Carve Out More Family Time

Halloween Ideas to Bring You Closer Together

By the time Halloween rolls around, many families are shoulders-deep into the hustle and bustle of the school year. This holiday provides a great opportunity to focus on family, and spend some quality time together.

Contrary to modern interpretations, Halloween is not at all satanic. The name itself actually comes from the Christian All Hallows Even (or Eve), the holy evening before All Hallows Day - what we now call All Saints Day 1 . By the 16 th century, the name was shortened to Hallowe'en, and eventually the apostrophe was dropped. It was a day of feasting, to celebrate the religion's Saints. Overshadowed by this Christian holiday was the well established Celtic-Pagan holiday of Samhain. This ancient fire festival (bonfire celebration) was the midpoint between the fall equinox and winter solstice. Harvest was welcomed in, a sure sign that the "dark" half of the year would soon follow. In this dark time the "light" of the physical world would fade, thinning the veil between spiritual and physical 2 . Metaphorically, it was a time to reflect on the "dark" parts of oneself. Literally, it was a time when otherworldly spirits were said to visit.

Knowing this bit of history, you and your family can gather together to celebrate the season, reflect on events, and support each other emotionally. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Visit Local Attractions

- The Canora Corn Trails are a fun place to visit during October! Get lost in 50 acres of a corn maze, complete with jump scares and a fire pit area for family picnics. Located West of Canora.

- Al Benesocky's Shock House along the #10 Highway is the place to be if you like haunted houses! Oozing with horror and dripping with frights, this place is a haunted hit year after year.

- Other attractions can include visiting pumpkin patches, getting on hayrides, or heading out to a petting zoo. If your kids are involved in extracurricular activities, their club or group may be putting on an event or show that you can attend.

Carve Some Pumpkins

Easily the most common Halloween tradition, and for good reason! Designing the scariest Jack-O'-Lantern or creating a pumpkin masterpiece is fun for the whole family. Toddlers and young children can express their creativity through painting, stickers and accessory kits while older children and young adults can utilize carving tools to bring depth to their creations.

Go Trick-Or-Treating Together

This age-old tradition can make for a fun evening of joy and laughter. You can also incorporate teachable moments, including safety around strangers, safety around crossing the street, practicing manners when speaking and when walking on other properties.

Watch Scary Movies

Whether you decide to relive your youth by introducing your kids to Halloween classics or make new memories by exploring contemporary flicks together, gathering everyone for a movie night can be appealing to every member of the family. With so many options available via streaming services these days, you can find something age-appropriate within minutes. To complete the night, snack on seasonal treats like those on page 20!

Make Masks

It's fun to pretend you're someone (or something) else! There are lots of free mask templates roaming the internet that you can download for free. This can be a light-hearted activity, or an exercise in externalizing emotions. A mask representing a dark or unwanted part of yourself allows you to recognize and feel that emotion for a set time. Perhaps a werewolf describes your rage - creating and then wearing that mask allows you to constructively take control of the parts of yourself that you don't like. In the spirit of ancient Halloween activities, you and your kids can "bare all" in a safe and trusting environment, all while having some fun.

Recycle Your Pumpkin

Once the holiday fun is done, you may wonder what to do with the leftover pumpkin. Consider these:

- Bake the seeds. Eat them yourself, or share them with local wildlife. They're delicious when baked with a light coating of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.

- Make slime. the stringy, gooey insides of a pumpkin make for a ghoulish bowl of guts, perfect for Halloween pranks. You can use the pulp in its natural state, or search for recipes that add glue, water and baking soda for more texture.

- Compost it. Everything will break down nicely, except for the seeds. the soft textures of pumpkins are a preferred treat of worms. And, it's nitrogen content is high, which means it's excellent food for your soil.

- Donate to a nearby farm. Pumpkins are a tasty treat for wildlife and livestock. If you don't have any visitors in your own backyard, see if a nearby farm will make use of your pumpkin.

Sources: 1) Halloween Origins, Merriam-Webster. 2022. https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/halloween-origin-spelling. 2) Samhain, A&E Television Network. 2022. https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/samhain