Happy Halloween! This week is filled with the fresh smell of leaves in the air, the sight of pumpkins sitting on doorsteps and of course, the sound of children laughing as they prepare their costumes to go trick or treating. If you celebrate Halloween, you know how fun and festive the holiday can be for everyone involved.
However, despite all of the spooks and laughs, Halloween isn’t always a joyful holiday for everyone. For some, Halloween can be difficult to celebrate for a variety of reasons—money, time or even health concerns. Fortunately, if you strive to live an altruistic lifestyle, there are lots of ways to help out this Halloween. Here are some top tricks to make Halloween a treat for everyone.
1. Donate your goodies.
What’s one of the simplest things you can do this Halloween to help make a difference? Donate your goodies! Both local and national programs will offer to take your extra goodies and give them to those in need, such as children in the hospital, children from low-income neighborhoods or even troops overseas. For instance, Operation Gratitude takes leftover candy and sends it to deployed troops, veterans and first responders. You can wait until after Halloween to see what candy you have leftover, or buy an extra bag during your trip to the store to donate.
2. Offer other treats than candy.
Unfortunately, many children cannot celebrate Halloween due to severe allergies, such as peanuts or gluten. You can have a major impact with just a simple change this Halloween by offering other treats than just candy at your door. Buy colored pencils, small toys or a pack of glow sticks to hand out to children who might struggle finding candy they can eat. Not only will you relieve some of the stress for parents, but you’ll make the night for a child who struggles celebrating Halloween that much sweeter.
3. Invite others to your house.
Sometimes, Halloween can be difficult to enjoy, depending on the neighborhood you live in. For example, some children aren’t able to trick or treat because of a particularly dangerous area they live in. Or, perhaps you know a senior citizen who would love to hand out candy, but no longer lives in a neighborhood with kids. Help everyone get in the spirit of the season by inviting others to your house who want to celebrate. Whether the kids can trick-or-treat safely or the senior citizen enjoys passing out treats, you can definitely brighten someone’s night.
4. Host a Halloween fundraiser.
If you’re into throwing parties, then consider hosting a Halloween fundraiser this week. Invite friends or family over for delicious food, spooky games and even a costume contest. Then, charge admission at the door with a small donation fee, can of food or clothing item. Everyone can have fun, and you can donate the proceeds to a worthy cause in your area. This simple trick is a great way to treat an organization you care about this season.
5. Give away old costumes.
Finally, as Halloween winds down at the end of the week, consider giving away your old costumes. Research nonprofit organizations and shelters in your area to see if they accept Halloween costumes for the children they serve. Or, check out national charities like Ween Dream, which collect old costumes and give them to families that wouldn’t be able to afford them otherwise. This simple gesture is the perfect way to make others feel valued and supported both now and for next Halloween.
Halloween is a fun and festive holiday to celebrate, but it can often come with its own sets of challenges for those in need. If you want to live an altruistic lifestyle, take advantage of these top tricks so you can make others’ Halloween a real treat.
