Halloween guide 2020 for Australians celebrating at home
As Aussies gear up to celebrate Halloween, here are some ways to celebrate at home without breaking the bank and how to trick or treat safely.
Lifestyle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Reader beware – you’re in for a scare.
Bidding farewell to haunted fun houses and crowded costume parties is set to be a frightful experience for many Australians as the pandemic forces us to reimagine Halloween.
And with safety measures still in place, families in lockdown are thinking about their health and that of others while considering how to celebrate.
Public health officials have warned that going door-to-door for treats could lead to a spike in cases. Some states and local councils have even discouraged trick-or-treating.
Last Halloween, Natalie Greenberg and her husband went trick-or-treating with their children, Max, 8, and twins Ella and Georgie, 5.
This year, a Zoom costume contest may be in the works or a possible backyard movie night with everyone bringing their own food and chairs.
“COVID-19 restrictions won’t deter our kids from dressing up,” she says.
“We still like to decorate our house to make it fun for the kids that walk past.”
Experts say there are many ways to salvage Halloween and reduce the considerable risks.
Hallozween co-founder Andrea Beattie said if you’re not taking the little ones trick-or-treating, you can still dress up for the day or host your own Halloween party at home.
“Kids have missed out on enough fun this year. Let them enjoy the spooky season,” she says.
This Halloween falls on a Saturday, and it’s a full moon – an event that occurs only once every couple of years.
Here’s how families can enjoy a great Halloween at home while staying safe and practising social distancing.
HAVE A SPOOKY TIME AT HOME
If you cancel going out on Halloween because you’re in a high-risk area, there are several ways you can celebrate at home.
Retailers and specialist party goods stores have seen a significant demand for Halloween decorations in the past month.
Customers are mixing, matching and making it uniquely their own, from home decor including skull cushions and celebrations to costumes and accessories that scream Halloween.
“Spider webs and tombstones are selling extremely well and our witch, clown and superhero costumes are very popular,” The Party People co-founder Dean Salakas says.
For those celebrating at home, Beattie suggests holding costume contests via Zoom, candy scavenger hunts in the yard and hosting scary movie nights.
“You could also pitch a tent in the back yard and tell spooky stories or jump on your bike or in the car, rewarding yourself with a treat every time you spot a house with Halloween decorations,” she says.
Halloween is also the perfect time for kids to up their pumpkin-carving game or create their own spooky style. Just remember to keep things outdoors, not in enclosed spaces.
“Grab a pumpkin and play Ghostly Bowling, create a tombstone graveyard and hide treats throughout to play Treat Hunt, or host Ghost Sack Races using old sheets with eyes painted on them,” Beattie says.
IS IT SAFE TO TRICK-OR-TREAT?
Trick-or-treating door-to-door may look a little different this year, but there are some strategies for a safer experience.
If you’re planning to head out, avoid large groups and indoor activities, wear a face mask (not your costume mask), bring hand sanitiser and make sure your hands are clean before you touch any sweets.
Beattie suggests that homeowners place a bowl of individually wrapped treats 1.5m from the door or through a “mummy chute” so children don’t do too much rummaging.
“It’s a PVC pipe decorated with Halloween trinkets or wrapped in bandages to look like a mummy, which is used as a chute to safely dispense treats,” she says.
“You could also leave lolly bags on a table with hand sanitiser and only fill them with individual, pre-packaged sweets.
SAFEST WAYS TO STAY SPOOKED
“If you’re preparing treat bags, wear gloves and sanitise regularly.”
Grab-and-go goodie bags placed in a basket outside your home will work just as well.
Neighbourhoods can commit to starting earlier so everyone isn’t all out at once, or even stagger the hours.
“Let your neighbours know you’re Halloween-friendly by tying an orange balloon to your letterbox or putting up a ‘trick-or-treaters welcome’ sign,” Beattie says.
OTHER WAYS TO STAY TREAT-OR-TREAT SAFE
There’s nothing scarier than a superspreader, so opt for creative ways to keep loved ones and neighbours safe.
“You can put hand sanitiser into a jack-o-lantern and make a cute sign that says, ‘Vampire Rid’ or rebrand your existing sanitiser bottles using labels you can download from Etsy,” Beattie says.
Plain face masks can be customised with freaky fangs or a witch’s nose.
Another way for everyone to stay safe is to create a social distancing sign in your front yard. Beattie recommends “skeleton hand” garden stakes to mark out 1.5m waiting spots at your entrance.
While it’s hard to ask kids not to run around the street, you should ask them to stay as far away from others and to avoid sharing treat bags or Halloween props. Encourage them to hold off eating sweets until you get home and they can wash their hands first.
NOT TRICK OR TREATING BUT DINING IN?
If you’re not making your own treats - beware of this one. Domino’s is making a special Halloween Roulette Pizza with a hot chilli sauce hidden in one of its slices.
Made from one of the most extreme chilli peppers in the world (Yellow Bhut Jolokia Chillies), Domino’s Ghost Chili Sauce is the ultimate Trick or Treat.
Domino’s Australia and New Zealand CEO Nick Knight said the sauce lived up to its name and was not only transparent in colour, but sure to shock.
“It will give your taste buds an experience they will never forget and not knowing whether the next bite you take is the one with the hot sauce or not really adds to the thrill,” he said.
“It’s perfect for sharing with fellow chilli-loving mates... or enemies.”
For those in the mood for more of a ‘treat’, Domino’s also has delicious Halloween Cookies in the shape of ghosts.
CELEBRATE FROM BEHIND THE WHEEL
It’s basically a Halloween twist on a Christmas tradition where families drive around looking at decorated front yards while collecting treats.
Speak to your neighbours about scheduling a drive-by trick-or-treat on your street.
Kids stay in their own yards while neighbours drive past slowly and gently toss out treats from the safety of their own vehicles.
Neighbours can also set up candy stations as parents drive up with their costumed kids to scoop up sweets and treats. Keep the hand sanitisers and antibacterial wipes handy.
Even with social distancing protocols, kids wearing dark costumes can be easily missed, so take extra precautions.
Ensure your car headlights are working, especially if these events are scheduled late in the afternoon or at night.
SHOPPING FOR LITTLE HORRORS
TRICK-OR-TREAT BANNER, $4.50, THE PARTY PEOPLE
Go a little less scary and a lot more welcoming with a 2m hanging banner, held together with metal joints.
YARD SKELETON SET , $15, BIG W
Trick-or-treaters will do a double take when they catch a glimpse of this plastic skeleton trying to break free.
SPIDER WEB $2.50, THE PARTY PEOPLE
Bring an eerie ambience to your home by placing a colourful spider web from the ceiling.
HANGING GHOST, $15, SPOTLIGHT
This 1m hanging ghost can be strung from a ceiling or to a tree or outdoor balcony.
SPOOKY WIRE STRING LIGHTS, $4, KMART
These skull or jack-o-lantern string lights will happily welcome trick-or-treaters to your front door.
TINSEL CAT, $10, BIG W
Is it even Halloween if there’s not at least one dazzling cat sitting somewhere in your home?
HAND SANITISER 300ML, $21.45, THE PARTY PEOPLE
Scare the germs away with a large hand sanitiser. Personalise it to say anything you like.
HOLLOW ROSES TOMBSTONE $7, SPOTLIGHT
Give your yard a haunting appearance with this lightweight and easy to move plastic tombstone.
GUMMY LOLLIES, $2, THE PARTY PEOPLE
Halloween is all about the sweets. Make sure you pick up a bag of these individually wrapped gummy lollies if you plan to hand them out this year.
PUMPKIN TREAT BUCKET $3.20, THE PARTY PEOPLE
Trick-or-treating isn’t complete without a bucket to store your sweets.
DISNEY LOOT HAND SCOOP, $8, big W
Ideal for trick-or-treating, this scoop features a wand or hand design with an attached bag for storing your treats.
FLICKERING LANTERN $15, KMART
Create a spooky festive ambience in your home with a battery-operated flickering lantern.
Originally published as Halloween guide 2020 for Australians celebrating at home