Non-spooky Halloween ideas

[MinaHarker1897]

Hello

What do you do for Halloween that is not childcentric (I don't have any) and doesn't involve horror or vampires (ironic I know given my username).

I have been looking into my family history for a long time now and have some lines back to the 1400s. I like to use this time, October and leading up to Halloween, to focus on that.

Nothing...tbh I think it's pretty much irrelevant to most adults isn't it?

We never used to do anything when we were kids either. I first came across it as any sort of 'holiday' when I lived in the US around 1990. It started to become a thing in England some time after that. Obviously there are older traditions in other parts of the UK.

I still decorate whether children are here or not, we have kids in the village who come calling so I like to give them something to look at. I’m not sure what the relationship is between Halloween and your family history is though? Unless you are considering dressing up as your great, great grandmother? 😉

My church has a light party with loads of games and sweets for the children, and they focus on light and happiness to counteract the secular "dark" themes.
All treat, no trick.
It's very popular locally.

Isn't Halloween for children? Whether it's your own or neighbourhood kids etc if I didn't have kids it would just be another day

You could just celebrate autumn in general and have an autumn feast, with pumpkin pie/curry/soup and apple pastries etc.
Candles, blankets and cosiness all the way. Autumn is a lovely and underrated season. Don't let garish "spookiness" spoil it.

I’m not sure what the relationship is between Halloween and your family history is though?
Day of the Dead type thing?

Well if you don’t have children, American or religious it’s isn’t it just another day?I suppose you could do as others say just celebrate and enjoy autumn, collect conkers and pine cones, enjoy kicking leaves etc…

I’m from an Irish Catholic family and have celebrated Halloween in one way or another my entire life, we were trick or treating in the 70s even if we wore bin liners and paper hats, went to church on 1 Nov being All Saints’ Day and we also loved the irony of Penny for the guy as kids.

I avoid Oíche Shamhna (Halloween) because it is intrinsically ‘spooky’.

I wish there was a secular Harvest Festival, celebrating nature and the work of farmers and food providers. That would be much better than a sugar fuelled spookfest.

Penny for the guy should be brought back. Although everyone would be horrified and it would be more like tenner for the guy

Why don’t you implement one in your household? Nothing saying you have to celebrate Halloween and you can replace it with any traditions you want. Here we have the Winter Droving festival which celebrates the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter.

There are lovely Scottish traditions, try them.
Scottish Halloween Traditions

We put up some harvest decorations, candles and fairy lights. We put a pumpkin soup on the menu. We bake an apple pie for dessert. We have nice non alcoholic drinks/a glass of red wine/a G&T and sweets. We invite friends over.

Child dress up for the school's party. Nothing scaring. No trick and treat.