Green Halloween! { #CostumeSwapDay }

It may not quite be Halloween yet, but National Costume Swap Day is right around the corner! And it’s never too early to start thinking about how to make one of the best holidays of the year more eco-friendly.

Now, I've always been one to use whatever I have around the house to make costumes. Last year, the kids went as SpongeBob and one of the characters in an episode - DoodleBob (I think that's the guy's name!) It went well, but Little Guy really hated the box thing. For the first time ever, I'm getting him a costume this year - Thomas the Train. I tried and tried to think of a way to make him one (I can't sew very well) that would be comfortable. I had the prototype, tried it on him, and he HATED it. As in, nearly had a tantrum because it was just not comfortable.

Since I'll be getting a new costume this year, I know exactly what I'll be doing with it next year. Check out the information below for National Costume Swap Day. I know that you have some kind of costumes in a box somewhere (basement, garage, etc.) that you know you'll never use again. You're holding on to them because a) you spent good money on them and will NOT throw them out, b) you don't want to toss them into the trash because you'll be adding to landfills, c) they've been in the box for so long you just forgot about them! If you don't have Halloween costumes laying around, what about out-grown dress-up clothes? You know what I mean on this one, too. Is your little girl still trying to get into that leotard that is three sizes too small? Do you little guy's fireman boots hurt his feet? Take them to the nearest Costume Swap and exchange them for some new stuff!

On October 8, people across the country will get together for costume swaps in their own cities and towns. Swaps are a great way to go green by exchanging gently used Halloween costumes for new-to-your-kids. You’ll save the money you would’ve spent on new costumes for your kids and help the environment. In fact, swapping half the costumes kids wear at Halloween would reduce annual landfill waste by 6,250 tons—about the weight of 2,500 midsize cars!


If you’ve got friends and neighbors or a school or community group for whom a costume swap would be a good project, I encourage you to host a swap yourself or join with others. It’s easy, fun and a great way to build community around this money-saving and planet-saving idea. You can learn the simple steps to hosting a swap HERE. And be sure to register your swap so everyone can find out about it. Many neighborhoods and towns have already begun planning their swaps. Find one near you, then spread the word and help make it an eek-o-fabulous success!


National Costume Swap Day is sponsored by Green Halloween, KIWI magazine, and Swap.com.

Ready to get started? Find existing swaps—plus information to help you start your own at CostumeSwapDay.com.