Halloween is almost here, and it's going to be a little different for everyone this year. Trick or Treating isn't allowed, so we need to find alternative ways to enjoy the spooky season and have a bit of fun.
My local area has organised a haunted houses event, where we make Halloween window displays and people walk around to look at them. I think I might make a giant version of my skeleton design! Check your local Facebook pages to see if there is an event near you to join in with.
Apart from that, I plan to decorate my house, eat Halloween food, and get cosy watching scary films!
Read on for some tips to make an absolutely spooktacular Halloween celebration at home...
Halloween Decorations
It wouldn't be Halloween without decorations! Classic pumpkins, bats, ghosts, spiders and skeletons always look great. As well as carving a real pumpkin, I've made some squishy ones using my skull and pumpkin print fabrics from Spoonflower. They're really easy, and can be used every year. I got a fat quarter of each fabric, which made a pumpkin that's about 22cm diameter.
A really quick decoration can be made by getting a mini munchkin pumpkin, cutting a rectangle in one side, and inserting some plastic vampire teeth! Stick a couple of pins in for eyes, or use googly eyes.
If you want some more ideas, my decorating for Halloween Pinterest board is full of inspiration for pumpkin carving and fun little craft projects.
My pink skeleton wall hanging is spooky, but cute too, so I think it could be used all year round. And I've also designed a dangly skeleton decoration version which you can print out and make at home! Just cut out the pieces, punch holes where the black dots are and tie the bones together with loops of string. Perfect to hang on the wall or in the window. You can get the free download by signing up to my email newsletter here. If you're already signed up, you should have got one already.
Halloween Table of Food
If you would prefer a physical copy of my skeleton decoration, you can get one in the Halloween cake box from Cat Food Cakes. Which brings me onto the topic of food! The box is full of yummy (and spooky) cakes for your halloween at home, and it arrives in the post, so you don't even have to do anything. Perfect.
I've dressed my table with my pumpkin print tablecloth and skeleton statement table runner, as it's a really easy and lazy way to get a Halloween vibe going on. Arrange your snacks and cakes along the skeleton - he won't mind!
My cakes were made in a Nordic Ware skull cake pan, and I just used the recipe for spiced cakes that was included. I was really impressed with how well they turned out, and they taste good too!
For the cookies, I halved the dough and added a few drops of green and orange food colouring to a basic vanilla cookie recipe, and decorated them with eyes, orange sprinkles, and candy corn. Putting the eyes on when the cookies were still hot made them stick to the top.
Have a look at my Halloween Party Table Pinterest board for more food ideas.
Halloween Movie night
Now you've got your snacks sorted, all you need to do it get in your skeleton pyjamas, and get cosy with a film. And the bonus of no trick or treating means that you won't be disturbed, and you get to eat the sweets yourself.
Here are my personal Top 10 Halloween films. I'm not into slashers, and prefer spooky and psychological, and especially old ones. A bit of grainy black and white or non computer effects look so much scarier in my opinion!
1. Night of the Living Dead (1968) - great story and a great actor
2. Invasion of the Bodysnatchers (1956) - I love all the rubbery monster plants!
3. Rosemary's Baby (1968) - really creepy, and excellent fashion
4. The Fog (1980) - what's not to love about ghost pirates?!
5. The Birds (1963) - it will make you a bit nervous of birds for ever more
6. Troll Hunter (2010) - it's funny, and it's got trolls!
7. The Conjuring (2013) - i only watched this recently, and enjoyed it. Creepy, and they really made it look 1970's.
8. Little Monsters (2019) - this is not a typical Halloween film, but it has zombies in, so I think it counts. It's funny, got great actors, and is just lovely!
9. Frankenweenie (2012) - I was worried that this wouldn't be as good as the short version, but I really liked it! And the fluffy cat is amazing.
10. Return to Oz (1985) - not sure I can even watch this, as it's the most terrifying thing I've ever seen. Those wheelies! (shudder)
Tag me on instagram @chimpsteaparty if you try any ideas from the blog!
More Halloween Inspiration...
Browse my Halloween Collection
Read my blog post on having a movie night at home
Read my round up of Halloween accessories from small businesses