Halloween is one of the most enchanting times of the year. Here at Solarpunk Life, we love celebrating Halloween and related traditions in a way that honors our environment and communities. Are you ready to have a Solarpunk Halloween this year?
Content Warning: This blog contains images and descriptions of spiders.
Photo by Łukasz Nieścioruk on Unsplash
5 Ways To Enjoy a Solarpunk Halloween
Solarpunk Halloween Tip #1: Learn About Spiders and Their Role in Your Habitat
Why do we associate spiders with Halloween? It has to do with a historical association they have with witchcraft and nature. Today in the Western world, we mostly view spiders as dangerous and creepy. Finding a spider on Halloween, however, feels special.
Photo by Julian Schultz on Unsplash
Before you go looking for spiders in your backyard or the woods, do a quick Google search for “what spiders live near me?” Educate yourself on the house spiders you might find in your home or arachnids you could see in the wild. Most importantly, know how to identify your local spiders--especially the venomous ones. Being able to identify local venomous spiders allows you to act fast in an emergency and keep your community safe.
Spiders serve an important role in every habitat--and in dwellings like your home. Learn about why you may want to think twice about killing a spider.
Solarpunk Halloween Tip #2: Get Rid of Old Stuff
Halloween is a modern interpretation of an older pagan holiday called Samhain. Some contemporary neopagans celebrate Samhain along with Halloween. Samhain is the ideal time to let go of old baggage--emotional and physical.
Spend Time With Your Feelings and Let Go of What You Don’t Need
If you meditate or see a therapist, Halloween (Samhain) might be a good day to schedule some time for your mental health. Think about what’s bothering you, why it annoys you, how it makes you feel, and whether you want to let it go.
Once your emotional cleansing is through, consider a physical clean up to round out the theme and emphasize clearing out the old.
Clear Out Physical Items
The easiest activity for this: donating gently used clothing to a local shelter for the unhoused, especially winter clothes. With cold temperatures coming, anyone exposed to the elements could use sweaters, blankets, gloves, coats, hats, and more.
Solarpunk Halloween Tip #3: Wear Sustainable Costuming
When you were a kid, did you ever wear one of those plastic costumes? What about plastic masks? They can be cheap, easy, and fun, but those materials are not great for the environment. Instead, consider a creative costume you can put together out of existing clothing--from your closet or thrifted. If you’re handy with a sewing machine, you could also create something fun and easy, like a poodle skirt for a 1950s look.
If you’re financially privileged, try picking out costume pieces you can reuse or repurpose another time.
Are you interested in being a lion, a puppy, or a cat? Consider making your own non-toxic, eco-friendly face paint.
Solarpunk Halloween Tip #4: Make Your Own Trick-Or-Treat Bag
Be original--you don’t need a plastic pumpkin. You can make your own trick-or-treat bag, purse, or satchel for Halloween. Bags are among the simplest items to sew, and to collect candy, you just need something sturdy and simple.
If you’re new to sewing or want to teach a younger family member how to sew, a bag matching a costume is a great way to get started. Check out free bag patterns for various skill levels here.
Solarpunk Halloween Tip #5: Use All of That Pumpkin!
When you’re scooping out a pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern, don’t toss the insides! There are plenty of things you can do with the seeds and pulp:
Make pumpkin pie
Roast seeds to eat or use them in another fall recipe
Use your pumpkin matter in compost (do this when you discard pumpkins, too)
To help out in your neighborhood, consider asking your neighbors if you can compost their decaying pumpkins after Halloween ends.
Are you looking forward to celebrating Halloween this year? Let us know all about your community activities and environmentally friendly Halloween traditions in the comments.