It’s that spooky time of year again when both kids and adults love to dress up for all things Halloween!
We are rounding up where to get in on the spooky action if you are in Bali for this year’s scariest day of the year. There are many events happenings throughout the week, which will be sure to please all of your ghosts and ghouls from young to old.
Halloween parties may look different and low key this year. But you can still can plan a Halloween party and have your tricks and treats—with a twist. With everyone getting the nuances of hosting a Zoom party and following the social distancing norms right, it is time to put to test these newly acquired skills for Halloween party and the upcoming holiday events
Everyone wants to celebrate Halloween big time. With a bit of caution, you can have a fun party at work, home or in your community. If you live in Ubud or Uluwatu (and practically any other areas in Bali,) you would know about the Halloween parties organized by many of our favorite hang-out places.
It’s only natural to want to attend a party after all this time we spend at home, but let us not forget to take safety measures so we don’t bring the virus home. Wear your mask (which you might already wear as part of your costume anyway,) when you’re surrounded by people, and do try to keep a safe distance of 6 foot or more from those around you; especially if you don’t know them.
However, if you prefer not to attend such parties and organize a safer one instead, are some party ideas to make this upcoming Halloween that will not put you in harm’s way:
- Create a “haunted” egg hunt
Egg hunts are a popular way to celebrate Easter in the spring. Why not replicate the idea with a Halloween twist? Jeena Morgan, a mom of five from Pocatello, Idaho, says she’s planning to send her kids on a “haunted hunt” for candy if it isn’t safe enough to trick or treat. “It will be like an Easter egg hunt, but with scary music and spooky stuff, followed by a scary movie and popcorn afterwards,” she says.
This idea can work for single families staying home, or it can be a way to allow neighborhood trick-or-treaters to stop at your house for candy while still maintaining social distance. “Scatter the eggs on your lawn, and kids can respectfully pick up one or two,” explains Kim O’Neill, a mom of one from Enid, Oklahoma.
- Organize a parade of costumes
For kids, costumes are a major part of any Halloween celebration, and it’d be seriously disappointing if they didn’t get to show off their new Paw Patrol mask or fake mermaid tail. The solution? “Have a parade of costumes. Then we all buy our own candy to enjoy,” says Angela O’Brien, a mom of two from San Antonio.
The parade can be organized with kids in the same neighborhood or apartment complex, and they can stay socially distanced while they march down a safe, designated route. Parents can play music, blow bubbles and wave glow sticks. There are a million ways to customize the event for your specific area and needs.
- Have a neighborhood decorating contest
This may be the perfect year to go all out creating that front lawn fake graveyard or making the door of your apartment look like the entrance to a haunted mansion. Terra Lindquist, a mom of three from Cottage Grove, Minnesota, suggests communities go all out and then tour the neighborhood to check out one another’s handiwork. “It can be like looking at Christmas lights, but with Halloween decor,” she notes.
Families can check out the decorations while driving around and sipping pumpkin spice lattes or hot chocolate, or they can take a socially distanced walk to see it all. Social media tools like Facebook or NextDoor could even be used to vote on the best decorations.
- Do a Halloween door drop
Skip the door-to-door trick-or-treating and deliver Halloween goody baskets to your closest family or friends instead. “I’m going to put together little treat baskets with candy, a card and some cute Halloween trinkets to leave on people’s doorsteps,” says Mary Shelton, a mom of two from Dallas. “It’s something I’ve done occasionally during other years, but this year, it seems like the safest way to share treats.”
The baskets can include items like glow sticks, silly glasses, favorite candies or kid-made crafts. You could even do a themed basket with popcorn, movie theater-style boxes of candy and a spooky DVD or a gift card to purchase a movie from a streaming service. The gifts don’t have to be extravagant, and you can make a small list of people who’ll receive them. The idea is just to create a simple surprise that brightens the Halloween season for the ones you wish you could celebrate with.
- Host a bubble party
Hosting a bustling party may not be safe right now, but you can still party with the people in your house or with the other people in your quarantine bubble. “I’m having an immediate family-only Halloween party,” says Kirsten Garrett Hill, a mom of three from Portland, Oregon. “It will have dancing, lots of food and a costume contest. Also, I will have different candy stations around the house so the kids can still trick or treat.”
While it’s true that Halloween won’t be “normal” this year, there are so many ways to update existing traditions and experience the joy of the holiday. With a little creativity, the spookiest day of the year can still be an exciting celebration that brings families, friends and neighbors together, even while they’re standing at least six feet apart.
- Have a spooky movie marathon
There are so many classic Halloween movies. Why not watch those instead of trick-or-treating? “My kids and I are each going to pick a movie for the family to watch, and we’re going to spend the afternoon and evening having a movie marathon,” says Anna Lee, a mom of two from Omaha, Nebraska.
To make the night even more fun, they’re also going to dress up in costumes and make special Halloween-themed snacks, like pumpkin pie, banana ghosts with chocolate chip eyes and “mummy dogs” that are hot dogs with biscuit dough wrappings. The options are endless. You could even hold a vote on who picks the best movie or comes up with the best snack. Winner gets a king-sized candy bar?
- Make a DIY treat calendar
To make this, simply order a plain wooden advent-style calendar with little drawers. The best part about this idea is that it’s also an art project. Kids can help decide how to decorate it or use their favorite characters and colors to personalize it.
And while these sorts of calendars often have a small candy offered as a treat each day, you can also customize it with small toys, holiday-themed erasers, stickers and other fun, non-candy surprises.
Whatever you choose, please bear in mind that it is still best to just stay home and avoid contact with strangers; especially if you have little kids alone. Organizing your own private Halloween Party will be much safer and special since your kids get to be a part in planning it. Have a spooky Halloween!
