Year in year out, kids dress up in their favourite costume and make their way door to door in search of sweet treats. But this year, with COVID restrictions and social distancing guidelines in place, trick or treating might be a thing of the past.
When you think about it - do you know whether people opening their doors will be wearing a mask, or have they washed their hands before opening their door and offering out the goods? Worse still, what if your child is asymptomatic and happens to pass the virus on to an elderly neighbour? It feels very surreal that we even have to think of these things, but unfortunately, it is the world we are living in today. Spending your Halloween at home might be the best option this year.
This year many families will be skipping the annual tradition in favour of a Halloween party at home with all the frills and thrills. If that's you, here are some easy and creative ways to celebrate the spookiest night of the year and make it extra special.
Make a Halloween-themed pinata
On Halloween, the kids usually have to work for their treats, so what makes this year any different? On the lead up to October 31st, make a Halloween-themed pinata will the little ones and dangle it outside on a tree and let them go wild before it gets dark.
Play pumpkin patch stomp
This game is guaranteed to give all the laughs. Blow up orange balloons and let the kids go wild in the garden to stomp as many balloons as they can without using their hands. They can only use their bums, tums and feet. For a little something extra, you could add some sweets to the balloons before you inflate them.
Bring back the old school games
Keep old school traditional Halloween games alive by bobbing for apples, playing pass the apple, snap apple, and of course, the best Halloween treat of all, the bairín breac. Be sure to pick up a baked loaf (or make one) and don't forget the ring. It's not Halloween without one. Pick up some fun snaps and sparklers too for an extra special Halloween at home.
Have a Halloween movie marathon
Weather permitting, screen spooky movies outdoors if you have a projector, alternatively, you can get cosy on the sofa under the most oversized duvet you can find and watch movies like Hocus Pocus, The Goonies, The Addams Family and E.T.
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Host a glow in the dark hunt
Before night falls, hide a pack of glow sticks around your home. Then later when it gets dark, turn off lights and let your little scavengers loose in search of the fun glowy sticks. For added fun, you could give the kids torches or plan the hunt outdoors in the backyard.
Throw a Zoom costume parade
Some families like to throw Halloween parties where all the grandkids get together and have a proper Irish shindig, but this year with house guests limited, it's going to be very different. Instead, set everyone up on Zoom and host a virtual parade like no other.
