More than lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

It’s Halloween and all the littles in your Ideal Homes & Neighborhood community probably have their routes planned for Saturday or Sunday evening! Whether it’s trick-or-treating in your neighborhood, making the rounds at a trunk-or-treat, or heading to the mall for some Halloween fun with local merchants, some scary ghosts and goblins will hit the streets this weekend for sure.

Many cities have designated Sunday, October. 31, as trick-or-treat night, and have set hours for trick-or-treaters, but some towns have moved trick-or-treat night to Saturday, Oct. 30. Check with your Ideal town to make sure which night is trick-or-treat night in your community. 

So what are the most ideal costumes this year? What spooky characters can you expect at your door? What can you do at home to share the Halloween spirit? This year is shaping up to be a fun, but careful, trick-or-treating season. Families are gearing up for a festive fright night season. Here are some of the coolest trends happening for Halloween.

Pop culture-inspired costumes

According to retailer halloweencostumes.com, the hottest picks for the under-12 set are Disney characters (Raya and the Last Dragon, Descendants), movies (Hotel Transylvania, Ghostbusters, and Paw Patrol) and video games (Minecraft, Fortnite). Some shows more popular with older audiences – like Cobra Kai and Ted Lasso – are already tracking to be trendy kids’ costumes.

There’s a laundry list of 2021 references to inspire your little one’s Halloween costume. Retailers are cautioning us to expect a low inventory of costumes, but all is not lost. Some popular DIY costumes relive major moments in entertainment and pop culture but are easy enough to pull off. They’re affordable and require a few no-sew crafting techniques. Check out the DIY slideshow on Popsugar.com for ideas aplenty, from Disney characters Cruella de Vil to members of the Tokyo Olympics team!

And don’t count out the ever-popular jack-o-lanterns, vampires, witches, skeletons, scarecrows, and hobos. You’ll see plenty of old favorites that will scare you to your bones!

Haunted trails and other Covid-influenced Halloween celebrations

People may be more likely to celebrate the season this year than last, but with Covid still raging, safety is paramount for families. Searches for “Halloween face masks” are up 60 percent on Google and searches for “DIY Halloween masks” have increased 64 percent on Pinterest. If your DIY skills are lacking, there are plenty of adorable Halloween-themed masks from Etsy. Also, look for candy chutes again this year. Another way families are thinking outside the box for creative and safe fright night festivities is with “haunted trail” ideas – outdoor walks that can be as spooky or cutesy are you like. Think of a winding path through the park with ghouls and goblins along the way or an easy maze dotted with pumpkins and candy in your backyard.

Candy and more candy

Halloween candy sales are slated to be huge this year because of “lost gathering time” during the pandemic. Stores put out their seasonal treats even earlier than usual. It’s never too early to feast on Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups but expect a lot more stuff in your child’s trick-or-treat bag this year. Neighbors are making up for lost time!

Halloween Squishmallows

Squeezable Squishmallows have been popular for years, and now these sweet plush toys have been given the Halloween treatment with fun options to choose from like the Hocus Pocus witches, ghosts, Draculas pumpkins and more. Act fast if you want to nab one for your little’s trick-or-treat basket!

Halloween pajamas

If there’s one fashion trend that defines the last 18 months, it’s comfort. So, of course, lounging has been brought to the holiday season with a super selection of soft, cozy Halloween-themed pajamas. There are tons of great kid-friendly picks to choose from online. 

Halloween movie night

Family movie night this Halloween is going to a whole new level. Addams Family 2 and Hotel Transylvania have just been released for home viewing, and there are tons of great Halloween movies streaming on Disney+ and other streaming services. Just find the movies that are age-appropriate for your kids, sit back and enjoy. And don’t forget the snacks!

Whatever you do for Halloween, whether it’s a cozy indoor family night or fun outdoor activities with neighbors and friends, have a great time. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet your Ideal neighbors if you haven’t had a chance and create those good feelings that truly make a community ideal.

Sources:

Purewow.com

Popsugar.com