Seek and find
Are you also going to celebrate Halloween at home on October 31st? Then I have some tips for you to make it happen this weekend. Halloween Making things spooky and cozy at home. My son Manuel is completely obsessed with Halloween, and I have to admit, I'm getting quite carried away. I love following the seasons anyway, but since the lockdowns, I've especially been skipping every opportunity to celebrate whatever's worth celebrating.
What are we actually celebrating with Halloween?
Halloween is the eve of All Saints' Day, which marks the beginning of the Celtic calendar. It became popular in America and Canada in the 19th century with the arrival of Irish immigrants (where Halloween was "born"). Now, it's primarily a children's holiday that involves dressing up and collecting candy while trick-or-treating! I don't see it happening (yet) on our street in Amsterdam, so we're just celebrating Halloween at home. How can you do that? This blog post offers a few tips!
Celebrating Halloween at home: 6 tips
Go to a pumpkin farm
Did you know there are dozens of pumpkin farms in the Netherlands? They're fun to visit during Halloween weekend or even beforehand. Check their websites to see how the harvest is going and what they still have in stock. You can usually visit these pumpkin farms starting in September. View 18 tips for pumpkin farms in the Netherlands here >>
Pumpkin Farm Forest
Hollowing out a pumpkin
It's no Halloween without a homemade pumpkin. You can find all sorts of examples online to make the ultimate Jack-o'-lantern. But you can also carve a completely different shape into the pumpkin. I did it for the first time this year with Manuel, and I have to say: practice makes perfect! Light it (I've now made one myself at home) these LED tea lights) and you've got the cutest homemade decorations. Read the step-by-step instructions on how to carve a pumpkin here >>
More tips for celebrating Halloween at home
Score a Halloween costume
While I'm not particularly into it myself, kids love nothing more than a costume party! And Halloween is that one perfect time of year when you can shamelessly let your child wear a Spiderman, Paw Patrol, or Pajama Hero outfit. Cozy up at home in front of the TV, curtains drawn, and no one to see you in your Dracula costume. And of course, pets can join in too!
Make your home Halloween ready
Celebrating Halloween at home means decorating your house! Pumpkins by the (back) door, lanterns, autumn leaves, and candles—you'll see that with just a few simple things, you can get your house ready for Halloween with the kids. I spotted some fun Halloween decoration ideas on Instagram that aren't ugly. View them here >>
Bake Halloween cookies
Always fun with the kids; baking seasonal cookies. You can find them online and in stores. cookie cutters Pumpkins, bats, and ghosts are all used to bake the spookiest cookies. You could, of course, copy a whole recipe, but with a toddler, I find that everything from scratch often works best. The result when we celebrate Halloween at home is often cookies that are anything but Instagram-worthy, but hey, that's okay, because they're often gone the same day. Need some inspiration? Then check out these examples for the nicest Halloween cookies to make yourself >>
© @_charlieswift via Instagram
Celebrating Halloween at home? Organize a movie night
In our house, Halloween (and especially the weeks leading up to October 31st) isn't complete without watching a family-friendly Halloween movie. So, for those who don't like scary movies, here are a few great lists of Halloween movies:
- The best children's films for Halloween >>
- Movies and series about witches >>
- Halloween movies that aren't (too) scary >>
Make delicious Halloween snacks
Got a taste for cookie baking? Time to take things up a notch for your Halloween party at home! For those who prefer savory to sweet, you'll find the best ideas for savory Halloween treats online. Get inspired here >>
© Woman's Day
More tips for celebrating Halloween at home?
- 18 Pumpkin Farms Throughout the Netherlands >>
- Hollowing out a pumpkin? Here's how you do it >>
- Halloween movies to scare the kids with >>
- 9 Savory Halloween Recipes >>
- 9 Recipes for the tastiest Halloween cookies >>
- Make a delicious recipe with pumpkin >>
- Halloween decoration ideas for home spotted on Instagram >>
- Halloween movies that aren't too scary >>
- The best witches movies and series to watch on demand >>
- Last minute holiday? Read about our experience at the Disney Paris Halloween Festival here >>
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