Don’t let Halloween sneak up on you without doing anything to set the stage. You can organize few simple things with minimum effort to create a spooktacular evening. Below are ten ideas to get you started.
Make an Event Out of Pumpkin Picking
Yes, you can pick up a pumpkin at the local supermarket – and that’s great if you’re in a bind. But it’s much more fun if you can make an event of it. Look online for a pumpkin patch event in your area, or search for a nearby orchard offering pumpkin picking, hay rides and apple cider. Organize a date to go with good friends and you’ll enjoy it that much more.
Have Pumpkin Carving Contest
Invite good friends and neighbors over the weekend before Halloween to see who can carve the most interesting, or scariest, or funniest jack-o-lantern. If small kids will be attending, be sure to have mini pumpkins and magic markers on hand so that they can participate too.
Add a Smile to the Serving Table
If you’re thinking of throwing a party this year, do something a little different and use small pumpkins as serving dishes. Hollow them out and carve a jagged edge in the top. Put saran wrap on the inside and voila – it’s a bowl! If you need to keep something cool, place a small plastic bag of ice in the bottom.
Set a Spooky Atmosphere With a Little Dry Ice
Make trick-or-treaters earn their stripes with a little spooky fog coming out of your jack-o-lantern made with dry ice. Fill a large cup or glass about half full with hot water and mix in a cup of salt and place it inside the pumpkin. Wearing gloves (very important – dry ice can cause instant frostbite), drop two or three large pieces of dry ice into the can of water. Replace the top of the pumpkin.
Get the Candle Effects Without the Fire Hazard
If you’re not comfortable having a candle in your jack-o-lantern, get the next best thing. The “Artificial Candle Pumpkin Light” from PumpkinLight.com flickers just like a real candle but without the danger of a real flame.
Light Up the Night
If you’re looking for something pretty simple and yet different and eerie, try lighting up the sky around your house with glow sticks. Tie small glow sticks to string attached to helium balloons and let them sail over your house or hover in the trees. Make sure to tie off the strings to something solid so they don’t get away.
Get a Spooky Manicure
It’s amazing what a few bottles of nail polish can do to help you get in the spirit. Women and girls can sport basic orange nails or try a fancier look with orange and black stripes. Men and boys can show their dark side with a black or brown manicure.
Be Fun AND Safe
If you have children that are going to be walking in the streets trick-or-treating, make sure they are easy to see at night. Tie or sew glow-sticks to your child’s costume so they can be seen more easily in the dark. Alternatively, use a little reflective tape. In addition, give them a flashlight to take with them.
Don’t Leave Your Pet Out of the Fun
There are lots of excellent costumes out there for Fido and Felix. If your pet is the calm type, try dressing her up for Halloween! If you have a nervous pet, be sure to put him in a back bedroom or other quiet spot in the house if you expect to get a lot of trick-or-treaters. The constant stream of visitors can spook some pets.
Play Hide the Pumpkin
If you’re looking for a simple, but fun, Halloween game, try “hide the pumpkin.” All you need is a bunch of mini pumpkins, which you can usually get at your local grocery store around this time of year. Then hide them all over the house or in the yard and the person who finds the most wins a prize!
About the Authors
We are the co-founders of Buttoned Up, Inc., a company dedicated to helping stretched and stressed women get themselves organized and co-authors of “Everything (almost) In Its Place.” We welcome your thoughts! Please visit us at www.getbuttonedup.com
