Thursday, 29 October 2020

Halloween at Home 2020| Carenza Bramwell

If you scroll into the depths of my blog, then you will know I am a massive Halloween lover. My family goes all out for the holidays. Obviously, due to the pandemic, Halloween is a bit different this year. No trick or treating. No going out. As someone who knows a thing or two about how to make Halloween special at home, here are some tips on how to make this year's Halloween a spooktacular event.

Some pumpkins from 2017

 Decorate the House

This is something I have done every year, probably since I was a very small child. I love decorating the house. It doesn't have to be all out, it can be quite subtle. It's a tradition I've continued onto university. Most shops sell some form of Halloween decorations for affordable prices. They're also reusable, so they can be kept for future Halloween's. My housemates and I have had our decorations, which mostly consist of various Halloween themed fairy lights and a couple of fake pumpkins, up since the beginning of October to make the most of spooky season. I know this year, we are being encouraged to decorate the front of our houses to create a treasure hunt type event for local children instead of them going trick or treating. With decorating, you can go big or small. You can tailor it to your taste. It can also be a fun activity to do with friends or family.  

Halloween Themed Food

Quite possibly one of my favourite things about Halloween and other celebrations around the year, is the themed food. I don't know why the idea of eating chicken goujons in the shape of something else makes me more excited than normal, it just does. In more recent years, shops have been going all out with their Halloween themed food. There's a wide range from savoury to sweet. Something I'm trying for the first time, is a Halloween themed baking kit. It cost me £2 and I am greatly looking forward to making some Halloween biscuits. Alternatively, you could buy ordinary food and make Halloween themed yourself. This used to be really entertaining when I was a child and would have Halloween parties, but again is something that can be done with friends and family.  

Autumnal Walk

Something I will be doing on Halloween is going on an autumnal walk. Admittedly, you can do this any time during autumn, but as most of Halloween will have to be spent at home, make the most of being able to go on a walk. I'd recommend a woodland walk, to give it that extra Halloween feeling. You could maybe even dress up and go in costume on your walk. An activity I'd recommend, is telling spooky stories as you walk, taking inspiration from your surroundings. It allows you to burn some energy off before settling down for some of my more calmer, evening activities.    

Arts and Crafts

My housemate actually came up with this idea after the pumpkins we carved fell apart after only one week. We are going to be making paper mache pumpkins. I also want to attempt making a ghost and some ghost bunting. Arts and crafts are always fun, no matter if you're a child or grown up. They can be very therapeutic and encourage creativity. I'm sure if you can think of it, then it can be made. A simple google search will help spark inspiration. It's a chilled activity that everyone can join in on.  

Spooky Movies

My last recommendation is a classic and that is to curl up in front of the TV with a good spooky movie/tv show. Again the list is endless and one you can tailor to your preference. Alternatively, you could curl up with a good spooky book. Personally, I plan on curling up with The Nightmare Before Christmas, my favourite Halloween movie. Get some snacks, create the right atmosphere and enjoy yourself. 

Those are some activities you can do on this Halloween to make it just as magical as any Halloween. I hope you have fun!
Carenza :) x