HAPPY HALLOW-EEK: Your guide for all things fun this Halloween!
Sep 27, 2022
A LITTLE HISTORY
Carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and wearing scary costumes are some of the time-honored traditions of Halloween. Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2022 will occur on Monday, October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, (a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”), a pagan celebration, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.
In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon after, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.
CRAFTS:
ELEVATE YOUR HAUNT WITH EGGS
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25 Filler Ideas:
- Gummy worms
- Googly eyes
- Spherical eyeballs
- Green slime
- Plastic spider rings
- Halloween-themed stickers
- Candy pumpkins
- Candy corn
- Chocolate pumpkins
- Orange balloon
- Black balloon
- Small plastic skulls
- Small plastic ghosts
- Spiders made of yarn
- Plastic bugs
- Small plastic bones
- Plastic pumpkins
- Orange & black jellybeans
- Felt bats
- Witches’ hats
- Black beans (hard, not cooked)
- Black and orange sprinkles
- Pumpkin seeds
- Set of plastic vampire’s fangs
- Felt pumpkins
Pro Tips:
You don’t have to fill each Halloween egg completely for kids to enjoy what’s inside. Fill them halfway or with just one item. If you fill them with candy, use wrapped candy. That may not be possible with gummy worms, so make sure your kids don’t eat those worms. Avoid perishable foods, like apple pieces or pumpkin chunks.
MAKE LEAF GHOSTS
Make an eco-friendly craft with ghosts made out of leaves. Paint large leaves with white paint. On the narrow-most point on top of the leaves, paint black eyes and mouths. When completely dry, scatter on a table or sideboard for some scary fun.
CREATE MONSTER TREAT HOLDERS
Rather than discarding the tubes inside of paper towel or toilet paper rolls, let kids transform them into monster craft treat holders. They'll be perfect for party favors or even to give out to neighborhood trick-or-treaters. Cover the bottoms of the rolls with masking tape so treats won't fall out. Paint the outside of the cardboard rolls and let dry. An alternative is to cover the rolls in colored paper for less messy fun. Then use markers or paper cut-outs to form faces of the monsters. Fill the rolls with treats, then stuff a piece of tissue paper in each top to add even more personality to the creations and hide the treats inside.
TREATS:
FUN TREATS ON THE HEALTHIER SIDE
GHOSTLY BANANAS & PUMPKINS: Cut bananas in half and use a toothpick to make starter holes for the eyes and mouth. Lodge mini chocolate chips in the holes. Place on a plate with peeled clementines. Place a short celery stick in the middle of each clementine to create a pumpkin patch.
TIME TO SPLURGE WITH THESE WICKED-GOOD CUPCAKES!
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INGREDIENTS:
- white cake mix
- white buttercream frosting
- neon-green food coloring
- black ball sugar-sprinkles
- black fondant
- striped chocolate sticks, or you can use striped straws if you don't have access to a specialty bake shop.
DIRECTIONS:
Make and bake the cupcakes in a 12 cup muffin pan according to brand instructions. While baking, mix the white frosting with green food coloring until well blended and the color you desire.
NOTE: Start with the frosting slightly chilled to prevent over working the mix. Once the cupcakes are baked and FULLY cooled, use a basic tip frosting bag to create the swirl as shown. Add
the black sprinkles while the frosting is particularly soft so they adhere well. Then, allow the frosting to set up before placing the legs.
For the witch's legs, you can purchase striped chocolate sticks at specialty bake stores, or you can use striped straws in a pinch. For the shoes, you will need some pre-made black fondant, available at Hobby Lobby and other baking suppliers. Lay the fondant out in a flat sheet and use a sharp knife to create the boot shape (you will need TWO identical shapes per foot). With latex gloves, because fondant shows fingerprints, smooth the shoe cutouts onto either side of the end of the legs, press and manuever until they are secure. (Alternately, if you are using straws and prefer to keep it simple, you can cut the shoes out of black construction paper and use double sided tape to connect each side, forming the full shoe.) Tip: regardless of method, place shoes on the legs before inserting them into the cupcakes.
These really stand out on a black or purple platter for serving!
TIPS:
KEEP KIDS SAFE THIS HALLOWEEN:
Even though fun may be foremost on the brain, it is important for everyone keep safety in mind as well.
Keep weekdays in mind
Halloween falls on a Monday in 2022 and that could be more dangerous than if it fell on a weekend. According to Autoinsurance.com, which conducted a study that analyzed 24 years' worth of data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), injuries to children and pedestrians in general were higher on weeknight than weekend holidays, with most accidents occurring between 6 p.m. and 7 pm - prime commuter time. Exercise extreme caution walking around this year.
Opt for face paints over masks
However, when it comes to Halloween costumes, face paints are preferable to masks and other face coverings. Masks tend to limit visibility, which can lead to kids tripping and falling, or even not being able to see cars or other pedestrians.
Improve visibility all around
In late October, the sun sets at 5:50 on average. Sunset will occur earlier the more north one is located latitudinally. With darkness descending during peak trick-or-treating times, it's imperative that children carry flashlights or glow sticks or utilize reflective tape on their costumes.
Traverse familiar areas
Children with adults may be able to venture a bit further in pursuit of treats, but it is generally safer to stay close to home. This reduces the propensity for getting lost or wandering into sketchy situations. Older kids allowed to venture out on their own would be wise to stay close to home as well. Neighbors can assist if something goes awry.
What homeowners can do
Homeowners and renters can do their part to ensure the safety of kids. Make sure walkways to doors are clear. Have additional lights on pathways or overhead to improve visibility. Contain pets indoors.
KID FRIENDLY FILMS TO TRY THIS HALLOWEEN
A scare might be what many people want on Halloween night, but such movies are best left to teenagers and adults. When it comes to more kid-friendly films give these classics a try.
"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966):
Parents can take a stroll down Memory Lane and enjoy this classic that has been entertaining kids for more than half a century. The costumes for the Peanuts gang, most notably Charlie Brown's, elicit a few laughs.
"Monsters, Inc." (2001):
Halloween wouldn't be the same without monsters, but the monsters in this beloved Pixar classic are kid-friendly.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" (2005):
This film's action is centered around Tottington Hall's annual giant vegetable competition and features enough silliness to keep kids laughing throughout its 85-minute run time.
"Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island" (1998):
Youngsters who love Scooby-Doo are no doubt accustomed to a few lightly scary moments, Join the gang heads in Louisiana to investigate a haunted mansion.
"E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982): Elliott befriends a charismatic extraterrestrial in this Steven Spielberg classic the whole family can enjoy.
