The annual pumpkin patch is in full swing. The leaves are falling, temperatures are cooling down and you can smell the acorns sorcery ready to be unleashed on all who dare enter its realm of dreams this Halloween night!
First of all, if you are not already in the Halloween spirit, it is probably time for you to start thinking about getting into that spooky mood. If that doesn’t help then here are some ideas on how to get yourself and your friends into the Halloween mood even though there is a worldwide pandemic going on.
1) Decoration
Everyone loves Halloween decorations and there are plenty of ways to incorporate them into daily life despite the pandemic. You can mark off certain areas as quarantine zones with orange tape so people know where they shouldn’t enter because it might be dangerous. Put up some cobwebs around your door frame or hang up some skeletons so everyone knows you have been gone with the grim reaper for a while. You don’t even need to decorate that much because it is the thought that counts.
2) Music
Listening to Halloween-themed music helps with your spooky mood, but you have to be careful when choosing what songs to listen to. Avoid listening to songs with high notes since they may irritate or strain your voice and lead to a coughing fit which will expose you as a possibly infected individual. Just relax and enjoy some creepy classical music from composers such as Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Hector Berlioz, Camille Saint-Saëns or Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Or go all out and listen to some Monster Mash by Bobby “Boris” Pickett.
3) Movies
Easily one of the best ways to get into the Halloween spirit is going to a movie. You can take a trip to your local movie theater and watch a scary movie that you have been meaning to see for some time now, get together with friends and make it a superhero-themed night with Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice or I, Frankenstein. Or maybe even bring out your inner child and re-watch the classic cartoon from 1966 The Munster’s, or go one step further and watch Return to Oz which was originally intended as a sequel to The Wizard of Oz but failed. Either way, movies are great for getting you into that spooky mood.
4) Crafts & Parties
Crafts and parties are a classic staple of Halloween celebrations. It is never too early to start having fun and celebrating this spooky occasion. However, do not go all out because it could compromise your social distancing efforts. So maybe just lay off on the crazy pumpkin carvings or that haunted house you have been thinking about throwing for some time now, but definitely don’t miss out on those Halloween-themed parties.
5) Games & Dares
If you are looking for slightly more interactive ways to celebrate Halloween (because sometimes watching other people have fun isn’t as fun), then games and dares are perfect for you. As I wrote in my previous blog post about social distancing, having fun doesn’t always mean you need to be with other people. Games such as Halloween bingo or Halloween charades can be played as a solo activity and provide hours of fun. Dares on the other hand require some level of interaction but less than games. You could for example dare your friends or family to dress up in haunted costumes or go trick-or-treating around the block and see who gets back first.
6) Food & Drinks
Last but not least, celebrating Halloween wouldn’t be complete without good food and drinks. Many countries celebrate Halloween by having festive dinners together which means you probably already have all that is needed to prepare those meals. So why start making them now instead of waiting for the official day itself? And who said you can’t enjoy your Halloween treats in between the days leading up to Halloween and on October 31st itself. There are plenty of other fun activities that don’t require much preparation time such as watching movies, playing games or even dressing up like a monster yourself. All in all, there is no reason why you shouldn’t celebrate Halloween this year considering that it falls into your social distancing window.
