Can The Real Halloween Please Stand Up?

Can the real Halloween please stand up?

We live in a culture where Halloween is drinking beer in a polyester hot dog costume or getting “high” on sugar. To creep it real, I found some staggering statistics about Halloween celebrations and why we should re-think the way we celebrate. 

The amount of plastic waste on Halloween is skyrocketing. Researchers found that polyester was the most common plastic derivative used to make a vast majority of Halloween costumes. The problem here is that polyester is not biodegradable. In the U.K. for instance, about seven million outfits are thrown away each year. Not many recycle their costumes or use them year over year. And that’s just costumes! Think about all those plastic pumpkins and decorations! They don’t break down in a landfill.

But can Halloween still be sustainably spooky? It all comes down to raising awareness, educating each other, and making better choices. You may say, “witchful thinking!” but I say, “It’s possible!”

This English non-profit called Fairyland Trust is on a mission to help children and families discover the magic of nature on Halloween. They host events and workshops in an outdoor setting. You can even trick or treat yo’ self to a non-plastic Halloween dress competition! They call that “The Real Halloween” celebration. Their Halloween is “an autumnal celebration of nurture and the turning of the seasons, set in old, natural woodland with a unique mixture of games, stories, characters, and children’s workshops.” Sounds magical to me! 

So, can “The Real Halloween” please stand up? I think it needs a standing ovation for “creeping” it real and helping us connect to what really matters: nature, family, love, and fun!