By Emma Wright

Halloween Looks Different This Year; Here’s Your Last Minute Activity Guide.

It’s finally here and even sounded too good to be true - Halloween, on a Saturday, with an extra hour added to the night for daylight savings? Such an occasion could only happen once in a blue moon… but wait, it does that too. However, as we move into yet another month of the Coronavirus pandemic, throwing a huge Halloween party or going out to celebrate isn’t first on everyone’s itinerary. Just yesterday, the United States reported nearly 100,000 cases, breaking records for single-day case numbers. As someone who loves dressing up, fantastical things, and hanging out with people, this holiday was starting to feel like a bust before I realized that it didn’t have to be ‘traditional” to be fun. So with both safety and having a good time in mind*, here are some suggestions for you to make Halloween 2020 special and bask in that full moon light: 

For the Foodie: Contribute to a Dinner with Close Friends

The cooler temperatures and longer stretches of darkness make it easier to cozy up inside and warm up the house. Asking one or two (or three) friends to participate in a family-style meal that you can cook and enjoy together is a staple of fall activities, and on a night that would ordinarily involve larger gatherings, enjoying something special with people you love is a fantastic alternative for making memories. Whether you and your crew are master chefs, pre-made queens, or just dig into snacks and drinks as the main course, warming your home with good food and good company is definitely a good way to utilize that extra hour of the evening granted by daylight savings time. 

For the Party Host: Hold a Costume Contest via Zoom

Not yet dressed up and nowhere to go? Invite some friends for a low-stakes costume contest over Zoom or Facetime. Everyone can grab their favorite beverages and snacks, then see who can come up with the best costume with items that they already own (bonus points if each contestant debuts their creation “runway-style”). The winner gets bragging rights, and then you all can catch up as the night goes on. In the end, everyone wins when they’re safe at home.

For the Dreamer: Clear Mental Space with “Release Papers”

Costumes aren’t your thing? That doesn’t mean you can’t access a different version of yourself. A full moon is often said to be a good time to take pent-up energy and use it to be creative, re-commit to decisions, and push through discomfort. It’s also a good time for releasing thought patterns and habits that don’t serve you any more. This activity can be done solo or with a small group, in person or over Zoom or Facetime. Materials: pen and paper, metal bowl, a lighter or matches, and yourself. I personally like to light a candle and have a warm beverage on hand as well. 

You and your group (if you choose to invite friends) will have two slips of paper, one to write something you want to encourage more of in your life and one to write something you’d like to let go of. This second slip is your “release paper.” Although sharing isn’t required, I find that speaking both of these things out loud to people I care about can help me bring meaning and validation to my own experience and make my actions more meaningful. After everyone is done writing, one at a time, share your two papers. If you’re alone, I encourage you to move past the awkward sensation and speak your words out loud anyway. After you share your papers, fold up the encouragement paper slip and tuck it away - into a notebook, your back pocket or wallet, tossed in a drawer, wherever you might forget about it. Stumbling upon it later is always a treat. Now, this is the fun part; take your “release paper” that holds what you’d like to let go of, hold it to a flame, and watch it burn as you drop it into your metal bowl. The physical act of destroying what you’d like to remove from your life can help clear your mental space and invigorate a passion for change. Can’t have an open flame in your space or feel uncomfortable burning things? Rip that piece of paper into tiny shreds and throw it into the trash can like confetti. Either way, it’s cathartic. Once everyone has shared their experiences and the release papers have been burned, you can enjoy the company of friends or yourself as you reflect on your refreshed state of being.

Regardless of the activity you choose, listed above or otherwise, we hope you enjoy a safe and magical Halloween!

*If you do choose to do any of these activities in person, ask your group members about their comfort level with social settings before deciding if the activity should take place inside or outside (weather-permitting), or kindly ask participants to wear masks and BYOB if they want to join.

Emma is a lifestyle writer for La Tonique.