4 Unique Family Traditions to make Halloween 2022 Extra Spooky

The spookiest season of the year is here!

With October already upon us, many of your minds will be turning to Halloween 2022.

There’s something extra special about those crisp Autumn days, leaves changing colours and that frosty sparkle on the ground in the run up to Halloween, and we embrace every bit of it.

From cosy sweaters to keep out the chill to…erm… decorating Halloween trees?!

Hold on, what?

That’s right, for some people, Halloween means decorating a super spooky tree, complete with spider’s web tinsel and pumpkin lights. Who knew?

Well, this year, we’re all about embracing the unconventional and making Halloween 2022 the year we started a new Halloween tradition.

So grab your gingerbread latte, slip into those fluffy slippers and light your fall-scented candle to choose which of our four unusual Halloween traditions your household can embrace for Halloween 2022.

Photo credit: www.lavenderandlovage.com

Snack on a Soul Cake!

Does a soul cake sound spooky enough?

One old-fashioned tradition we like is the giving and eating of soul cakes. Well, let’s be honest, who doesn’t like cake?

Dating back to Mediaeval times, a soul cake is a sweet, round cake with raisins and spices. Traditionally, on All Saints’ Day – or All Souls’ Day – a soul cake was given to ‘soulers’ who came knocking on the door to sing songs and pray for the souls of the dead. Kind of like a Halloween carol service!

The traditional recipe includes seasonal spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon, and can be adapted to add delicious chunks of fruit, such as orange. You could even add a dash of alcohol to the recipe or add delicious extras like chocolate chips to make the recipe your own.

In the past, the cakes had a cross scored into them as a reference to Christianity. Nowadays, a soul cake could have icing skeletons on them, or be baked into the shape of a pumpkin. The possibilities are endless!

This tradition isn’t practised often anymore, but in Portugal, the Phillipines and in some parts of England you can still find soul cakes for sale in bakery windows.

If baking a soul cake has taken your fancy, you can find a scrummy, seasonal recipe here.

Photo credit: www.countryliving.com

Decorate your Halloween Tree

Can’t wait to get tree-decorating? Why not put up a Halloween Tree!

Have you seen the pictures?

With over 50,000 tags on Instagram for the hashtag #halloweentree, this unusual tradition is definitely insta-photo worthy and has a place in the influencer crowd!

Putting up a frosty Christmas tree, then decorating it with ghoulish baubles and some terrifying tinsel, is a guaranteed way to make your home ready for the season.

Double down on the seasonal decorations: just add a festive scented candle, an autumn wreath and some fairy lights for a magical living room, perfect for those long, autumn evenings snuggled on the sofa.

This one is my personal favourite: who doesn’t love cosying under a blanket in a room surrounded by candlelight?! And with a Halloween Tree in the corner, any living room can be easily decorated for the spookiest season.

Ready to get decorating? Dig out your Christmas tree early this year, and why not craft your own Halloween decorations? You can find awesome tree-decorating ideas on Pinterest here.

Dine with the Dead

There’s no way of escaping it, Halloween is all about the dead. Traditions from all over the world at this time of year are based around honouring and remembering those who have gone before you.

From Dia de los muertos in Mexico, to Ognissanti in Italy, the legend has it that this time of year is when the veil between the living world and the dead is thinnest. Our departed family members and loved ones take this opportunity to jump over and join us for one evening of the year.

Many cultures celebrate this occasion with a meal. In Mexico, families set the table filled with marigolds, photos of the dead and their dead loved ones’ favourite things, such as a cosy sweater or a well-loved book.

Then, they eat a feast of all the favourite foods of the dead, and leave an empty chair at the table to welcome the departed back for their family meal.

What a great way to remember your family members! A table full of shared laughter and special memories, with people taking turns to honour and remember great times with our dearly departed.

We think this is a lovely tradition, and not actually as spooky as it first sounds!

Want to read more on how Mexicans celebrate Dia de los muertos? Read more about this unique celebration here.

Give a Halloween Gift

Can’t wait till Christmas?

A perfect way to celebrate halloween and combine all of these traditions is by giving your family and friends Halloween gifts.

Gifts have been common in celebrations of Halloween for many years. Like trick or treating, or even ‘souling’, Halloween costumes are rewarded with something special and adults and kids alike share and receive gifts.

If you’re throwing a Halloween party in 2022, why not add an extra special detail to your guests, by creating Halloween gift bags! Similar to a party favour, a Halloween gift bag is like a grown-up game of trick or treat.

Stuffed with surprises, from jokes to sweets, fancy dress items to thoughtful additions, a Halloween gift bag is guaranteed to make your party memorable.

Having a family-oriented Halloween celebration?

Halloween, or All Saints Day, is the day for remembering your family members, and spending time with your nearest and dearest. Remember the occasion by giving a family tree gift frame – the perfect way to celebrate your family and decorate your Halloween feast.

Our Final Thoughts

We LOVE Halloween at A Gift of Happiness – and not just because we get to party!

We love the traditions, the costumes, the decorations and the sweets. We love the cosy, long nights, the crisp autumn leaves and making pumpkin pies. Most of all, we love the way that Halloween is a celebration that you can make your own.

No matter where you are from, celebrating Halloween comes down to remembering lost friends and family members, and sharing the love around your community. We think that’s beautiful.

So, whether you’re celebrating this year with a spooky soul cake, decorating a Halloween Tree or dining with the dead (and the living!), we send you our best wishes for the spookiest season of them all.

Happy Halloween!

 

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