We know that Halloween isn’t as big in South Africa (yet) as in America or that it’s everyone’s cup of tea. But it is a great opportunity to rally your neighbours for some fun in your area. Even better is that it doesn’t need to be a total grisly fright night either – here are a few last minute ideas of how to keep things light-hearted, yet suspenseful:
Trick and treat with a twist
This one is actually less trick and more treat for you and your neighbours: by baking delicious Halloween inspired delights and sharing the loot with your neighbours. If no inspiring recipes come to mind, a simple Google search will provide you with thousands to try. Or if you run out of time, why not pop to your nearest store – nowadays you can easily and readily pick up Halloween treats from Woolworths, Pick ‘n Pay, Spar and Checkers. Now isn’t that a sweet deal?
Organise a scavenger hunt
If your neighbourhood’s kids are already familiar with trick or treating, take it to a new level with a scavenger hunt. Organise with a few homes in your area to hide fun Halloween prizes in their front gardens – be it a bar of chocolate or an inexpensive toy. Give each of the children a list of what’s up for grabs and clues to where they can find it. The key is to make sure that each child – young or older – has the opportunity to find at least one prize. You’ll be surprised how much fun a scavenger hunt can be for parents too!
Host a movie marathon
Who doesn’t enjoy a good movie marathon, especially if it comes with a side order popcorn, sweets, slushies, and, of course, a little bit of suspense. And no, we’re not talking about scaring yourself or your neighbours senseless with a viewing of The Shining or The Blair Witch Project – rather choose family-friendly options like Ghostbusters (the old and new versions), Casper, Scary Movie and Hocus Pocus.
Host a dress up party
There’s nothing more quintessentially Halloween than a dress up party. It also happens to be a pretty unusual and entertaining way to get to know your neighbours better! You can choose to refrain from the typically scary Frankenstein outfits and keep things light and fun by asking your guests to dress as their celebrity lookalike or their favourite movie character. Add some carved out pumpkins and other Halloween decorations to your home for a real Halloween party effect.
Play a round of Thrilling Bingo
What child (big or small) doesn’t love playing a board game – especially if something sweet is up for grabs? Round up your neighbours for a Halloween-inspired evening of Bingo. Ditch those stock-standard bingo cards with numbers, and make your own cards that feature Halloween themed imagery such as a ghost, a pumpkin, a haunted house, skeletons and bats. Make sure there are delicious treat hampers for the first and second person to get five images in a row.
Play Halloween Charade
This game is great to play and is also bound to leave everyone in stitches – whether your guests are young or old! Write down a few Halloween-themed clues on separate pieces of paper. The clues can range from scary movie titles to typical Halloween characters (Frankenstein). Then, get people to group themselves in teams of 3 or more. Each team gets a turn where one person picks a clue and then has to act it out.
