Halloween/Samhain/Calan Gaeaf/Autumn Harvest activities :)

[Jasujo]

Hi all! I hope everyone will have a happy Halloween/Samhain/Calan Gaeaf/Autumn Harvest! If I have missed a name for the holiday, just let me know, but I think I covered the major ones.

Anyway, I am trying to think of something special to do with my girls this year on October 31st or All Hallow's Eve (Oct. 30th). It's our first year to celebrate with a house of our own with a gorgeously big backyard, so I'm trying to think of some ideas to make the best of it. I've been kind of in a brain rut lately, so all I have thought up is maybe a special dinner and some games or something out back, but nothing specific yet. I was wondering if anyone else could think up something fun/special to do?

Btw, the girls are aged: almost 7, 5 1/2, 3, and almost 2. We don't really need to downplay anything for the littler ones as we mostly treat them as little people. They like spooky things, but a couple are a little more antsy than others.

Last edited by Jasujo on Tue Oct 12, 2004 8:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[jellyoflight]

What about apple bobbing?


Or making toffee apples with the girls?


Or, before it gets dark, and when they aren't there (or you could get Tim to), hide sweets in various places, and have a hunt-the-sweets competition (keeps some spare so that if someone doesn't get one then you'll have some to give to them)?

Last edited by jellyoflight on Tue Oct 12, 2004 8:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Jasujo]

Oh! Hunting for sweets is such a good idea! I think the girls would love that. I was looking throught the candy at the store last night and they actually have glow-in-the-dark wrappers this year on a lot of them. I was trying to think of something to do with them and I think you've just found it! It's something all the girls could do as well. Thank you very much!

Does anyone else have any ideas?

[Paul]

Balloons! But my family doesn't celebrate Halloween, but I inflate loads of balloons and have them around the lounge floor. My sister loves it =). The more the better.

[Jasujo]

Oh, that's a good idea, too. At one party (a dual birthday party), my friend and I blew up balloons and put little gifts in them. They covered the whole floor. Then we let everyone back in and they had to pop the balloons to get the gifts. That was loads of fun and it's easy to do (although I can't blow up balloons, so I'll leave that to Tim lol). Thanks for reminding me.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

You guys have such great ideas. I'm making a list. lol I'm getting really excited about the holiday now.

[Sapphire Faerie]

Fill a box with random bits of costumes, as well as other "dress up" items. They shuld be items easily slipped on, accessories, such as hats, scarves, masks, etc.
Present the girls with the box, and give them a set amount of time to throw together the wackiest costume they can from the given items. To avoid them fighting over items, you could give each child her own box with items, and even have them out of eachother's view while dressing up, so that there's an element of surprise.
Then you and Tim can judge them in differentr categories (with enough that each girl wins at least once) and give prizes.

A pumpkin hunt. Hide a pumpkin somewhere. Also hide clues, each clue can be hidden with some candy too. Give the girls the first clue, which will tell them where to look for the next one, and that one in turn will lead to the next one, until the final one leads to the pumpkin. And then you can all carve the pumpkin together once you find it.

[Jasujo]

Oh, those are really cute ideas, too, Chass. We bought a really cool pumpkin carving kit and we're really excited to use it. (One of the designs it gives is a howling wolf. It's just awesome. ) That's an interesting way to start the pumpkin carving instead of just putting it on the table and going at it.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

[Matt]

Probably going to have a unique answer, but, oh well.

Me and my family tend to veer towards the more traditional celebrations, for example, we celebrate Imbolc, Beltane, Yule, and of course Samhain. Each celebration, we go out into the forest near my house and night, and we light a fire, and we sit around it, and talk. We make a dinner over the fire, and we talk some more. It is absolutely brilliant. We forget about our worries, and we just relax and be at the ease and just enjoy the company of others. Often we stay out till early morning, just laughing around the camp fire, having a great time.

[Jasujo]

That sounds like a lot of fun, Matt. Tim and I were thinking of having a little fire out back the night before because we'd of course be trick-or-treating the next day. I didn't think of actually cooking the dinner over it, though. Hmm, maybe I can come up with some fun food ideas to cook over the fire.

Does anyone have any ideas?

[Sapphire Faerie]

As long as there's S'mores. You can't have a fire and not have S'mores.

[Zero!]

Uhhh... maybe roast little beef squares over the fire (if you eat meat, that is)?

I dunno, just a random idea that popped into my head. Hmmm... I should try that one day. Beefy square on a stick, mmmmm... Oh great, I just made myself hungry! x_x

[Jasujo]

Ooh, like souvlaki or spitada. MMmmm. That's a good idea. My family actually has an excellent recipe that uses Portuguese Madeira wine. We've cooked it over the grill, but never over and actual fire. That's usually saved for a special treat for us, but I think it fits in with this occasion.

S'mores are an excellent idea as well as marshmellows.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

[Christopher]

As long as there's S'mores. You can't have a fire and not have S'mores.

Or a ritual scrifice to honour the gods.

I recommend with a large backyard, something large and scary jumping out of the bushes. Tell me you have bushes.

[Jasujo]

Something large and scary jumping out of the bushes? lol

As fun as that would be, the girls wouldn't go back into the yard until they'd been through heavy therapy. lol

[Paul]

Something large and scary jumping out of the bushes? lol

As fun as that would be, the girls wouldn't go back into the yard until they'd been through heavy therapy. lol

Ahh, maybe next year.