It is October 1st, and you know what that means. Spooky season is officially here! It’s time to whip out those ghouls and goblins decor, sticky spider webs, and don’t forget your witch hat. Halloween originated as a Celtic festival call Samhain where people would wear costumes and light bonfires to ward off ghosts and spirits. Eventually, the evening was renamed to All Hallows Eve and later on turned into Halloween. Many Halloween traditions include pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, dressing up in costumes, and of course, eating lots of candy. Now I know that the circumstances this year won’t exactly allow all the usual Halloween activities to take place, but that’s no reason to pout! There are still many options for things to do around the Lower Mainland to get into the holiday spirit this October.
- Visit a Pumpkin Patch
This is one of the best choices for getting into the Halloween spirit this year. Pumpkin patches are beautiful fields where pumpkins grow all Spring and Summer to be ready by Fall! These fields are filled with bright orange pumpkins of every shape and size. You get to walk around and look at each one and pick out the one you like the most. Then, you get to take it home! This is a great 2020 activity because it is completely outdoors, and social distancing is easy in a big pumpkin patch. Almost every pumpkin patch also has a tractor hayride, and a petting zoo filled with fluffy animals. Don’t forget to grab a hot chocolate or apple cider while you’re there too!
Here’s a list of local pumpkin patches for you to check out this October.
www.maanfarms.com – Abbotsford
www.chilliwackcornmaze.com – Chilliwack
www.aldoracresfamilyfarm.ca – Langley
www.laitypumpkinpatch.com – Maple Ridge
www.countrypumpkinpatch.ca – Richmond
www.hazelmerepumpkinpatch.ca – Surrey
www.southlandsfarms.ca – Vancouver
- Jack-O-Lantern Carving
Now that you’ve got your pumpkin picked out, you’re ready to start carving! Jack-O-Lantern carving is a fantastic family activity for Halloween, and completely safe for COVID-19 protocols because you can do it from the comfort of your home. All you need to do is lay down some newspaper, so you don’t make a mess, grab a knife or a carving tool, and a pumpkin scoop for the seeds and guts. Then you’re good to go! There are many designs you can carve into your pumpkin ranging from super easy to super difficult. You can carve anything from a face to a cat, to a bat, to a skull, to a ghost; the options are endless! If you’re stuck on an idea of what to carve, you can also look online for templates. If you want to be extra creative, you can even add paint and glitter to add to your awesome design. Don’t forget to keep the pumpkin seeds to the side and clean them off after you’re done. That way you can make roasted pumpkin seeds! Yum!
After you’re completely done with your carving, you can put your pumpkin on your front porch and put a candle in it to light it up. Down below is a link for some awesome carving ideas, as well as a delicious roasted pumpkin seed recipe!
https://www.pinterest.ca/rainbow20th/pumpkin-carving-ideas/ – Pumpkin Carving Designs
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13768/roasted-pumpkin-seeds/ – Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
- Haunted Corn Maze
If you’re missing out on the spooky factor for Halloween this year, this might be the thing for you. A haunted corn maze is a creepy activity where you walk through fields of corn that’s made out to be like a haunted house. Many of these corn mazes have actors dressed up in costumes and jump out of the corn bushes to scare you. 9/10 times successful. I have been chased by a guy with a chainsaw in one of these mazes before. So, beware. If being scared is not your thing, I would not recommend this activity. But if it is, lets freaking do it! There are multiple chill factors with these mazes such as getting lost in tall corn stalks, creepy people jumping out from behind you, being in the pitch dark, and getting out alive. Just kidding, you’ll get out alive. This outdoor activity is also totally COVID friendly because everyone’s wearing masks! Here is an awesome haunted corn maze that’ll be sure to give you chills.
https://www.maanfarms.com/haunted-2020/ – Abbotsford
- Halloween Movie Marathon
Whether you like scary horror movies or wholesome family movies, there is a Halloween movie for you! This is one of my favourite October activities because it really gets me in the spooky season spirit. Grab a nice cup of hot cocoa or apple cider, bake some delicious cookies, heat up some buttery popcorn, and enjoy a holiday movie! I’m just going to jump right into some awesome Halloween movies you can watch this year.
Halloweentown (1998) – A classic Disney channel movie about a family of witches and their adventures with Grandma in Halloweentown fighting off dark forces.
Hocus Pocus (1993) – Another classic, three witches come back from the dead when a black flame candle is lit in their old home. They try to steal the souls of children to stay young forever. Can they be stopped?
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – This movie is Halloween and Christmas inspired. The story of Jack Skellington and his obsession with Christmas leading him to abduct Santa Claus.
Halloween (1978) – Michael Myers is a mental patient who killed his sister on Halloween night and now has an obsession with serial killing.
The Haunted Mansion (2003) – A couple visits a mansion that is for sale and they soon discover the property is haunted by evil spirits.
Beetlejuice (1988) – Deceased couple tries to scare away a family that has moved into their old house. After being unsuccessful, they seek the help of Beetlejuice.
I hope some of these Halloween-inspired activities have sparked your holiday spirit this October. It is still possible to enjoy the spirit of Halloween during this pandemic and it is important for your mental health to continue doing the things you love to do. Enjoy your October, and don’t forget to do the monster mash!