13 IDEAS FOR A SAFE HALLOWEEN 2021
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1. CARVE A JACK-O-LANTERN / PAINT PUMPKINS
A great way to approach alternative activities this year is to start by thinking of traditions. Painting or carving pumpkins allows you to roll up your sleeves and bring out your creative side. Try incorporating a face mask or face shield, or host a pumpkin carving party virtually with
friends. Not only is the carving itself an opportunity for social-distancing fun, but you’re left with a handmade decoration sporting your personal touch! Check Amazon for this pumpkin carving kit, or a more kid-friendly version here.
2. START A BAKING OR COOKING TRADITION
Speaking of traditions, why not start your own? Those baking or cooking skills you acquired (or sharpened) at home during a COVID lockdown are ready to be put to use! Imagine all the ghost cookies, pumpkin cupcakes, and witch’s cauldron soups that you can create! Check out the tasty recipes we’ve gathered for you.
3. IMMERSE YOURSELF IN HALLOWEEN MOVIE
The kitchen isn’t the only room people have grown more familiar with since the beginning of the pandemic. Get the most out of your streaming subscription or dig into your personal movie collection to find your favorite Halloween-themed movie.
4. CRAFT A HALLOWEEN PLAYLIST
Whether or not you have a home speaker system (here at HQ we use and recommend Sonos, which is also great for #3 on this list), putting together a Halloween playlist can be a fun way to get into the haunted holiday spirit. Play it back to cheer you up whenever you might be feeling like this year’s Halloween is too far from the ordinary, and share the playlist with friends, too. They’ll appreciate the gesture, but may not be too pleased if a song gets stuck in their head!
5. ROLL UP TO A DRIVE-IN MOVIE
Looking for a safe activity that lets you take a break from the indoors? Look to see if your town or neighboring community is hosting any drive-in movies. Because of the pandemic many of the makeshift outdoor theater events are free to attend. Be sure to reserve a spot ahead of time if required. You can also make your own outdoor theater with this inflatable backyard screen!
6. VISIT A PUMPKIN PATCH
Halloween is all about what lurks in the night, but spending quality time in the open air under the sun is equally as important this season. Although the close quarters of a hayride or corn maze may be too risky this year, there is still plenty of fun to be had on a pumpkin farm! And if you take any pumpkins home, refer back to idea #1!
7. CURL UP WITH A SCARY BOOK
When the weather starts to cool off even more, it’s time to grab a comfy blanket and a good book. Some local libraries are closed for browsing, but in many cases you can reserve books online for pickup or check out an ebook from the library’s website. There are plenty of spooky reads for all ages, and reading a Halloween bedtime story together is sure to build precious family memories.
8. ATTEND OR HOST A VIRTUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY
Even if you’ve had some extra time on your hands since March, it’s not always easy to find time to Zoom or hang out with your friends and family virtually. There’s no wrong way to go about a virtual gathering this season, whether it is to plan coordinated costumes with friends or talk about how the stores have no toilet paper but plenty of candy corn. It’s a great opportunity to show off the playlist you made from #4, too. Halloween is more fun when shared, and despite this year’s circumstances, technology can help keep those connections strong.
9. INCORPORATE A MASK INTO YOUR COSTUME
You probably won’t need a mask for a virtual gathering, but finding ways to incorporate a mask into your Halloween costume is a fun way to bring some extra protection into your holiday activities. Whether your mask mimics vampire fangs or a big friendly mouth with your tongue hanging out, masks have never been such sought-after Halloween accessories as they are this year.
10. GO ALL-OUT WITH DECORATIONS
Maybe putting a face mask on a scarecrow in your front yard is a little extreme, but this year presents an enormous opportunity to take your Halloween decorations to a new level. Whether it’s a collection of jack-olanterns or orange pumpkin string lights, find ways to add your own style to your decorations. Plus, you don’t want to be left out for #11!
11. NEIGHBORHOOD JACK-O-LANTERN HUNT (DECORATION DRIVE-BY)
Remember the teddy bears that popped up in windows all over town earlier this year? Halloween is the perfect time to reinvent this fun way to show solidarity and support in your neighborhood by curating your Halloween decorations, indoors and out. Take a walk or drive around your neighborhood to see what visual treats you can find!
12. VIRTUAL COSTUME CONTEST OR FASHION SHOW
Be careful about how much you hype up your awesome costume during your Halloween Zoom party (#8), because now it’s time to show it off! Hosting a virtual fashion show can be a great way for kids to connect with one another and show off their character’s best moves with confidence. Or for the parents, define your own criteria for whose costume is spookiest! Take a look at the Halloween 2021 themed gear we’ve designed in our shop.
13. HALLOWEEN PIÑATA
If trick-or-treating is not an option this year, that’s not to say you can’t have candy! Try something new and fill a Halloween-themed piñata with a variety of candy. Be careful to use the right kind of “bat” to swing at it safely, though.
BONUS IDEAS!
BONUS STIR UP A SPOOKY COCKTAIL
Spending Halloween in quarantine may be a bummer, but another way to lift your spirits is with, well, spirits! Check out some of the recipes we’ve shared here on HalloweenQuarantine.com or take a stab at your mixing up your own concoction! Whatever you make (and however it tastes), calling it “Witch’s Brew” is a cure-all. Here’s a link to a popular Halloween cocktail e-book on Amazon.
BONUS ORDER HALLOWEEN SPECIALS FROM A RESTAURANT
After all of the activities on this list, it’s time to treat yourself and take a break from all the hard work you’ve put into making Halloween 2021 as remarkable as can be. Call around to see what restaurants are cooking up fall or Halloween specials and have them delivered! It’s also a great way to support local businesses during these tough times!