Halloween: Celebrating All Things Spooky

22 Oct 2014, by Susan Alexander Truffles in Event Ideas

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Halloween is fast approaching and already there are heaps of stores stocking up on candies, while a whole lot of frightfully good activities are being lined up to give everyone the shivers. Pumpkin carving, haunted house scares, costume shopping — this celebration of all things eerie sure is a mixed bag of magic and mystery!

halloween

A night of spooks?

The U.S. alone is dotted with places that put fresh twist on all things Halloween. There’s Salem (MA) and their to-die-for parties, Madison (WI) and their infamously wild Freakfest, New Orleans and their penchant for vampire balls, Keene (NH) and their Pumpkin Fest, and Anoka (MN) and their city-wide parades. Halloween, however, is never just about kids trick-or-treating in scary costumes; it’s this phenomenon that embraces a plethora of customs celebrated from different stretches of the globe.

Ireland. If there’s one place that knows the roots of Halloween by heart, it’s Ireland. Originally known as Samhain Night, this festival indicates the start of the darker half of the year. As a celebration, they dedicate five full days to spooky carnivals — with heaps of dancing and a long string of family events (snap apples, anyone?), ghost tours, haunted house events, and horror film viewing.

Mexico. Halloween, among many Spanish countries, is known as El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead). Deeply rooted in spiritual beliefs, this 3-day celebration commemorates the dearly departed and the continuity of life. It’s also the
time of the year when monarch butterflies come back from the north and are believed to bear the spirits of the deceased. Families set up altars, decorate them with flowers and sugar skulls, and burn incense.

China and Japan. Unlike the usual Halloween celebrations, China’s Teng Chieh honors lost loved ones in a religious manner: they place food and water in front of family members’ photos and set bonfires alight to symbolize lighting the paths for spirits wandering the earth on the eve of the festival. Similarly, Japan’s Obon Festival dedicates festivities to the spirits of their ancestors by hanging bright red lanterns everywhere.

Let’s talk food.

One of the good things about Halloween is, whatever approach you pick — creepy or cute or a little bit of both — you will never run out of creative ideas to enchant neighbors or passers-by. And you know what’s even better? The same goes for Halloween party food ideas and drinks.

When hosting Halloween parties, you’re going to want anything but boring. You want the best Halloween party food ideas. Why whip up a normal cake when you can serve Frankenstein Pudding, Spooky Fun Fruit Tray, Eyeball Cake Balls, or Dexter Blood Splatter Cupcakes? And why settle for biscuits when you can kick things up a notch with Band-aid Cookies, Dracula’s Dentures, Carrot Finger Dip, and Mummy Dogs? Because, really, this is that one time of the year to make or eat any of these with passion and not be called a freak!

Now while Halloween focuses on kids, there are always adults around — and all that trick-or-treating sure can make one hungry! And so instead of diving right into sugar-loaded snacks, grab some popcorn, like Charlie’s Truffled Popcorn– they contain 3.5 grams of fiber — and munch on it while watching your favourite scary movies. Or if you’re craving more spirited snacks, prepare grilled cheese sandwiches and cut them into Jack-O’-Lanterns. Pretty cool, huh? The key is to balance out the sweets!

With only a few more days until Halloween, it’s time to get busy noting down the most exciting festivities in town and planning your very own party menu. Hop over to this page for some quick and easy-to-follow recipes or grab some of my truffled goods to get started — and watch the video below to learn more about how truffles can improve your halloween treats!