This year was supposed to offer the best Halloween night in a long time. First, October 31st falls on a Saturday this year. Second, it’s the night when we “fall back” for Daylight Savings, meaning that we get an extra hour to celebrate. Third, it is supposed to have a full moon, which is also a blue moon. Finally, it’s the first Halloween of a new decade!
Then, the coronavirus pandemic had to come in and ruin everything. Or will it?
With so many reasons to celebrate this year, we can’t pass up this opportunity. Fortunately, you don’t have to disregard CDC guidelines or put yourself and your family at risk to make the most of Halloween night. We’ve compiled five top-notch ideas to make this holiday special. We deserve it.
Have a Halloween Movie Night
With so many scary movies available on-demand, this is probably the easiest and most comfortable way to celebrate Halloween this year. Gather the family in front of the TV, create a list of Halloween-themed films, and see how long you can last. Best of all, this idea is perfect for everyone of all ages, so no one gets left out of the fun.
To make it even better, use this as an opportunity to create some Halloween-themed snacks. There are tons of recipes and tutorials online, but some of our favorites include:
- Strawberries dipped in marshmallow creme to make ghosts.
- Hard-shell tacos with sour cream and black olive “eyes.”
- Halloween-colored cupcakes.
- Mandarin oranges made to look like mini pumpkins
- Pigs in a blanket decorated to look like mummies.
You can get as creative as you like, and feel free to try and create snacks that relate to the movies you’re watching! For example, if you’re choosing a classic like The Nightmare Before Christmas, you can make both Christmas and Halloween cookies.
Do a Halloween-Themed Scavenger Hunt
Since most of us have more free time on our hands, it’s much easier to go all-out on decorating this year. One way that you can make the holiday even more fun for the kids is to have a scavenger hunt around the house. You can either have them find random items (i.e., a favorite toy), or they can search high and low for candy, like a scarier version of Easter. You can even put the candy into eggs to make it even more interesting.
If you do hide candy, we recommend making a note of where each piece is. Otherwise, you could wind up finding a melted or rotten piece of chocolate in a few months. That’s also an easy way to get ants and other pests, so try to avoid this problem as much as possible.
Another option is to hide items in the yard. If you have various decorations outside, you can utilize them as perfect hiding spots. To make the event even more spooky, have the kids wait until nightfall to start their search. You can even buy glow-in-the-dark paint to make finding everything easier.
Use a Socially-Distanced Method for Distributing Candy
Unfortunately, the standard methods of Trick-or-Treating are too risky this year. However, Americans are nothing if not creative, which means that parents everywhere are coming up with fun and unique solutions to this problem. Some ideas include:
- Candy Launcher – Use a small catapult to deliver candy to kids. Just make sure that you don’t launch anything too heavy or pointed.
- Candy Tube – If you have a staircase railing outside, you can attach a cardboard tube to slide candy down to trick-or-treaters. Feel free to decorate it as much as you like.
- Pre-Made Gift Bags – Although this method isn’t as fun, it can still provide treats to the neighborhood kids. Simply set a table outside and place pre-packaged bags on it. Groups can pick up a bag and maintain social distancing. We recommend keeping hand sanitizer available if possible.
Host a Halloween-Themed Virtual Event
These days, virtual events are becoming as normal as an in-person version. Although you don’t have as many options for activities, you can still get creative and figure out a way for everyone to have a good time. Some suggestions include:
- Bingo – Instead of calling out numbers, call out holiday-themed words.
- Game Show – Have Halloween-related questions and answers.
- Virtual Scavenger Hunt – Teams can compete to find items within their house, such as a scary DVD, a piece of candy, a pumpkin, and more!
- Costume Party – This holiday is the perfect excuse to dress up, so why not show off what you’ve got? To make it even more interactive, award prizes for the best costumes in various categories (i.e., scariest, silliest, couples, etc.).
Head to the Drive-In for a Scary Movie
The Drive-In is back, baby! While regular theaters are too dangerous, being able to see a movie from the comfort (and safety) of your car is much more fashionable. Fortunately, there are still plenty of Drive-In theaters around, and many organizations are offering pop-up events for Halloween. Snuggle up with your boo and try not to get scared! Also, since you’re going out, you can use it as an excuse to get costumed up.
Contact the Party Team Today!
Don’t let this Halloween pass you by! The Party Team is offering plenty of virtual options for your event. We can also help host blended events with a mix of virtual and in-person activities. Contact us today to find out more!