No matter
what are your annual traditions for October 31, be it trick-or-treating or
partying, it will certainly be suffering a change of form this year. Social
distancing and health protocols will restrict most of the interpersonal aspects
of Halloween, but there are a number of ways that you can celebrate while
remaining safe or even entirely by yourself. Courtesy of Homes.com, here are a
few ways to have a fun Halloween celebration within or around your house this
year, while maintaining safe social distancing.
To start,
there is the perennial classic of pumpkin
carving. It requires no external contact and is one of the most beloved
ways to decorate your home for Halloween. It has nigh-endless creative avenues
for you to express as well, and passersby will marvel at what you produce, if
you let yourself get creative enough.
Another easy
way to pass the time in a decidedly spooky manner is an easy one: scary movie night. Considering that
this activity can have as many or as few people as you want involved, it is
entirely within safety guidelines and a classic way to burn the late-night
candles come October 31. Horror is one of the most popular genres, so there
will never be a shortage of Halloweeny content for you to select from.
If you
happen to have children who were looking forward to the thrill of discovering
candy on Halloween, you can reassure them that their hopes are not completely
dashed. Another idea proposed by Homes.com allows for
that same excitement to be contained in your own backyard. A simple scavenger hunt involving candy hidden
in the little nooks and crannies around your living space will keep young
children entertained and excited on Halloween.
Next up is
the more eccentric tradition of "guess
what's inside" games are available to most anyone with tactile miscellany
lying around their house. Really, all you need are some random items that have
unique surfaces, like a boiled noodle or a peeled banana, with a blindfold.
Having candy or other incentives as a reward can always serve as an easy way to
sweeten the deal.
A cute trend
circulating right now is the simple game of having been "booed,"
and then subsequently "boo'ing it forward." Decorated door-hangs
or simple flyers showing off messages like "We've been booed" help to
spread a quaint little message and encourages others to "boo it
forward" around the neighborhood.
The next two
ideas require a bit of open space in or around your home. Depending on the
temperature on a given day, you might be able to enjoy some classic camaraderie
talking over a lit fire pit. It is a common tradition during the autumn
and winter seasons to enjoy a fire pit's warmth and atmosphere, and this year
is no different. And even if there's not a lot of chill in the air quite yet,
the brightness of the fire and the conversation surrounding it are enough of a
draw.
The next idea
is fun and a guaranteed child-pleaser: Halloween piñatas. Whether you
make one yourself or find a simple ghost piñata at a local store, beating the
heck out of it to release its Halloween-candy innards is an entertaining
activity for anyone involved and is a sure way to generate laughter.
Finally, you
can incorporate a bit of Christmas's thunder into your Halloween by putting a
spooky twist on the age-old tradition of a gingerbread house. Instead of
a bright and jovial abode, you can attempt to use seasonally appropriate candy,
such as candy corn and Halloween-themed chocolate, to decorate a gingerbread
haunted mansion or abandoned shack.
Regardless
of how you plan to spend your socially distanced Halloween, make sure you have
an equal balance of fun and safety.
