Throw an eco-friendly Halloween Party no one will forget. It is easy, fun, and perhaps will get your guests thinking about the carbon footprint they are leaving for our future generations. Get your friends to "Go Green" with you.
Pick an eco-friendly place to hold your party. The easiest and most roomy place would be a local park in your community. Another option is to hold your party at your home or another friend's home. Either indoors or outdoors, weather permitting. Think about using Organic soy candles for your lighting. Candles will add to the atmosphere of the party and helps to conserve energy.
Purchasing food will be most of your budget. It is easy these days to pick up organic and natural foods at your local grocery store. Having a hard time finding certain items necessary for your menu? Check out your local natural food store. Plan ahead and shop online. Purchase organic bulk foods from an organic bulk food supplier like www.bulkfoods.com. Buying locally is the best route to go. Got a tight budget? Shop early, scout out the best prices.
Have everyone bring an organic main dish. If your guests need some organic recipe ideas, send out handmade organic recipes with your Halloween Party Invitations. Finger foods are easy. Not too messy, colorful, and fun! Try colorful organic carrots and celery, purchase them in larger portions because it will be less expensive. Use in-season organic broccoli, cauliflower, and organic fresh fruits. Create attractive veggie and fruit platters. Ordering pre-made platters can get very expensive. Serve party guests a warm organic Fall cranberry punch. The recipe is available at www.organicauthority.com . Place some reusable scary plastic eye balls in the punch to create some scary effects. A great easy organic dessert recipe is apple and raspberry cake. The recipe can be found at www.greenfootsteps.com, look under desserts.
While decorating think about how you can reuse the decorations. Utilizing bowls of organic fruit is festive, colorful, and yummy. If using table clothes go for the organic cotton and recycle them when the party is over as receiving blankets or curtains. Use recycled Halloween ribbon or hemp twine or purchase Halloween ribbon at your local craft Store. When you think about decorating think "green" and use potted plants, herbs, and flowers. Mums are inexpensive and are a wonderful fall flower. Potted plants have a much longer life then store bought cut flowers. Go outdoors and spend a few minutes looking at natural props right outside your door. Colorful fallen leaves, nuts, and pine cones will add a lot of beautiful color to your table tops.
Most importantly, be sure to set the scary mood by having Halloween music playing in the background. Save money and use your own china that has collected dust in your cabinets for years or purchase 100% biodegradable single use sugarcane plates, bowls , napkins, and 100% biodegradable Plastic Starch Material(BSM) silverware. Most grocery stores carry them now or shop online at www.ecoproducts.com .
When it comes to the invitation use recycled paper and soy ink. Even better, go paperless at www.evite.com. Do not forget to put down important information like who is hosting, where and when, RSVP request, phone numbers, and even e-mail information. Send an easy hand written organic main dish recipe to each guest in their invitation.
Be sure to plan at least three games for the party. Do not make the games too complicated. Think easy. Sometimes, the easiest games are the most fun. Try finding a large tub at home, fill it with water, and add a bunch of colorful organic apples. Presto! You created your first fun Halloween game. Later on you can drill a couple of holes in the tub and reuse it as a colorful planter for Spring flowers. Fill up bowls with peeled organic grapes, cold cooked spaghetti, and jello with organic fruit chunks. Blindfold your guests and have them place their hands in the bowls. You are sure to get a few screams as your guests try to figure out what is in the scary bowls. Almost everyone likes a scary story. Ask a few of your more animated friends to get into character. Have them choose and tell a few Halloween stories around a circle or campfire if your party is outdoors.
The average cost of an eco-friendly Halloween party for around 20 guests, should run around $50-75 for food, including finger foods, fruit, punch, and dessert. Be sure to shop ahead of time and look for bargains. Remember that organic foods can be a little more expensive. Go potluck and have everyone bring an organic main dish to the party. Potted plants, decorations, invitations, and tableware settings should run around $50-75 dollars. Using your dishes and silverware is better for the environment and it is free. If your party is held outdoors at a park there should be a very small cost or no cost at all. Total cost to hold an eco-friendly Halloween party for 20 Guests should be around $100-150 Dollars.