Five awesome Halloween family traditions. It’s just like being a kid again.

Posted by SeacoastKidsCalendar in At Home, Family & Parenting, Halloween, Seasonal & Holidays

I love traditions. That being said, I practice very few, but I love the idea of traditions. Since my kids have recently exited the toddler stage and are developing an appreciation for repeat activities, we’ve started some really cool ones (Cowboy Night is one of our faves). With the holidays approaching, it’s the perfect time to initiate some inventive and bonding traditions that are fun and memorable. Here are a few to get you started…

Take Advantage Of Fall Activities
You can’t go two feet in October without bumping into corn mazes, pumpkin picking, haunted houses, cider donuts, harvest festivals and wagon rides. Choose one (or all) of these activities and make it a point to go every year. Kids love consistency, especially in the form of fun. Making memories, people.

Decorate Your Home With Spooky Stuff
Once I got over my perfectionist-Keeping-Up-With-The-Joneses holiday decorating routine, I accepted the help from my children to adorn our front stoop with faux cobwebs and spiders, pumpkins and ghosts (white pillow cases with felt eyes placed over our small arborvitaes). We had a blast doing it as a family, and to them it looks perfect. Works for me.

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds
I’m not sure why, but this tradition sticks out most in my Halloween memory bank. Maybe it was the thrill of sticking our bare hands into the goopy pumpkin center or simply watching them brown up in the oven. Either way, eating roasted pumpkin seeds (don’t forget the salt) is one of my favorite childhood memories. Healthy, too. Thanks Mom.

Frightful Family Photos
I’m not a big Halloween-dresser-upper, but what’s more hilarious than a costumed family portrait! Have the family don their trick-or-treat getups (parents, you can whip up a cowboy or spa lady easy enough), choose a picture-perfect locale in front of your house and ask a neighbor or friend to snap some pics. The sillier the poses, the better. Every year, you can put into a frame and display it with the other nutty Halloween décor inside your home. Ah, the memories.

Watch A Scary Movie Post-Trick-Or-Treat
What’s worse than trying to convince your kid that, in fact, the 4lbs. of sugared treats overflowing out of their plastic pumpkin collection pail is enough and it’s time call it a night? The only way to accomplish this is to have something fun and exciting waiting for them at home! After trick-or-treat, head straight to the couch for a family Halloween-themed movie like Charlie Brown’s It’s The Great Pumpkin, Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks, or even E.T. and Harry Potter.

We love hearing about your family traditions! Share with us your favorites and inspire other families to create some new ones of their own. Happy Halloween!