
Celebrated for the past 3,000 years or so, Halloween is a festival of Celtic origin—a legacy of the religious Samain festival—which was a kind of New Year’s Day at that time. Mainly celebrated in Ireland, Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Canada, it brings together a number of traditions, including the custom of going trick-or-treating, door-to-door, to the homes in our neighbourhood.
Faced with the present situation, however, we have to change our habits. But it isn’t necessary to abandon our traditions, as much for children as for adults. So we have a few suggestions for you. Let’s reinvent Halloween, until we can get together again!
Celebrate Halloween differently
Although people who love these celebrations often put a lot of effort into decorating and creating the right atmosphere, it doesn’t have to take a lot of preparation to mark this event, but rather just a bit of ingenuity. We promise you that the children will be equally delighted! For example, you can prepare a candy hunt right in your home, in your backyard or in nature. Hide your treats well, dress up the whole family for the occasion and give your clues according to the age and abilities of your youngsters. If your children are older, don’t hesitate to surprise them by turning the basement or a room in your home into a haunted house or get them involved in preparing it. This room will then be perfect for watching a scary movie with the family. For those who love creative costumes, organize a virtual Halloween night parade with friends and family. Behind the screen, everyone will be able to present their best disguise for the occasion.
Costumes: finding an idea
As every year, a number of stores have a wide variety of ready-to-wear costumes to offer you; however, this option—although fast and easy—quickly becomes expensive and harmful to the environment. Recycling costumes, borrowing them or making them yourself are all much better options for your budget as well as for the planet. If you lack the inspiration to make your youngest child’s unicorn costume, don’t worry! The Internet is full of inspiring ideas to help you that are easy to carry out. Websites like Pinterest and Google are great in this regard, not to mention bloggers, virtual magazines or the websites of specialty stores. What’s important is to let yourself be inspired.
Where can you find the materials you need?
There are many places to find what you need; again, all it takes is a bit of imagination. Your storage space is surely a great place to rummage through. Using clothes or objects from another season or oversized clothing, you can create awesome costumes. Our grandparents often kept a few small pieces of jewellery or accessories that would be perfect for a disguise, sometimes just by changing the purpose or nature of the object. You can also visit second-hand clothing stores (thrift shops) in your city or make trades with cousins and friends.
If you still lack creative talent, think:
– Second-hand clothing stores
– Village des valeurs
– Antique shops
– An outfit previously purchased that has become too small for someone
These options will help save you time and the whole family will benefit from that as well…
And lastly, some municipalities will also be allowing traditional trick-or-treating on Halloween (October 31 evening), but it’s important to follow the Government’s recommendations at all times. This year, there are three main guidelines:
– Children will have to be with family members only; they won’t be able to spend Halloween with their friends.
– Adults giving out candy will have to keep two meters away from the children.
– Children will not be allowed to go inside any homes.
So take note of this wise advice for a safe Halloween celebration, and remember, after the celebration, if you think your costumes won’t fit next year, pass them on! To make someone happy next year, consider making a donation in the red donation box nearest you!
Entraide diabétique du Québec wishes you a happy Halloween!