Halloween is quickly approaching, and with it the question of how to celebrate a holiday that typically includes congregating with large groups of people. While traditional activities like trick-or-treating may not be an option this year, there are some other ways to have socially distant fun this Halloween season.
Pumpkin Picking and Carving
Most pumpkin patches are large, so social distancing is fairly easy to do while participating in this traditional activity. To get in the spirit of Halloween, wear your funny (or spooky) mask when heading to the patch. Have your kids pick out a few good pumpkins and gourds to decorate your house and outdoor areas with. To make it more interesting, have a contest with your family to see who can find the weirdest-shaped or coolest-colored pumpkin!
After you’ve picked out the perfect pumpkin at the pumpkin patch, carve it or paint it to make it unique. There’s no limit to the kinds of crazy faces you could come up with! Then use battery-operated tealights so that others can enjoy it from the sidewalk in front of your house.
Don’t forget about those squishy pumpkin guts! You can use the insides to bake these incredibly yummy gluten-free Pumpkin Walnut Muffins. The earthy flavor and texture of the walnuts paired with the aromatic scents and spiced flavors of pumpkin pie are a match made in heaven. These treats are the perfect end to a day full of pumpkin fun!
Virtual Costume Contests
By now, we are all quite familiar with virtual events. Schedule a time with family, friends and neighbors to dress up and share your unique costumes on a call. This is a great alternative to in-person gatherings while still enjoying the laughter and warmth of friendship. Take turns showing off your best costume, then conduct a poll so everyone can vote for the winner. The adults can toast to the holiday with these Walnut Horchata Martinis, while the kids can get a sweet fix with some Spooky Energy Bite Bats.
If you are consistently wearing a mask, use that to your advantage to step up your costume game! Design your own masks from a blank canvas by painting on plain white or black masks. Grab some puffy paint and glitter to decorate as many masks as you want. You can even try making some festive masks for the upcoming holidays!
Decorate in a Big Way This Year
Because of social distancing, you’re likely spending more time in your house, so you have the prime opportunity to go big with decorations. Involve the whole family, and make YOUR house a haunted house instead of attending one in the community this year. This will be a great activity to get everyone involved in and is sure to get the neighborhood excited, as well. Go all out with spiderwebs, eerie music and blacked-out lights. It’ll surely be a Halloween your family will remember.
Entertainment
While some communities may be able to trick-or-treat, there are other options as well. Have a haunted Halloween movie marathon in the living room, complete with a blanket fort. You can provide candy bags to the whole crew so no one feels like they’re missing the trick-or-treating rewards
Finish out your night of spooky fun with some baking. Use Halloween-themed cookie cutters, like pumpkins, ghosts and spiders, to decorate some scary good treats. Walnut Maple Cookies are a perfect Halloween treat, a seasonal spin on a classic. Between the sweet taste of pure maple syrup and the pleasing crunch of California walnuts, this is one treat that is sure to disappear fast.
Remember that the key to keeping it fun is getting creative. Remember trunk-or-treats? How about drive-by trick-or-treating? With a little imagination, you and your kids can still enjoy this Halloween tradition, just in a new way. We are living in unique times, which calls for out-of-the-box ideas. Be safe and enjoy your socially distant Halloween!
