Monday, Oct 21, 2019
Fall is finally here! The leaves are changing, you can finally turn the air off and open the windows, and there is pumpkin-spice everything. Of course, the best sounds of fall are those of the children laughing and playing as they prepare to head out with their family to trick-or-treat. If you celebrate Halloween then you already know how fun and festive the holiday can be for everyone involved.
With all the excitement surrounding the holiday, it's easy to forget that not everyone gets to have a spooktacular Halloween. Have fun this Halloween while also incorporating some meaning into the holiday by teaching the spirit of giving. Here are 7 easy ways to make your favorite spooky holiday more enchanting for everyone.
1. Collect food for families in need.
Throw a Halloween-themed party with a canned food entry fee or take a box with you while you trick-or-treat and ask your neighbors to make a donation to the local food bank. The winter months are especially difficult for many families. Give the food banks a little head start with a fall donation. Find your local food bank by visiting Feeding America.
2. Donate your old costumes.
Help make sure that no children are left out of the trick-or-treat fun simply because of a lack of funding. Organize a Halloween costume drive for your community, or simply donate your gently used costumes. CASA for Children is proud to accept costumes at all three of our local offices (Muskogee, Sequoyah, and Wagoner) to be donated to area children in need.
3. Donate your candy to troops stationed abroad.
Operation gratitude includes a handful of candy in every care package they send to soldiers overseas. Donate to the organization's popular Halloween Candy Give-Back Program and help put a smile on a soldier's face.
4. Carve pumpkins at a local seniors center.
Help local seniors get into the holiday spirit by planning a pumpkin carving or painting day. Use real squashes or gords or opt for soft, spongy craft pumpkins. If you want to keep the activity free of sharp objects use glue, ribbons, markers, and paint to decorate the pumpkins instead.
5. Craft your costume and donate the savings.
Halloween costumes can get expensive. Sharpen up your crafting skills and make this year's costume from home. You will save big and can donate all your savings to your favorite local charity.
6. Make cards of kindness.
Some children are too ill to go out trick-or-treating. Make homemade Halloween cards for hospitalized children with life-threatening illnesses and mail them to your local hospital. The children at St. Francis Children's hospital would love to hear from you and your kiddos.
7. Perform a "treat."
Forget the trick and instead perform a random act of kindness. Bake a pie for your neighbor, buy coffee for an officer, or spend the afternoon serving at a homeless shelter like the Gospel Rescue Mission.