9 ideas for memory making on halloween

^ little me on Halloween circa 1995

Are you wanting to make memories on Halloween but overwhelmed by all that you could do… 🙋🏼‍♀️ Ask yourself this: What do I hope my kids/family/friends/neighbors to experience, enjoy & remember on this holiday? What do I personally hope to remember and/or experience on this holiday?

Let whatever that thing is drive your motives for making intentional memories. The phrase “you can do anything, but not everything” applies almost always and definitely here. My hope is not to give you more things to do – but rather inspiration for how you might like to spend Halloween this year and in years to come. 

You don’t have to do everything on the list!! You could pick 1 thing & there will be memories made & fun had because of it! Alright, here are 9 ideas for Memory-Making this Halloween: 

1 – Make a “Halloween Memory Book” to use year after year and write down what you did to celebrate! You could write: who you spent Halloween with, a favorite memory from trick-or-treating, what everyone’s costumes were, everyone’s favorite candy from their candy haul, what the weather was like, your brainstorm list of Halloween costumes (this can come in handy when you need ideas next year!!!) etc. These Halloween journals would be perfect for jotting down memories year after year 📝

2 – Display your collection of Halloween photos: In The Happiness Project by Gretchen Reuben there's a section where she shares about a simple tradition she has of displaying framed photos of her family in their costumes from each Halloween over the years. I just love the idea of having a visual progression of photos to enjoy & display year after year! A photo banner like this would work great too or you could make a simple garland with twine & then just paper clip your photos to it. You could even include mix in any fun photos you have from your childhood if you’re feeling #nostalgic  📸

3 – Talk about your favorite Halloween memory or costume with your kids/fam/spouse/roommate on (or around) Halloween. My personal favorite Halloween memory from childhood is that every year around Halloween, my dance class teacher would put on a “Dancing Queen” during class and have a bunch of fun costumes for us to put on and dance around in! I looked forward to it every year and it’s such a fun memory to reflect on now 😭🥰 

4 – Go on a Pumpkin Hunt or Scavenger Hunt around your neighborhood: Simple, count how many pumpkins you find on your “hunt”! Or if you’re feeling ~extra~ check out this fun printable Scavenger Hunt from Studio DIY 🎃

5 – Create a collection of Halloween books and add a couple to it every year! Here’s a giant list of Halloween books for kids. My personal favorite: Room on the Broom 📚

6 – Put on a Halloween playlist & have a little dance party as soon as everyone is in their costume on Halloween🕺🏻

7 – Watch your favorite Halloween movie or have a movie marathon! My picks: Halloweentown & Casper the friendly Ghost 👻

8 – Make a dessert with leftover candy: Monster cookies, rice krispie treats with a Halloween twist, milkshakes, s’mores…the possibilities are actually endless 😎 Here’s a big list of recipes. 

9 – Have a Costume Contest: Invite your family/friends/neighbors over & host a little contest! Have everyone vote & hand out awards. (You could simply write “awards” on post-its, paper plates, or if you’re feeling extra you could craft up these! ⭐️ Award examples: Most Creative, Funniest, Scariest, Cutest, Most Relatable, etc. 

I hope this list of ideas is helpful to you as you prepare for celebrating Halloween! If you’re looking for more ideas, I’ve collected all kinds of costume, treat & tradition inspo over on Pinterest ✨