If you celebrated Halloween growing up, no doubt one of your favorite memories is of trick-or-treating with your friends. Hot masks you could barely see through weren’t even a care as you traipsed from house to house to see if the neighbors could recognize you. Screams of excitement and laughter were heard up and down the block.
How can you create this same feeling of community and start some memorable traditions in your area? Check out these fun ideas from our Halloween celebration mavens at American Greetings to help spark a fresh idea all your own.
- Pass out a flyer inviting everyone to participate in a house-decorating contest. Select a date for the judges committee to view all of the houses and decide the winner. Consider purchasing a small trophy that can be passed down each year to the next winner.
- Similarly, it’s easy to host a pumpkin-carving contest. After circulating flyers and selecting a judges committee and judging date, be a little sneaky in the announcement of the winner. Consider surprising the winner by placing a ribbon on the pumpkin or their front door in the early morning for everyone to see as they leave for work or school.
- Have you ever heard of ‘booing’ your neighbors? Instead of knocking and waiting to be handed a treat, leave a small bag of goodies at an unsuspecting neighbor’s house. Include a note asking them to pay it forward to someone else and a small pumpkin or ghost sign to hang in their window to show that they have already been booed.
- Block parties aren’t just for summer months anymore. Contact a few friendly neighbors and plan an old-fashioned apple themed fall party. Serve up some spiced cider, set up a caramel apple dipping station, and have the kids bob for apples.
- If you’re familiar with other parents on your block, why not invite their families over after trick-or-treating for some goodies and a candy swap? The parents can trade stories while the children barter for the perfect assortment of Halloween goodies.
However you decide to celebrate in your neighborhood, grab the opportunity to embrace your inner child and have a little fun. Starting your own traditions not only will improve your relationship with everyone on your block, but it will create awesome memories for the children in the neighborhood for years to come.
What’s your fondest Halloween tradition from childhood?
The fall season welcomes many great traditions. But perhaps the most fun of them all is selecting a perfect pumpkin to take home and decorate as your own. But (truth be told) once that orange beauty is finally home, you probably end up spending at least a few hours spreading out newspapers, wielding sharp carving instruments and cleaning up lots (and lots) of pumpkin seeds!
