31 Ways to Rock Halloween in 2020
Halloween’s value is deeply underrated in homes across America. There is something magical and mysterious about all things scary, spooky and sinister. It’s the one day a year that children of all ages, put their gaming controllers down to come out from hiding, so they can canvas the neighborhood for yummy treats and ghostly scares. We’ve been experiencing life with a mask for months now. How hard would it be to add a cape, creepy make-up and a crazy outfit? Our lives have been turned upside down, but that’s no reason to turn our backs on tradition. We can still celebrate Halloween, within the required guidelines, and make it epic.
And that’s exactly what I plan to do. Join me friends. Don’t let the Spirit of Halloween get buried in these uncertain times. Don’t drown in the pandemic blues. When the world around us is overflowing with negativity, anger and despair, it’s time to unite, by way of goblins, ghouls and ghostly fun.
I’ve loved everything about Halloween since I was a wee little girl. I love picking out costumes, visiting pumpkin patches, creating corny crafts with way too much glitter, carving Jack-o-lanterns, passing out candy, decorating, Trick-or-Treating, scary stories, costume contests, candy corn and classroom Halloween festivities with a truck load of sweet treats (a lot of school districts have eliminated classroom parties all together, which I find to be ridiculously disappointing on a number of levels, but that’s a whole other topic).
One of my favorite memories about my Mom is related to Halloween. As a kid, my Mom would buy a monstrous truck load of candy to pass out to Trick-or-Treaters. I’m not talking Mini-Van. I’m talking Diesel truck. Enough candy to fill up one of those large cardboard moving boxes from Home Depot. My Mom would give each kid 2 handfuls of candy. TWO HANDFULS EACH. I know you think I’m exaggerating, but I’m not. I mean, she didn’t have hands like the Hulk, but a handful is still a handful. I used to always say, “Mom, this is WAY too much”. But my Mom has always been over the top and doesn’t know the meaning of downsizing. My Mom wanted to a giant smile on each kids face and give them an experience they will never forget. And that is exactly what we did. Year after year.
To this day, my Mom still gives me grief, if she thinks I haven’t bought enough Halloween candy. It’s hilarious.
Kids would always approach me at school the next day, saying that they could not believe how much candy my Mom passed out. They told me my Mom was the coolest ever. Some even admitted to going back to my house more than once. And the crazy thing is, we always had extra candy left over for me. No matter how much candy my Mom passed out, the candy never ran out.
So today, in lieu of the crazy times we are living in and as the ultimate tribute to Halloween, I have decided to jot down some of my favorite ideas to make this Halloween as incredible as ever. Don’t worry about the rising Pandemic numbers, join me in a Super Sized Spooky Stay-cation. Keep the spirit of Halloween alive and well.
#1 — START CELEBRATING TODAY WITH HARRY POTTER.
Who says Halloween has to be limited to one day of fun? Stretch it out like it’s your 21st Birthday. Halloween may officially be on October 31st, but don’t let that stop you from starting today.
Kick off Halloween with an evening reading, by candlelight, of my favorite witchy poem from Harry Potter called, Double Trouble. It’s a clever twist on William Shakespeare’s original Double Double Toil and Troubleexcerpt from Macbeth.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Something wicked this way comes!
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg and howlet’s wing.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Something wicked this way comes!
In the cauldron boil and bake,
Fillet of a fenny snake,
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witches’ mummy, maw and gulf.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Something wicked this way comes!
#2 — DECORATE
Halloween decorating can be either Casper cute or Texas Chainsaw Massacre scary, depending on your preference. Bring your creativity and enthusiasm to the table. Atmosphere is everything. I can tell you from experience that something as simple as black and orange streamers, will light up any kid’s mood. After you decorate, try replacing a couple of your regular light bulbs with orange light bulbs, place some pumpkin pie essential oils in a diffuser and play a creepy Halloween soundtrack to set the mood.
Whether you shop at the Dollar Tree, Party City or a local pop-up Halloween store, the options are endless. Find a spot that fits your budget and stick to that budget. You can decorate as a family or put up all the decorations while your kids are asleep, so they can wake up to some Halloween magic. I have provided a link to affordable DIY Halloween decorating below.
#3 — COSTUMES
Dressing up for Halloween is one of my favorite ways to get that Halloween spirit trickling through my veins. I let my kids wear their costumes, or parts of their costumes, a week before Halloween so their imaginations have a chance to go wild with excitement. I know this isn’t always possible depending on how intricate the costume might be, but I feel like I get my money’s worth when my kids dive in a little early.
I’m also not as concerned with keeping the costumes pristine after Halloween so I’m flexible with the amount of fun I allow. A red popsicle stain on a Cinderella dress is not the end of the world.
Check out the Fabulessly Frugal site for a list of 30 creative and cheap costume ideas. https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/diy/diy-halloween-costumes-for-kids/
#4 –PHOTO SHOOT
Whether you decide to hire a professional photographer or ask a good friend to come by and take Halloween pictures of your family, this is a great way to capture this special time of year. Actually, with the right positioning of your iPhone and the use of your photo timer, you won’t need any extra help. I love it when families coordinate their Halloween costumes. So Cool. My family and I have never managed to coordinate costumes, because everyone is always on their own wavelength, but we never fail to take a family photo. That is a MUST.
#5 — CARVE OR DECORATE A JACK-O-LANTERN
I love visiting the local pumpkin patch and indulging in funnel cake. The pumpkin patch is also one of my favorite spots to take family photos. We always visit, but we rarely purchase pumpkins there. We usually pick up our pumpkins at the local grocery store or Walmart to save money. Each kid gets a pumpkin to carve, including my niece. I google photos of clever Jack-O-Lantern creations to inspire the kids and they each decide which way to navigate their pumpkin. We allow our kids to come up with the craziest of designs and then the carving begins. My husband helps my two younger kids carve. But we expect each of the kids to pull out the innards on their own. Pumpkin innards feel pretty gross and they produce the best pictures. It’s part of the process. Both messy and glorious, all in the same moment.
#6 — CREATE A HALLOWEEN CRAFT
Find a Halloween craft that the entire family can enjoy together. At my house, participation is mandatory, whether you’re still potty training or a senior in high school. This year, we’re printing, cutting and decorating bats. My kids are allowed to use watercolors, crayons, markers, glitter glue, confetti, stickers and more. There are dozens of Halloween crafts out there to keep your kids busy. Start Googling.
Better Homes & Gardens has put together a list of 21 easy Halloween crafts for the family. Check it out.
https://www.bhg.com/halloween/crafts/cheap-halloween-crafts/
#7 — THE VEGEMITE SWITCHEROO
If you’re from the US, chances are you haven’t tried Vegemite. I was introduced to it by my Cousins in Australia. It’s a staple in Australia. Vegemite is a healthy dark brown spread made of various vegetables and spices. It has a wicked crazy flavor. If you really want to have a little fun, switch out Nutella for Vegemite in a Peanut Butter & Nutella sandwich. Make sure you set up the camera to capture the reaction. And get ready to laugh your pants off.
Vegemite can be purchased on Amazon.
#8 — MOVIE NIGHT
Watching Halloween movies is a must. My husband and I watch the scary movies with my teenager and the cute movies with the whole family. My favorite scary movies are the Strangers, Scream, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. My favorite kid friendly movies are Ghostbuster 1 & 2, Hocus Pocus, Scooby Doo, and the Nightmare Before Christmas. Don’t forget the popcorn, candy and snuggly blankets.
#9 — BOO A FRIEND OR NEIGHBOR
Everyone loves a surprise. Booing a Friend or Neighbor is so much fun. First you prepare a Halloween goodie bag. You can fill the goodie bag with anything from cookies to vampire teeth. Add a craft, a pencil, candy, a fake spider or a plush ghost. Then you print out 2 copies of a Boo sign and poem w/instructions and leave it on someone’s doorstep.
You can download free Boo signs, poems and instructions on the link below.
#10 — INDIANA JONES TO THE RESCUE
Prepare to Scavenger Hunt like you’re Indiana Jones. If you click the link below, you can print out several different Scavenger Hunt ideas from Good Housekeeping. My favorites include the Nature Hunt, the Color Hunt and the Movement Hunt. These can be done indoors or in your backyard.
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/g32050844/scavenger-hunt-ideas-for-kids/
#11 — READ A HALLOWEEN BOOK TO YOUR KIDS
A good story before bedtime is a great way to get your kids to turn off their technology and wind down. It’s a classic way to unite the family. I highly recommend the Goosebumps series, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and The Witches by Roald Dahl. It’s even better if you pick a book that will take you a few days to finish, because each night you’ll see the kids come back for more.
#12 — HOT APPLE CIDER OR A PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE
Purchase a jug of Hot Apple Cider at your local grocery store or whip up a cup of pumpkin spice latte at home. You don’t have to visit Starbucks to enjoy this delicious treat. Perfect for a chilly Sunday afternoon with a good book.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/127890/pumpkin-spiced-latte/
#13 — MAIL OUT HALLOWEEN POSTCARDS
Postcards are an undervalued commodity. You can create 250 Halloween postcards at Vistaprint for $0.09 per postcard. Plus, postcard stamps are only $0.35 each, compared to regular stamps at $0.55. It’s a great way to let someone you care about, know that they matter. Plus, if you’re not as long winded as I am, postcards force you to keep your message short and sweet.
#14 — PUMPKIN BREAD
The State of Maine knows a thing or two about baking Pumpkin Bread. This is my favorite Pumpkin bread recipe. I take it up a notch by adding Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips and a whole heap of love. The smell of pumpkin bread baking throughout the house is indescribable. Nothing is more inviting. Pair it with a hot cup of coffee.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/6820/downeast-maine-pumpkin-bread/
#15 — TRICK OR TREAT AT HOME
Ask your kids to dress up in their costumes and wait in a bedroom for 20 minutes. In that time, hide candy throughout the house. I would hide 3 or 4 bags of candy. A whole heap of deliciousness. This is Halloween with an Easter twist. When the time is right, let your kids loose throughout the house, with any necessary instructions. Let them know what rooms in the house are off limits and other areas where they should not look inside like the stove.
Who says you have to leave home to go Trick-or-Treating? And the best part is, if your kids miss any candy, you’ll find a sweet treat when you’re cleaning. You can’t go wrong.
#16 — GAME NIGHT
Our favorite board games are Sequence, Scrabble, Uno, Apples to Apples and Cranium. Board games are a big fat hit at my house. Pull out all of your favorite board games from Slap Jack to Clue, and let the good times roll. If you have little ones, start them off with Hungry Hungry Hippo or Chutes and Ladders. If you want to add a Halloween flair to game night, you can all wear a sticky mustache or crazy hats.
#17 — DUNKIN DONUTS
Have you heard? Dunkin Donuts has released a Spicy Ghost Pepper Donut for Halloween 2020. Sounds like a fitting donut for a year as crazy as 2020 has been. I can’t wait to try it.
https://nypost.com/2020/10/14/dunkin-donuts-releases-spicy-ghost-pepper-donut-for-halloween/
#18 — DEAD PLANTS
Occasionally, I have been known to kill a houseplant. Usually one that needs a whole lot of extra attention, which I don’t have time for with 3 kids, a husband and a dog. But during Halloween, this is a good thing. A dead plant only adds to the spooky ambiance you’re trying to achieve. Be grateful that you forgot to water that plant. Maybe it was meant to be. Throw on some spider webs and call it a day.
#19 — SPOOKY PICNIC
Lay a large blanket in the backyard or the living room. Place a large cutting board in the middle of the blanket and light several candles on top. Ask your family to sit around the blanket. Bring out a thermos of hot chocolate, marshmallows, sugar cookies and cups. Take turns sharing your favorite ghost stories. Or your favorite Halloween memories from your childhood.
#20 — A DELIGTHFUL BATH
Halloween may be fun for the kids, but it can be hard work for parents. Especially during the pandemic. With the cooler temperatures creeping into town, a hot bath is the perfect way to unwind. Gather some bubble bath, bath bombs, a body scrub, vanilla scented candles, a glass of wine and several pieces of pure dark chocolate. Give yourself the gift of relaxation. You can’t pour into your kids, if your cup is empty. Invest in self-care.
#21 –A SPOOKY BONFIRE
If you have a fire pit and some firewood, grab the ingredients for smores and create some wonderful memories with your little monsters. You can add pinecones, a variety of different woods, orange peels, cinnamon sticks and dried leaves to your fire to take it up a notch. Grab your blankets and snuggle up. Fires are calming and mesmerizing in the best way possible.
#22 — JELLYBELLY GROSS MIX
Jellybelly has created a Bean Boozled mix of disgusting & delicious jellybeans, combined in the same box. It’s a crazy game. You might be eating caramel corn or moldy cheese. I warn you: the disgusting jellybeans are beyond horrific. It’s way funnier, when someone else grabs the wrong one. But it’s hilarious either way.
https://www.jellybelly.com/beanboozled-trick-or-treat-spinner-jelly-bean-gift-box-/p/94749
#23 — SCARY PODCAST STORIES
I love a good podcast. It has all the same feels as the old-fashioned Radio. You may find yourself staring at your iPhone screen from time to time, until you realize that there’s nothing to watch. I finished the Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family podcast several months ago and it was really good. This podcast is based on the Black Dahlia murder that occurred on January 15, 1947. I’m planning to start The Apex & The Abyss: A True Crime Horror Podcast soon. I love a good true crime story. The link I provided below has 17 awesome options to suit your style. I listen to Podcasts while I’m gardening, folding laundry, washing dishes, stuck in traffic, relaxing on the couch and preparing dinner. A podcast is an excellent way to relax, by redirecting your mind away from your daily pressures.
https://www.lifewire.com/best-horror-podcasts-4169636
#24 — WRITE A STORY
Get out a pad of paper or your laptop, and write 2 paragraphs of a crazy Halloween story. Read your work to the family and ask them to help you complete your project. Who is the main character? What does she look like? What does she do for a living? Does she turn into a frog at midnight? Is she a secret agent in disguise? Maybe he turns pigeons into candy apples? Wait what? Maybe the principal at your school is really an alien and you’ve figured out where he hides his spaceship. No way!
The possibilities are endless and it’s such a great way to bring out the creative thinker in your kiddos. Writing can be both therapeutic and inspiring. Give it a try.
#25 — WATCH THE THRILLER VIDEO AND DANCE IT OUT
I grew up watching Michael Jackson’s Thriller video every single Halloween. One year, my friends and I tried to imitate the moves in History class. So much fun. Pull out your smartphone or laptop and search YouTube. It’s a classic. Share some cultural history with your kids.
#26 — SCARE THE PANTS OFF OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS
Every year when we bring in all the Halloween costumes from the garage, my teenager, begins his annual scaring rampage. He gathers up every single scary mask we own (roughly about 8) and starts scaring the pants off of each of us, day by day. Hour by hour. Last year, he managed to scare me 3 times in one day. He tends to pick on me a little more, because I’m the easiest to scare. It’s like Knott’s Scary Farm, right at home. I hate it. And I love it.
On Halloween, you can find my teenager & his buddies hiding on our small porch, waiting to scare the local kids. It’s awesome. He never scares small children, but everyone else is fair game.
#27 — COSTUME PARTY ZOOM CALL
You don’t have to go through all the hassle of throwing an epic Halloween party. No caterers, no decorations, no drinks, no cleaning and no stress. Send out an e-vite to all of your favorite people, asking them to join a Zoom Halloween party. Place a giant skeleton behind you and ask everyone to make some hot chocolate. You can have your guests share their 2020 Halloween costumes in a spooky spotlight moment. Or shake things up a bit, by asking everyone to dress up as their favorite musician or Tik Tok star. Be as creative as you want.
#28 — BOBBING FOR APPLES
When I was a kid, I used to always hear about the Bobbing for Apples game at Halloween Parties. One year in middle school, my PE teacher set it up for us. Basically, you fill a tub with water ¾ of the way to the top and place a bunch of apples inside (15 or more). As the apples float around, each participant has to try to grab as many apples as possible with their teeth, by biting into them, with their hands crossed behind their back. It may sound simple, but it really isn’t. It’s a fun, healthy and wet way to get a few laughs.
Give it a shot at home with the kids.
#29 — CREATE A HAUNTED HOUSE MAZE AT HOME
Years ago, I was a Parent Club volunteer at Cedar Middle School. It was a great way to meet other trail blazing Mommas, give back to my community and be a little more present in my Middle Schooler’s world. One of the coolest fundraisers that the Parent Club put on is an Annual Haunted House. We transformed 2 adjoining classrooms into the coolest and spookiest Haunted House in the Wild Wild West. I would never have imagined what a group of creative, talented and relentless parents could accomplish, when they put their minds to it. It was incredible and I learned so much about transforming calm into scary. Creating a Haunted House isn’t as hard as you might think. Feel free to think outside the box.
First, you’ll need to cover the walls and windows with trash bags or Halloween wall covering paper. Second, you can create rooms or hallways by cutting, taping and securing large black trash bags from the ceiling to the floor. You will need Duck Tape, packaging tape and scissors. If this seems like way too much work, put up a tent, create a fort with chairs and sheets, or assemble a large moving box (so someone can jump out of it). Third, put up spider webs everywhere. Fourth, bring in a bunch of props. Grab your skeletons, tricycle, red balloons, spiders, ghosts, monsters, tombstones, bats, vampires, signs and accessories from old costumes. Fifth, ask your friends and family to dress up inside the Haunted House as monsters, princesses, cows, villains or anything else. The weirder the better. Most visitors will expect monsters, but they will be just as freaked out by a random Princess. And lastly, dim the lights or install a flashing light, play scary movies on a tv (with no sound), search Spotify for a Halloween playlist and place an Autumn Hearth Scentsy Bar in your Scentsy warmer. Always have food, snacks and hot chocolate ready too.
#30 — BLACK GINGER COCKTAIL
Halloween may be centered around the kids, but it can most definitely include the adults. There is no better way to unwind after a hard day than by enjoying a delicious cocktail. There are several Halloween themed options to choose from. Always start with your favorite alcoholic base and go from there. I’ll be whipping up a Black Ginger Cocktail this year. Cheers!!
https://www.allrecipes.com/gallery/halloween-cocktail-ideas/
#31 — A HALLOWEEN MEAL
And last but certainly not least, is your Halloween meal. I will be preparing a pot of Spicy Vampire Chili and Tombstone Cornbread as my main course. Plus, mummy hotdogs and haunted brownies for the kids. You can spookify any meal with the right description. But if you’re looking for exciting alternatives, I have provided a link.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/267865/spooky-spider-halloween-hot-dogs/