Halloween is a surprisingly polorazing holiday. People either love it or hate it. We choose to love Halloween at our house. Here are some fun ways to embrace the only holiday that stands between you and your Christmas decorations.

GO ON A HAUNTED GHOST WALK OR TOUR

Find a local haunted ghost walk to go on. Stratford has a great Ghosts of Stratford Walking Tour.

DRESS UP

Dressing up for Halloween doesn’t just have to be for the kids. At school, it is always the ‘fun’ teachers that dress up. I was never very good at being ‘fun’ but a friend of mine has a CLOSET full of costumes and one year she insisted I wear one of them. I have been hooked ever since!

  • I REALLY got into character for this one. I played the theme song all day from my phone in my pocket.

You could go one step further and dress up as a family. This is Eric’s brother and his family. They go all out every year and it is amazing!  Sarah Lit is also fun to follow on Instagram. 

DECORATE!

Most of our decorations are old and a little cheesy but that’s what makes us love them.  We made these tombstones 15 years ago and they have stood up pretty well…minus the tape keeping some of them together. Dracula has his very own crocheted pumpkin pin!

We have a lot of fun Halloween decorations but I really like some of the new trends with crows and skulls. We don’t do ‘sophisticated’ Halloween decorating but I would love to one day! Check out Jillian Harris’s decorated house on her blog.

Photo from JillianHarris.com

HOST A PARTY

Nicholas was almost a Halloween baby, arriving on October 30th. His birthday parties were always costume parties in the early years. Halloween is so easy for party planning. You can put out fun food, wear costumes and watch a scary movie.

I love these ideas for an adult Halloween party – even for people who hate Halloween.

Here are lots of ideas for a kids’ party from Pinterest. 

VISIT A PUMPKIN PATCH

Nothing says fall like visiting a pumpkin patch. There are so many to choose from and they are fun for everyone!  We love Nauman’s Farm and Synder’s Farm.

GO FOR A WALK ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT (Even if you don’t have your own trick or treaters!)

I love that I still have a child that requires me to go trick or treating with her. I love to join the other moms, wine (concealed in a travel mug) in hand and soak in all of the fallness and fun of it all. Kids running from house to house, leaves blowing across the sidewalk and dim houses with lit pumpkins create the perfect Halloween scene. 

WATCH FUN HALLOWEEN SHOWS

Obviously, we watch Hocus Pocus every year. 

We are also super into Halloween Wars on the Food Network. 

The Shining is a movie I love more and more every year. ANY Stephen King movie is amazing at Halloween!

Here is a complete list of Halloween movies!

GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR PUMPKIN CARVING

Once you have found someone to do the dreadful job of gutting all of your pumpkins, have fun and do some creative carving. You could have a friendly competition with your friends or family. Then you can take your masterpiece to a pumpkin parade! 

What are your favourite ways to enjoy Halloween? Or do you just hate it?