It’s almost Halloween! Did you know it originates from the Celtic festival of Samhain? That’s right. Halloween originated in Ireland, Scotland, and a small island off the coast of England known as the Isle of Man.
Over time, Halloween has evolved into a day of fun for the whole family and has been completely embraced by us here in the U.S. Whether you’re a Halloween devotee, or just looking for new, fun ideas, we have five unique, family-friendly Halloween traditions for you to enjoy.
- Get Your Halloween Game On
Whether you’re having a party or just spending time with the family, share the fun with a Halloween game. Put away your traditional family games, ditch the Charades, and check out the ideas that blogger Miranda of Spooky Little Halloween has on her blog, such as a Halloween bingo music game which you can download.
2. A Teal Pumpkin On Your Doorstep = Allergy-Friendly Halloween Treats
Need to be allergy-friendly? A new and cool tradition is to put out teal pumpkins on your doorstep for allergy-friendly treats. What a great, inclusive idea.
Why not include:
- Surf Sweets Spooky Shapes – They’re free of the top ten food allergens, including nuts, eggs, wheat and milk and they’re all kinds of yummy. You can find them now at Target.
- Glow sticks and other glow in the dark items
- Halloween erasers or pencil toppers
You can find out more about The Teal Pumpkin Project Ⓡ on their website.
3. Don’t Forget The Grown-Ups!
Keep those chills at bay with this Halloween warmer. The New Orleans Cafe Brulot is for sharing and enjoying, perhaps when the little ones are enjoying their candy!
You will need:
- ¼ cup cognac or brandy
- 2 tsp Wholesome Organic Cane Sugar
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 ½ cups hot, freshly-brewed fair trade coffee
All you need to do is:
In a small saucepan, combine the cognac/brandy, sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick and zest. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved.
Then, using a long fireplace match, carefully ignite the brandy. When the flame subsides, add the coffee and stir. Pour into cups and serve.
4. Try Halloween Dirt Cups!
This is one for the kids and grown-ups. Make edible dirt cups – we like this vegan recipe from Fried Dandelions – then add a spooky, tasty, allergy-friendly selection of candy such as our Sour Worms or Gummy Worms. See who can get the messiest!
Serve them in plant pots for even more fun.
5. Celebrate Halloween Like The Europeans?
In Ireland, one of their Halloween traditions involves an apple, a door frame and a piece of string! You tie an apple to the door frame and take it in turns to try and take a bite. If snap-apple doesn’t sound like fun, did you know the Brits love dressing up as witches on Halloween, and before pumpkins were available to them, used to use turnips?
In Poland, doors and windows are left open to welcome the spirits of visiting souls. While the Spanish have a special alcoholic drink known as a Queimada that is said to keep evil spirits away.
Whatever your plans for Halloween, we wish you a happy and healthy celebration with lots of fun and surprises.
