Coldwell Banker Town & Country Properties will host a Green Halloween costume swap on Oct. 8th.  Coldwell Banker is allowing children’s costumes (up to the age of 16), which are clean and in good condition, to be dropped off through Oct. 7, at one of the companies locations.

What a fantastic idea!

Those folks who took part in National Costume Swap Day across the country saved loads of cash AND reduced the waste going into landfill.

The idea behind such initiatives is to provide healthier and greener alternatives to the many Halloween celebrations.

We couldn’t agree more!

Read the full story here: Green Halloween Costume Swap

More info here: www.ecobold.com This year we’ll be having a green Halloween with a bunch of eco-friendly, cool companies and things to make …

Now don’t get any funny ideas!

Scary…

Another delicious and spooky Halloween recipe that’s sweet and delicious is a dirt cake. There are several ways to make this desert, but all recipes include using Oreo cookies as the topping. Crumble the Oreos up to make the “dirt”, and include gummy worms on the top to give it a realistic look. Whatever type of cake you choose to make is up to you, as long as you include the Oreos and worms, you will have a “creepy” looking but delectable treat.

For interesting snacks, you can make a “Cyclops” hot dog. Simply slice green olives and use ketchup to apply them to the hot dog to make an eyeball. Then, drizzle the hot dog with more ketchup for the “blood”. Eyeballs are a very common theme when it comes to Halloween food. You can make eyeballs in many different ways. One popular way is to cover cookies or marshmallows in white chocolate. Then, once cooled, you can “paint” on the iris using food coloring and then accent the whites of the eyes with red food coloring to give them a scary bloodshot look. White donuts are also a very easy and fun choice for the main part of the eyeball.

Sugar cookies are a fun and easy way to make any shape you wish in Halloween themes. You can use a pre-packaged cookie mix, and use cookie cutters in the shape of ghosts, pumpkins, and bats, just to name a few. Accent them with icing in colors of white, orange, and green. Look for any basic sugar cookie recipe for the actual cookies. All of these are fun ways to make delicious and scary snacks for any Halloween party.

Halloween doesn’t have to be an extra expensive time of the year. In fact, you can make most of your Halloween costumes from scratch with just a few arts and crafts supplies. Depending on what you want to be, in most cases you can do it yourself pretty easily without breaking the bank. Cardboard boxes are surprisingly versatile, and can be a great last minute costume. You can be just about any food item that comes in a box, or you can be a robot with a cardboard box. Simply cover the box with paper and decorate accordingly.

Craft items like glue, colored construction paper, and glitter can be real lifesavers when it comes to making your own Halloween costume. You can easily apply glitter to most things to give it a whole new look and dimension, and construction paper can be cut into any shape and glued to almost anything to create interesting accents or accessories. Of course the main part of your costume does not have to cost you a pretty penny either. Go to your local thrift store and see what they have to offer in the way of costume ideas. Most will sell used uniforms, which makes an instant and inexpensive costume.

Clowns are easy to do for Halloween, and you can make this yourself. Simply find some colorful and very baggy clothing, decorate it with glitter glue and pom poms, and buy a colorful curly wig. Then paint your face with Halloween makeup in the traditional clown style and you’re on your way. Another easy costume you can make yourself is a nerd. Simply slick your hair back, find a white dress shirt and fill the top pocket with pens, and wear some polyester pants pulled up as high as you can. Top it off with some dark rimmed glasses and you’re all set.

Sometimes using innovative ideas on your own is the best way to make a Halloween costume. Think of items you have around the house, and how you can use them in a costume. You’ll be surprised by what you come up with and just how creative you really can be when you put your mind to it. Plus, the kids will have a great time spending time with you and making costumes at home that they can show off to their friends.

Banners and garland are also excellent additions to your Halloween décor. Find rolls of crepe paper in colors like white, black, and orange and twist them together, then hang the home made garland throughout the house. Fake spider webs (which can be bought at many retailers during the Halloween season) also make a cool creepy decoration. Don’t forget to add the plastic spiders! You can buy large holiday themed cut outs in a huge selection of shapes and sizes as well, which will really give your home a cool look. Hang them on the doors and walls. Halloween parties can be themed for a great time as well. Come up with a creative theme, and then have everyone dress accordingly. You can do just about anything your heart desires, from a Harry Potter themed party, to Disney, to ghosts and ghouls, the list goes on and on.

Don’t forget drinks and snacks when planning your Halloween party. Creepy eyeball punch, ghoulish cookies, and caramel apples are just a few choices. Make all of your snacks as spooky themed as you can because it will add a cool look to the overall décor, and a lot of fun to the party. Use your imagination and be creative when it comes to decorating and planning your Halloween party. Try to come up with something unique that will add flair and a feeling of festivity.

First, take 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter (do not use crunchy), and combine it with 2 tablespoons of confectioner’s sugar and two tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs. Mix them all up until smooth and then separate the large ball of peanut butter, sugar, and crumbs into two balls. Be sure one is larger than the other, since one will be the body of the spider and one will be the head. Next, take the peanut butter balls and roll them into shredded coconut. The coconut should stick to the peanut butter, and completely cover each ball.

Take black licorice and cut it up into 8 smaller pieces. Then stick the pieces of licorice into the peanut butter balls on each side to make creepy spider legs. Or, you can use an entire piece of licorice for each leg if you desire. Use raisins or small chocolate pieces to make the eyes of the spider. You can make as many or as little spiders as you wish. Lay them out onto a tray and let your guests munch on them. These little Halloween spider treats look great, are easy to make, and taste delicious, too. It’s easy to be the hit of the party when you create these spooky and fun snacks!

Once you’ve gotten your costume planned out, it’s time to decorate and get ready for the party. Use false cobwebs and strew them on tabletops and along the staircase. Light candles and dim the lights to give your home a more creepy effect (just be sure the candles are on a secure surface and far away from the reach of children). You can also play some spooky sounds on a pre-recorded CD. These CDs can usually be found at a number of retailers during the Halloween season and they contain cool sound effects that will give off an air of creepy ambiance. Look for cool statues or figures you can use like black cats, bats, or ghosts.

Do a little research and make some creepy snacks for your guests at the monster party. There are plenty of interesting recipes to choose from where you can make the food look as gross and creepy as possible but in reality, it tastes great. Some examples are strained eye balls, witch finger cookies, red popcorn, monster blood punch, and even maggot stew, just to name a few. Make as many snacks as you can with scary themes so it adds to the total feel of creepiness. With a little planning you can have an excellent monster Halloween party that your friends will remember for years to come.

Green Halloween wishes you an unpleasant, scary party!

Lighting is also important on Halloween night. Make sure you carry a flashlight or a glow stick so you can easily see where you’re going at night. Also, try not to wear costumes that are completely black or too dark. These can make you more difficult to see by motorists. Try to wear more light colored clothing if possible. Also, reflectors can help as well. If you don’t want to add the reflectors to the costume, simply add them to the Halloween candy bucket, a hat, or a backpack.

Since a lot of people still use lit candles in their pumpkins, be sure your child’s costume is not flammable. Most modern day costumes are regulated to be made of non-flammable material, but check the label to be sure. If your costume is home made, check the labels on the clothing and be sure that they are fire proof and safe. Costumes should not be too loose, as they can trail behind and accidentally knock candles over or catch fire.

Well fitting costumes are important when it comes to Halloween safety. If a child’s costume is too long, he or she can easily trip and fall. If the costume is too tight it can be uncomfortable. Be sure you choose a costume that fits just right to avoid accidents. With a little common sense and careful planning, you should be able to find a safe and comfortable costume for yourself and your children this and every Halloween.

Green Halloween wishes you a safe Halloween!