Sustainable Halloween decorations that are scary for the kids, not the planet

Anyone else itching for a celebration? It feels like everyone is ready to fully immerse themselves in all things Halloween — even those of us who don’t normally bother with a pumpkin are already on the hunt for the perfect orange gourd to carve a spooky face into!

The upcoming half-term break means that it’s the perfect time to get the kids involved too, but this doesn’t have to mean turning to synthetic cobwebs and plastic witches.

Here are some sustainable Halloween decorations that will create a spooky mood with less impact on the planet.

Natural offerings

Thankfully, pumpkins, the most quintessential Halloween decoration, are a good choice for the planet. To keep things as sustainable as possible, look out for one that has been grown in Ireland – Supervalu source theirs from five local growers and there are Irish pumpkin patches around the country where you can go and pick your own.

If you’re carving it, you can save the seeds, which are delicious roasted, or if you leave it uncarved, use the flesh for a delicious soup come November 1.

Autumn also offers such an array of gorgeous colours and textures, so why not head outside to collect some beautiful orange foliage, acorns or conkers, and seed heads to make a wreath or centrepiece?

Reusable decorations

If you’re going to buy decorations, the best thing is to buy ones that can be used year after year. You could even go for something like an antique brass tray (around €37, Rowen & Wren), that isn’t a Halloween decoration at all, but can be made to feel seasonal when placed in the middle of some autumnal foliage, or as a backdrop for some scarily-shaped treats.

Another great option is a reusable garland like this one from BusyBeesCraftStudio on Etsy. Made from wood and string, there’s no plastic in sight, and it’s really cute – this particular one has already sold out, but there are plenty of similar ones; hours can be lost browsing through all the gorgeous and lovingly made creations that are perfect for the spooky season.

Make your own

A brilliant way to make sure your decorations are sustainable is to make them yourself from things you have at home. This can also double up as a fun Halloween activity for the kids.

Make a garland of your own by cutting spooky shapes out of card and threading string through, make cobwebs out of string, or use an old white sheet to make a ghost in your garden.

Blogger The Paper Mama has shared a tutorial for how to make these cute lanterns from tin cans, while Crafts by Courtney shows how to make bats from old egg cartons.

Featured image: Rosieplustheboys on Etsy. This article was originally published in October 2022.