3 Ways to Give Back on Halloween

Cross Stitch pattern from Red Bear Design

I'm all about giving back here at Tabitha. It's in my small business' very DNA.  So, it makes sense to find ways to give back this Halloween season, am I right? It's easy to focus on giving back during Christmas, when everyone is all fuzzy and warm, merry and bright. There is certainly nothing wrong with that, but giving should be year-round. So, here are a few ways to give back this Halloween! 

1. Purchase fair-trade Halloween candy. 

The cocoa industry has been known to mistreat children and workers with unfair wages and unfit working conditions. You and I both squirm at the idea of enjoying someone's handiwork who was barely paid for it. Let's fight that this year with some fair trade chocolate. There are plenty of places that you can purchase them, like Serrv, Equal Exchange, Green & Black's and Theo's (who just introduced the first ever fair-trade peanut butter cups! YUM!) A lot of these places sell chocolate in big bars, but you can always break up the bars into smaller pieces. 

2. Donate your old Halloween costumes to children in need. 

Dressing up for Halloween was always a favorite for me. We lived far away from a "normal" neighborhood, so instead of trick-or-treating, we would raid my parents closet for oversized T-shirts and shoes six sizes too big. Then, clog around looking for hidden candy. It was a blast. 

But, not everyone has those kinds of experiences and dressing up is a big part of the fun. Halloween Helpers is a nonprofit that was started by a teenager who wanted to help kids in need. She collects used Halloween costumes, then sends them to kids who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford a costume. 

3. Donate left-over candy to the troops. 

Yeah, I never would have thought about this until I saw a dentist advertising that he buys back candy, then sends it to the troops overseas. Genius. Halloween Candy Buy Back is a good website for more information. It's always good to get stray candy out of the house, for fear of constant snacking (guilty). 

I'm sure there are more ways to give back. Anyone else have any?