Woooooo! It’s Halloween!

Halloween is upon us today, and little ghouls, goblins, princesses and pirates will be knocking on doors in the early evening, hoping for treats.

Halloween is a pagan festival, widely celebrated in the USA (where is coincides with Autumn harvests, hence the pumpkins!), but trick or treating is getting bigger every year in New Zealand, so it’s a good idea to have a plan.

If you support Halloween, stock up on sweets to hand out to little door-knockers. Wrapped sweets are the most hygienic, and it is absolutely fine to ask small visitors to only take one and move on! Halloween is a bit of fun, so feel free to dress up your self to answer the door, or decorate your front porch or letterbox so that trick-or-treaters know they are welcome. See below for more creative Halloween ideas and turn it into a creative activity to do with children.

Kids love to be scared (in a safe environment), so think of some fun ideas – peeled grapes feel awfully like eyeballs when you are blindfolded, or you can make spooky jelly by combining colours when their are  almost set. You may also like to try carving your own jack o’lantern!

It is also great fun to get amongst trick or treating with your children and grandchildren. They think it is wonderful to be allowed to go and ask their neighbours for sweets, and the dress ups are gorgeous. Small children do need to be supervised, and in some cases, reminded of their manners.

Conversely, if Halloween is not your thing, simply tape a note to your letterbox saying ‘No Trick or Treating here please’ to avoid unnecessary visitors. It is absolutely your right to choose whether to participate in Halloween or not.

Some people also have a sign for their door or letterbox in case their lolly supply runs out, or they have had enough knocks at the door.