Media Morsels for Lil’ Goblins: Next to New BOOks as Treats!

Oct. 29, 2009 Every year I try to come up with ‘green Halloween goodies’ or attempt to find ‘healthier’ ideas that are not a snore or a bore… just to balance out the gobs of candy kids receive and seed the concept that other treats can be even cooler than standard fare.

The trick is to go for the wide smile alternative and the ‘value-add’ as they say in marketing, because I always have a ‘choice’ of ‘basic’ vs. more unusual offerings and nine times out of ten, kids go for the variation.

This year’s a biggie. Why? ‘Cause my teen hauled her entire library of ‘already read it’ shelves ranging from picture books to Twilight tomes to redecorate her room.

I’d planned on donating the bins of books to either Project Read or the ShareLiteracy program, but first? Might as well fan ‘em out for Halloween giveaways for a recycled ‘new to you’ treat for local door knockers in our neighborhood…BOO for BOOks? Why not!?

I like the BOOk idea for several reasons…

It’s green, it’s media, it’s tactile, it’s one on one, face to face engagement and it seeds a love of reading for fun positioning books as a ‘treat’ early on…

Besides, this year is bound to be ‘different’ for me…

The last twenty years (long before I had a child) I’d run the ‘poolside parade’ of costumes and Halloween ‘carnival’ of games in our funky little island community, but sadly, the neighborhood is changing and when I tried to ‘pass the baton’ to other busy parents they promptly dropped it on the tarmac.

Don’t ‘cha sometimes feel like the little red hen?

Alas, I know my limits and DEFINITELY don’t have time to ‘do it all myself’ anymore so this year I’ll host a ‘pre trick or treating’ cider sipping at sunset for the wee ones just so I can SEE the cute goblins and costumes before they all head out elsewhere.

That way, parents can come in and peruse the freebie Halloween Kids’ BOOks and videos in our collection and I can also meet some of the new neighbors on the scene for a win-win.

It’s all about community building, online or off, n’est ce pas?

What are you ‘giving out’ for Halloween?

What’s it like in YOUR neighborhood these days?

Also…check out the quintessential authority on a gazillion alternative ideas for trick or treaters on Green Halloween…

They offer a wealth of information by category and are more than a helpful site…they’re a movement!

Treats and Treasures
Food items (treats)
Non-food items (treasures)
What about candy?
Trick-or-treat essentials
Green shopping tips

And from Eco Child’s Play here are the Top 10 Posts About Going Green from last season (+ I’ll add this favorite of mine on “Do Life Right” re: Ethical Trick or Treating)