Alternatives to Halloween Ideas for 2023

Alternatives to Halloween Ideas for 2023

OUTDOORS – Alternatives to Halloween Ideas for 2023 

-Do the Harry Potter jumping broomstick trick at home! Popular at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland. And learn how to levitate a magic wand. Even the photo fails are great fun. (Simply jump in the air to fly, and drop your wand to levitate it!)

-Consider doing a Halloween Hunt, a bit like an Easter Egg hunt, but with halloween treats rather than chocolate eggs (obvs). Claim the mischievous witches have visited the garden, so wrap up warm, shine torches, and hunt for treats in the darkness.

–Ghost stories – I got my husband a fire pit for his birthday recently, and realised we can take that out and tell ghost stories around the fire. A bit of Tam O Shanter perhaps as the flames take hold, some marshmallows too.

–Star gaze and claim shooting stars are witches flying at super speed. Basically just use your imagination!

INDOORS – Alternative Halloween Ideas for 2022 

-In terms of cooking there are so many cute recipes. It can be something simple and hearty like making pumpkin soup together, banana ghosts (really simple with bananas cut in half, and then add choc chips for eyes) or something more intricate like piping chocolate to create spider cookies.

-If you don’t have a garden or if it’s raining, then creating some kind of Halloween den with sheets, torches and treats will do the job. (Obviously no fire pit!)

-Plan a movie night with relevant films such as Ghostbusters, the Addams Family, Casper, Scooby Doo. Perhaps add some atmospheric lighting.

-My kids have only dunked for apples once and it was way funnier than expected. Big brother needed swimming goggles (give me strength) and still couldn’t get any apples, while the little brother nailed it (a natural dunker). I’ve also bought cooking chocolate, sprinkles and lolly sticks so we can make chocolate apples.

-I’m personally not so into crafts, I’m a bit rubbish, but with a little bit of time and organisation you could create something simple like green and black paper chains, or up the ante with bright orange pumpkin paper chains. A pal also has been gathering milk bottles with the green lids, then drawing a scary face on them with black markers, cut the bottom off and place a tea light underneath (a non flame one), and it’s really effective. Just a bit different.

-Put green food colouring in food and claim the witches visited. (My kids love this! They are so freaked out). Green milk is always a favourite, green spaghetti works well too.

-Older kids might enjoy a Halloween photo shoot, where they dress up and do their makeup, before getting their pics taken.

–Carving pumpkins is another obvious suggestion.

OUTINGS – Alternatives to Halloween Ideas for 2023 

If many official spooky events or pumpkin picking experiences are sold out but there are lots of other things to do.

-Something for older children – get historic. There are so many sites where real witch hunts and burnings took place, such as Dornoch, Aberdeen, North Berwick, Tranent etc. There’s probably a historic witch story near you, witch hunts were tragically so prevalent in Scotland.

-For more symbolic witchcraft then find spooky destinations to explore. If you live in Ayr you’ve got the Tam O Shanter story on your doorstep, such as Alloway Auld Kirk where Burns’ witches danced. Or take in the fab and terrifying Tam o’ Shanter paintings at Rozelle House. In Morayshire there’s Macbeth’s Hillock, where the king is said to have met the three witches who prophesied his doom. Aberdeen’s Crathes Castle is apparently home to a green lady. 

Or simply make it up. For example, if you visit a forest on Halloween afternoon, and ask the kids if it’s haunted, chances are they’ll say yes! Any ruined castle would also fit the brief. Slains Castle and its vampire associations is another excellent choice. 

TRICK OR TREATING

If you do still want to trick or treat, but without bothering the neighbours, then the first idea could get the imagination going. Walk round your local neighbourhood and every time you spot a pumpkin your kids receive a treat from their grown up. This saves ringing doorbells or visiting strangers’ houses. Another variation on the theme (if pumpkins are in short supply) – every time your kids hear a spooky noise or see something ‘freaky’ they get a treat – perhaps limit it to one treat per street! Spotting a black cat probably warrants a major treat. Basically, improvise, tip-toe and scare yourselves silly.

If you enjoyed ‘Alternatives to Halloween Ideas for 2023’ then don’t miss a post.  We’d love you to subscribe here. Join the conversation on Facebook, or check out the bonny photos on Instagram. For any queries or opportunities please email scots2travel@hotmail.com. Text and images copyright of Scots2Travel. And check out our Privacy Policy here. [Images courtesy of Pixels.]