranges and put them on a baking tray to bake which dries them out. Then you can hang them up or put them in a bowl, like with potpourri.

Related post: How to have a sustainable Halloween

Eco-friendly Halloween costumes

Halloween costumes can be such a struggle, especially if your Halloween party has a theme within itself. This year the theme for the party I’m going to is Twilight. I would love any suggestions because I don’t really want to go as a vampire or a werewolf! I’m thinking of a cat so I can draw leopard spots haha.

Go to charity shops

If you are looking for something specific, charity shops aren’t necessarily the best place to look. But with Halloween coming up, shops are putting out all their related clothing items. You never know, you might find what you are looking for! Charity shops are a great place for accessories and little extras that you might not have thought to buy.

Old clothing

You are bound to have some kind of old clothing that you can transform for Halloween. Annoyingly, my cat ears are at home because I thought I would be going home before Halloween so I didn’t bring them. However, I don’t think it will be too hard to make my own cat ears. I already have a black headband, so I’ll just stick some triangles on top!

Photo by Svitlana on Unsplash

Ask friends or family

If you don’t already own what you want, and you don’t want to spend money, ask your friends or family. One of my friends is thinking of going as a fairy, and I have a flower crown that I could lend her. And yes, I did bring a random flower crown to uni!

Vinted

Vinted is an absolute gem of a shop, it is my favourite place for shopping second-hand. You can search for practically anything on Vinted, and there will usually be someone selling it. But I would get searching/buying sooner or later because there are lots of Royal Mail strikes coming up and you need it to arrive in time!

Eco-friendly Halloween treats

I’m not sure if making Halloween food for a house party is something that happens, but I love being creative and I want to try all the Pinterest ideas!

Provide vegetarian or vegan snacks

The most common Halloween treat that I have seen on Pinterest is a frankfurter wrapped in pastry for a mummy. This seems like a fun idea, so I have bought some vegetarian Linda McCartney sausages which I am going to use instead. I think Richmond veggie sausages are vegan, or there are other alternatives. I’m not sure about the pastry, I am going to a ready-to-roll pre-made version.

Make your own

One of the most eco-friendly methods is making your own. As I said before, I am really looking forward to making lots of Halloween treats. There are so many great ideas on Pinterest. A couple of years ago, I wrote a post of 3 Halloween treats to make. Some of them were a bit of a fail, but the cobweb biscuits turned out okay. It would also be fun to make a pumpkin charcuterie board!

Are you planning on having an eco-friendly Halloween party?

Best wishes, Cx

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About Caroline

Welcome to Enviroline Blog 💗
I blog to raise awareness about the environment and mental health - specifically eating disorder recovery.
I upload every Sunday and some Wednesdays.

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Comments

  1. Lisa's Notebook says

    October 12, 2022 at 9:56 am

    Not planning a Halloween party this year but these are fab tips, Caroline. I especially love the second hand/preloved suggestion. I’m not a fan of pumpkins (hate the taste) so I do have ceramic ones, but we’ve used them year on year so I guess that helps a little. Tip for anyone else who doesn’t like pumpkins either, donate them to your local farm for the goats or donkey sanctuary 🙂

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:30 pm

      Thank you, yes animals love pumpkins!

      Reply
  2. Molly | Transatlantic Notes says

    October 12, 2022 at 12:58 pm

    I really appreciate all these ideas as decorating like this is an area of being more sustainable/eco-friendly that I need to work on. It’s one of those things I forget about and don’t realize I can make changes/better choices in. Great reminder!

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:31 pm

      Thank you x

      Reply
  3. Lauren says

    October 12, 2022 at 2:26 pm

    Seasons like Halloween and Christmas always generate so much rubbish and so it is important to find ways to be more eco-friendly. These are some really great suggestions Caroline. Thank you for sharing.

    Lauren.

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:31 pm

      I agree, thank you x

      Reply
  4. readandreviewit says

    October 12, 2022 at 10:05 pm

    Ooh I love this! I’ve never thrown a Halloween party before but my flatmates and I are considering it this year so this was super helpful. I love the idea of the lanterns and as someone who’s never dressed up before the costume tips were super handy! Thank you so much for sharing x

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:32 pm

      No problem, I hope you have fun! x

      Reply
  5. Savannah says

    October 12, 2022 at 11:03 pm

    Great post! I love all of these ideas – parties can definitely produce a ton of waste (I’ve been guilty of it) and it’s nice to be aware of so many alternatives without missing out. Plus, homemade or more natural items likely feel more authentic than extra plastic anyway. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:34 pm

      Definitely agree x

      Reply
  6. Wendy says

    October 13, 2022 at 1:05 am

    So many great ideas. I like to use real pumpkins for decorations and then I can feed them to my chickens or put them in the compost pile.

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:35 pm

      Aw that’s so cute!

      Reply
  7. Kinsy says

    October 13, 2022 at 10:48 am

    Love these eco friendly ideas! I see so many unnecessary plastic decorations in all the supermarkets and you have to wonder how much ends up in landfill. We recently got an airdryer so will definitely be trying the dehydrated oranges! Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:35 pm

      I agree! x

      Reply
  8. Fransic verso says

    October 13, 2022 at 12:31 pm

    Great idea, I like the idea of going to charity shops and helping others. I will keep these in mind. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:36 pm

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  9. Lucy says

    October 13, 2022 at 8:16 pm

    What brilliant and creative ideas to be eco-friendly this Halloween! I love the idea of making your own bunting x

    Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:36 pm

      Thank you x

      Reply
  10. Roaring Pumpkin says

    October 15, 2022 at 1:24 am

    The chalkboard idea is amazing and definitely saves on buying decorations for every occasion.

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 22, 2022 at 3:56 pm

      Thank you x

      Reply
  11. RosemaryHelenXO says

    October 15, 2022 at 5:24 pm

    Brilliant ideas – I’ve turned to be more conscious on my purchases and find I hone in now on reusable items, or buy second hand – and not falling for trendy items! I’ve managed to get some cute secondhand white pumpkin ceramics which I know I will be using for years to come!

    Rose | Beauty & Lifestyle Blogger
    @rosemaryhelenxo | https://rosemaryhelenxo.com

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 22, 2022 at 3:56 pm

      Oh they sound perfect 🙂

      Reply
  12. Simona says

    October 17, 2022 at 4:00 pm

    These are great tips indeed for an eco-friendly Halloween party! Might need to use these for a party we will definitely be having with friends x

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 22, 2022 at 3:56 pm

      Hope you have fun x

      Reply
  13. theyorkshiredreamer says

    October 17, 2022 at 11:54 pm

    Amazing eco-friendly tips! I love the idea of having a chalkboard you can personalise for each season.

    I love charity shops but didn’t think to look in one for a Halloween costume. I’ve been wearing the same Halloween costume since University, which I guess is eco-friendly in itself, as I am getting the most out of it.

    Great post; thank you for sharing. 😁

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 22, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      Thank you, that’s definitely eco friendly!

      Reply
  14. Jenny Marston says

    October 25, 2022 at 11:52 am

    Some wonderful tips here Caroline! I don’t really celebrate Halloween or go to any Halloween parties (think I’ve been to one in my life haha!) but it’s so important to consider these things for any type of party I think and you’ve mentioned lots of things which could apply for Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years etc as well!

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      October 26, 2022 at 7:04 pm

      I haven’t really been to a Halloween party, but my house is hosting one this year haha! Thank you x

      Reply
  15. Charity says

    October 29, 2022 at 9:47 pm

    These are such great tips for an eco-friendly halloween party! Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      November 6, 2022 at 9:14 pm

      Thank you x

      Reply

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Welcome To My Blog <3

Hello!

Welcome to Enviroline Blog. I’m Caroline and I am currently in my second year at Bournemouth University studying Environmental Science.

On my blog, I share tips & tricks on how to be more sustainable in your everyday life.

A few facts about me:

  1. I have two cats
  2. I love musicals
  3. I’m a vegetarian
  4. My favourite colour is pink

 

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