How can you make Halloween treats healthier for kids. What are some easy and nutritious Halloween snack ideas. Which festive foods can balance out candy consumption. Where can you find creative recipes for wholesome Halloween goodies.

The Challenge of Halloween Candy Overload

Halloween often brings an avalanche of sugary treats that can leave parents feeling spooked. Between school parties, trick-or-treating, and festive events, children tend to amass enough candy to rival a small confectionery shop. This sugar surge can be concerning for those aiming to maintain a balanced diet for their little ones.

However, completely banning sweets isn’t the answer. A more effective approach is to embrace moderation and introduce healthier alternatives alongside the traditional Halloween fare. This strategy helps children learn to make mindful choices about their treats while still enjoying the holiday spirit.

Striking a Balance: The ‘All in Moderation’ Approach

Rather than imposing strict restrictions, many families find success with an ‘all in moderation’ philosophy. This method allows for small indulgences while emphasizing overall healthy eating habits. For instance, you might permit a piece of candy in your child’s lunchbox or as an after-school snack, teaching them to savor their favorites rather than consuming everything at once.

By setting reasonable limits, parents can help children understand that treats can be part of a healthy lifestyle when balanced with nutritious meals. This approach not only prevents the forbidden fruit syndrome but also fosters a positive relationship with food.

Tips for Implementing Moderation:

• Set clear guidelines for when and how much candy can be consumed
• Encourage children to choose their favorite treats and donate the rest
• Use Halloween candy as an opportunity to discuss nutrition and balanced eating
• Lead by example by practicing moderation yourself

Creative and Wholesome Halloween Snack Ideas

Introducing healthier options at Halloween gatherings can help offset the sugar overload without dampening the festive spirit. These nutritious alternatives can be just as fun and appealing as their sugary counterparts when presented creatively.

Jack-o’-Lantern Sandwiches

Transform ordinary sandwiches into spooky jack-o’-lanterns for a nutritious and fun Halloween treat. How can you make these festive sandwiches? Start with whole wheat bread or a variety rich in flaxseed. Use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter to create the base, then decorate with healthy fillings to form the facial features.

For a sweet version, spread peanut butter and jelly, then use raisins to create eyes and a mouth. For a savory option, layer nitrate-free deli meat with spinach and hummus, using sliced olives and green peppers for the face. These sandwiches not only look great but also provide a balanced mix of proteins, complex carbohydrates, and vitamins.

Cauldron Trail Mix

A Halloween-themed trail mix served in mini cauldrons is both a festive decoration and a nutritious snack. What should you include in your cauldron mix? Combine granola, dried fruits, multigrain cereal, nuts, and a sprinkle of dark chocolate chips for a well-rounded treat. This mix offers a variety of textures and flavors while providing essential nutrients and sustained energy.

Consider setting up a ‘build your own’ trail mix station, allowing children to customize their cauldrons with their preferred ingredients. This interactive approach can make healthier snacking more engaging and fun for kids.

Spooky Veggie Snacks: Making Nutrition Fun

Vegetables can be transformed into Halloween-themed treats that are both nutritious and visually appealing. These creative presentations can encourage children to eat more vegetables during a season typically dominated by sweets.

Carrot Stick Fingers

This simple yet effective idea turns ordinary carrots into creepy finger-shaped snacks. How do you create carrot fingers? Use baby carrots or cut larger carrots into finger-like shapes. Add a dab of cream cheese at one end and press a sliced almond on top to resemble a fingernail. Serve with a healthy dip to enhance the flavor and nutritional value.

Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, fiber, and various vitamins, making them a nutritious choice for growing children. The playful presentation can make this typically overlooked vegetable more appealing to young eaters.

Jicama Ghosts

Jicama, a crunchy and mildly sweet root vegetable, can be easily transformed into adorable ghost shapes. Rich in vitamin C and fiber, jicama offers a nutritious alternative to sugary snacks. How can you turn jicama into ghostly treats? Use a ghost-shaped cookie cutter to cut thin slices of jicama. Decorate with small dots of cream cheese and mini chocolate chips for eyes and a mouth.

This snack not only provides essential nutrients but also introduces children to a less common vegetable in a fun and approachable way.

Embracing Seasonal Ingredients: Pumpkin-Themed Treats

Pumpkins are synonymous with Halloween, and they offer numerous opportunities for creating healthy, seasonal snacks. From seeds to puree, pumpkins can be incorporated into various nutritious treats.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Don’t discard the seeds when carving pumpkins – they make for a delicious and nutritious snack. How do you prepare roasted pumpkin seeds? Clean the seeds thoroughly under running water, toss them in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Roast in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Pumpkin seeds are packed with protein, zinc, and other essential nutrients, making them a healthy alternative to traditional Halloween candies. Their crunchy texture and savory flavor can satisfy snack cravings without the sugar rush.

Pumpkin-Enriched Baked Goods

Incorporate pumpkin puree into baked treats for added nutrition and moisture. How can pumpkin enhance your Halloween baking? Use it as a substitute for oil or butter in recipes for muffins, cookies, or breads. Pumpkin not only adds a seasonal flavor but also boosts the fiber and vitamin content of your baked goods.

Consider making whole wheat pumpkin muffins or pumpkin oatmeal cookies for a healthier twist on traditional Halloween sweets. These treats can satisfy a sweet tooth while providing more nutritional value than typical candies.

Beyond Homemade: Healthier Store-Bought Options

While homemade treats offer the most control over ingredients, there are times when store-bought options are necessary. Fortunately, many companies now offer healthier alternatives to traditional Halloween candies.

Choosing Better Packaged Snacks

When selecting pre-packaged Halloween treats, what should you look for? Opt for snacks made with whole food ingredients, minimal added sugars, and no artificial colors or preservatives. Some healthier options include:

• Individual packages of dried fruit or fruit leathers
• Single-serve packets of nuts or seeds
• Whole grain crackers or pretzels
• Dark chocolate squares (70% cocoa or higher)
• Popcorn bags made with simple ingredients

These alternatives can provide satisfying treats without the excessive sugar content of typical Halloween candies. They also offer variety for children with dietary restrictions or food allergies.

Engaging Kids in Healthy Halloween Preparations

Involving children in the process of creating healthier Halloween treats can increase their interest in and acceptance of these alternatives. How can you make healthy treat preparation a fun family activity?

Kid-Friendly Halloween Cooking Projects

Consider these engaging activities that combine nutrition education with Halloween fun:

1. Decorate clementines or small oranges to look like mini pumpkins using non-toxic markers
2. Create ‘monster mouths’ using apple slices, peanut butter, and sunflower seeds for teeth
3. Make ‘witches’ fingers’ using pretzel sticks, cream cheese, and sliced almonds
4. Assemble ‘spider snacks’ with round crackers, cream cheese, and pretzel sticks for legs
5. Design ‘banana ghosts’ by dipping half-peeled bananas in yogurt and adding chocolate chip eyes

These activities not only result in healthier treats but also provide opportunities to discuss nutrition, creativity, and the joy of preparing food for others.

Balancing Treats with Physical Activity

Incorporating physical activity into Halloween celebrations can help balance out treat consumption and promote overall health. How can you encourage movement during Halloween festivities?

Active Halloween Game Ideas

Consider organizing these fun, Halloween-themed activities:

• Pumpkin relay races
• Halloween-themed scavenger hunts
• Costume parades with dance breaks
• Spooky obstacle courses
• ‘Ghost tag’ or other Halloween variations of classic games

By combining treats with active play, you can create a more balanced approach to Halloween celebrations that focuses on fun rather than just food.

Navigating Halloween with Food Allergies and Restrictions

For families dealing with food allergies or dietary restrictions, Halloween can present additional challenges. How can you ensure a safe and inclusive Halloween experience for all children?

Allergen-Free Halloween Treats

Consider these options for allergy-friendly Halloween snacks:

• Fresh fruit cups decorated with Halloween-themed stickers
• Rice cake ‘monsters’ topped with sunflower seed butter and fruit
• Popcorn ‘pumpkins’ made with air-popped corn and natural food coloring
• Fruit and vegetable skewers arranged in Halloween shapes
• Homemade fruit leather cut into spooky designs

Always clearly label homemade treats with ingredient lists and consider participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project, which promotes non-food treats for children with allergies.

By offering a variety of healthy, creative, and inclusive Halloween treats, you can ensure that all children can enjoy the holiday safely while developing positive associations with nutritious foods. Remember, the goal is to create joyful memories and traditions that extend beyond just candy consumption, fostering a balanced approach to celebration and health.

Healthy Halloween Treats for Kids

Looking for healthy Halloween treats that the whole family will love? Here are some of our favorite healthy and festive Halloween treats and eats.

Raise your hand if you are looking forward to candy-crazy kids this Halloween!

I didn’t think so.

Candy on Halloween is an unavoidable situation. Between school parties and trick or treating, you could probably open your own candy store with the amount kids seem to collect. But Halloween doesn’t have to be all about the candy.

Don’t get me wrong, candy is definitely consumed during the Halloween season in my house, but we adopt an “all in moderation” approach. If I simply take away all the candy, it only makes them want it more.

Instead, we set limits.

A small piece of candy in the lunchbox, another after dance practice, etc. This teaches my girls to choose only their favorites over eating everything in sight and that a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be restrictive. As long as we eat healthy, balanced meals most of the time, a small treat here or there is okay.

Another tradition in our house is to make healthier options for school parties and family time, like when watching a Halloween movie.

It seems that many Halloween parties for kids have an excess of sugary treats. If we are going to more than one Halloween event, this can quickly add up to a sugar overload. It’s great for kids to have a cupcake or a sweet treat to celebrate the occasion. However, I don’t want my kids to be eating cookies, cupcakes, punch and candy as a main course. Thus, in addition to the sweets, why not offer some wholesome, yet fun snacks.

Here are a few simple healthy Halloween treats:

Jack-o-Lantern Sandwiches

Any healthy sandwich can be turned into a fun jack-o-lantern shape. Whole wheat or bread with flaxseed are a good base for your sandwich. You can keep it simple peanut butter and jelly. After cutting the sandwich into a pumpkin (we recommend using a sandwich cutter), push raisins into the bread to make a face. Nitrate-free deli meat, spinach and hummus is another healthy combination. Hummus is a nutrient-rich replacement for mayonnaise. Use sliced olives and green peppers for the face.

Cauldron Trail Mix

Many party stores carry black cauldrons, especially around Halloween. These can be filled with granola and dried fruit, multigrain cereal, nuts and bits of dark chocolate. Use this Build Your Own Trail Mix Guide to make your family’s perfect trail mix.. You can choose to put this snack in one big cauldron or give each child a small individual one.

Carrot Stick Fingers

This is a super easy and healthy Halloween snack idea. You can cut a carrot into a finger shape or simply use baby carrots. However, I like the small, fancy carrots with the green leafy part on top. All you have to do is use a dab of cream cheese on the end of the carrot and stick a sliced almond on top. Provide kids with some veggie dip for extra flavor. Carrots contain beta-carotene, fiber and many other vitamins.

Jicama Ghosts

Jicama is a great source of both vitamin C and fiber. Its stiff yet light texture makes it crunchy and easy to cut with ghost cookie cutters. After turning your jicama into ghost shapes, dot on cream cheese and place a mini chocolate chip on top for eyes and a mouth.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

If you have been carving pumpkins, roasted pumpkin seeds are a must. After scooping out the insides of a pumpkin, clean off your pumpkin seeds in running water. Then, all you have to do is toss the seeds in olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Next, preheat you oven to 300 degree and cook for about 30 minutes or until the seeds are nice and brown. Pumpkin seeds contain protein and zinc.

Of course, baked goods can be given a nutrient boost with whole wheat flour, applesauce and even pumpkin. Kids can have candy and sweets on Halloween. I just think they should have something healthy for them too. Hence those limits I mentioned…and all these yummy (and healthy!) Halloween treat ideas.

Here are 25+ more healthy Halloween treats from some of our favorite blogs and websites:

Favorite Healthy Halloween Treats and Snacks (You Can Make in 5 Minutes!)

Making healthy Halloween treats with or for the kids is a fun and easy way to celebrate the holiday—in the days leading up to it or throughout the day on the holiday itself. These Halloween snacks are easy, quick, and SO cute! (And not too scary for the littles.)

Healthy Halloween Treats

Admittedly, turning food into art is not something I have much patience for—but doing a super easy Halloween treat in a fun design is something I actually love doing with my kids.

The key? Keep the idea really simple and easy to execute with a few simple methods that work across a range of foods. And to not worry (at all!) about perfection.

The goal is to do an activity together that the kids can eat—or to make them a fun snack!—and enjoy the process.

1. Silly Face Smoothie

Make a green smoothie. top with granola for hair, dried fruit (like cranberries or raisins) for eyes, and mini marshmallows for funny teeth. The kids will need to eat the face with a spoon (it would get stuck in a straw!), but it’s a really fun idea to do together.

You could also do this on a bowl of yogurt to make it even faster.

Simple Green Smoothie

Frozen bananas give the smoothie a creamy, naturally sweet base, though you can make this with a fresh banana as long as the other fruit is frozen. It’s easy to add whatever berries or fruit you have on hand, so customize it for your kiddo. 

Get the recipe

2. Halloween Toast

These have been in a classic in my house for years and my girls love them each time we make them. These are such a fun breakfast, but they also work as a special snacks.

Halloween Breakfast Idea: Easy Halloween Toast!

Halloween Toast is the ultimate Halloween Breakfast. Learn how to make it in just minutes using basic ingredients and a super easy method!

Get the recipe

3.

Side Eye Snack Bar

Add funny eyes to a granola bar, muffin, or any other food you want! Roll cream cheese into two small balls and place on the food. Press a mini chocolate chip into each.

(You can also use candy eyes if you prefer too.)

Quick and Easy No-Bake Granola Bars

You can make these ahead and store in the fridge or freezer and have grab and go snacks on hand for days/weeks!

Get the recipe

4. Ghost English Muffin Pizza

Top a toasted English Muffin with pizza sauce or pesto, and top with a ghost cut out from a slice of cheese for a Halloween snack or dinner. (Literally just use a knife to make a rough ghost shape from a piece of sliced cheese!)

Poke two eyes and serve it as is, or melt the cheese quickly in the oven or microwave.

5. Mummy Crackers

Here’s a savory Halloween treat for snack time: Top whole grain round crackers with shredded cheese. You can even add slices of black olives for eyes if you want to! Easy peasy!

6.

Spooky Energy Bite Spiders

Adding pretzel legs and raisin eyes to any energy bite recipe turns them into instant spiders. So fun!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls

These no-bake bites taste like a cross between oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookie dough. I use natural creamy peanut butter (like the kind from Smuckers), and it works really well.

Get the recipe

8. Green Muffins

My Spinach Banana muffins are fun for Halloween, no matter how you serve them, but they are a little extra when you top them with frosting and sprinkles!

Sweet Spinach Muffins with Banana

These healthy muffins taste like a delicious banana muffin, but with the added nutrition of a big handful of spinach. These store well, so you can make them ahead of time and pull them out of the fridge or freezer to serve.

Get the recipe

9. Fruit and Yogurt Candy Corn

Place Greek yogurt into a bowl. Top with diced yellow fruit (yellow kiwi or pineapple), orange fruit (clementines or cantaloupe) and white (banana, melon, or coconut).

You could also use orange fruit to make a pumpkin shape, or really just set out the toppings and let the kids make their own design!

10. Green Zombie Lunch

Serve up an assortment of green foods for a festive Halloween treat lunch. We like to include foods such as Banana Spinach Muffins, Snap Pea Crisps, kiwi, edamame, and cucumbers.

11. Strawberry Ghosts

Dipping strawberries into Greek yogurt is a fun activity to do together and it’s a healthy Halloween treat to share.

12. Pumpkin Donuts

With an easy combo of ingredients and a simple method that uses a donut pan, these donuts are a fun Halloween snack for sure.

Pumpkin Chocolate Baked Donuts

Share a batch of flourless chocolate baked donuts for breakfast, snack time, or dessert. They’re easy enough that the kids can help make the batter!

Get the recipe

Related Recipes

I’d love to hear your feedback if you try any of these ideas with your kids. Please comment below—I love hearing how ideas and recipes go in your homes!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Amy Palanjian

Cuisine American

Course Snack

Calories 234kcal

Servings 2

• ▢ 1 cup milk (I prefer unsweetened nondairy milk in smoothies)
• ▢ 1 small banana
• ▢ 1 cup frozen mango (or pineapple)
• ▢ 1 cup loosely packed baby spinach
• ▢ 2 tablespoons granola
• ▢ 2 dried cranberries
• ▢ 4 mini marshmallows

• Add the milk, banana, mango or pineapple, and spinach to a blender. Blend, starting on low and working up to high.

• Pour into a cup or bowl. Add granola for hair, cranberries for eyes, and marshmallows for teeth.

• Vitamix Blender

• Snack Bar with Eyes: Roll cream cheese into two small balls and place on the food. Press a mini chocolate chip into each.
• Ghost English Muffin Pizza: Top a toasted English Muffin with pizza sauce or pesto, and top with a ghost cut out from a slice of cheese. Poke two eyes and serve it as is, or melt the cheese quickly in the oven or microwave.
• Mummy Crackers: Top whole grain round crackers (I like the ones in the brown box from Trader Joe’s but Breton crackers work too) with shredded cheese. Add slices of black olives for eyes if desired.
• Energy Bite Spiders: Make a batch of energy bites. Break mini pretzels into pieces and use as legs. Add raisin eyes. 
• Spinach Banana Cupcakes: Add chocolate frosting to Spinach Banana Muffins. Top with sprinkles if desired. (I separated out the orange and white ones to make it with mostly Halloween colors.)
• Fruit and Yogurt Candy Corn: Place Greek yogurt into a bowl. Top with diced yellow fruit (yellow kiwi or pineapple), orange fruit (clementines or cantaloupe) and white (banana, melon, or coconut).
• Green lunch: Serve up an assortment of green foods for a festive Halloween treat lunch. We like to include Banana Spinach Muffins, Snap Pea Crisps, kiwi, edamame, and cucumbers.
• Strawberry Ghosts: Trim the stems off of strawberries. Dip in Greek yogurt and place onto a pie plate. Add mini chocolate chip eyes. Freeze briefly and serve.

Calories: 234kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 70mg, Potassium: 634mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 2535IU, Vitamin C: 39mg, Calcium: 173mg, Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

This post was first posted October 2019.

7 best 🙌 healthy 💪 Halloween 👻 treats 🍭 for kids 👧🧒 in hand out 📆 this year…

7 best 🙌 healthy 💪 Halloween 👻 treats 🍭 for kids 👧🧒 in hand out 📆 this year…

If If you’re going to be handing out trick candies or treats, consider handing out a few healthy Halloween treats this year along with regular candy. Even Better Replace your regular processed candies with these Healthy Halloween Treats . There are actually great healthy Halloween treats to give out to kids. They don’t necessarily have to try healthy either. This is a little different from traditional healthy treats like handing out fruits or cheese strings. Kids aren’t so much into food that doesn’t look like a treat for Halloween. Children run away from eye appeal, so these considerations make for a great treat that will grab their attention and satisfy their taste buds. You can also keep these treats around your home so that you and your kids or whoever you live with can be sure to have healthy Halloween snacks around. Try these sweet yummy finds that I love and pick up a few next time you’re out!

011 pure fruit and vegetarian strip chews

1 Mini Larabars

Mini Larabars are one of my favorite examples of healthy Halloween treats. They are colorful package, tiny size like candy which makes kids want to eat them. In addition, they are sweet in nature and also have little fat, so they are easy to satisfy the taste of a bud. They are made only from fruits and nuts and come in delicious, classic Larabar flavors. You can find them online or in health food stores.

2 dry apple slices

Instead of just apples buy these colorful bags of Natural dried apple slices. They look like a bag of chips, but are actually a healthy treat in disguise. They are also delicious! You can find these in a variety of brands and types, so choose which one works for you and your budget. They are really sweet and so fun to chew on!

3 Superfood Trail Mix

Trail Mix is ​​a classic healthy Halloween treat, but this year, how about kicking things up a notch? Throw some cocoa nibs into your trail mix instead of chocolate, which are processed and full of sugar. Then add in some almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds and raisins. If you can afford it, throw in some goji berries for a vibrant splash of color too. Kids love anything colorful!

4 raw brownie treats

Make your own raw brownie at home with 1 cup almonds, 1 cup cashews, 1/4 cup cocoa powder or dark cocoa powder, and 2 cups dried and date pits or raisins. Process it all into your food processor, roll it into balls or squares and then wrap it in some clear plastic wrap or place them in cute Halloween cellophane mini bags. It will be as much like Larabars, but much cheaper and healthier for you. Also, you can change up the nuts if you want. You can even use peanuts to make a healthy Snickers treat or a healthy Reese treat.

5 date rolls

Have you ever had these date buns in a grocery store? They are very tasty! They are made from mashed dates and then wrapped in either some type of raw walnut or coconut flakes. They are like eating candy and so hard to quit! Distribute these children in small pouches. Once kids try them, they will love them!

6 pure fruit and vegan strip chews

I love pure bars and they have always provided great whole food, gluten free, vegan food bar. Now they even have a fruit and vegetarian fruit strip product that’s a healthy alternative for those unhealthy fruit munching kids love in the store. They come in great flavors from apple berry, strawberry to apple, banana, strawberry and more.

7 popcorn bags

Classic fun to pass bags of popcorn, but instead of buying regular popcorn that is high in fat and salt, buy organic popcorn that is low in sodium. This will ensure that there are no GMOs in the popcorn you are handing out and feeding the kids with the best nutrition possible. You can also choose to buy the kernels yourself to save money and pop it at home with some coconut oil and sea salt for a great flavor. Put your popcorn in Halloween cellophane pouches and tie with a cute string.

If you were handing out treats at a party for the kids, feel free to use these snacks, or even make some healthier party spreads if you have time for the kids.

Are you giving away healthy Halloween treats, or making them for yourself?

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Why is it for American children and adults? How Halloween is celebrated in America

Halloween in Russia is becoming more and more popular. Why did the Celtic holiday take root in America two centuries ago? Will it take root with us and be able to change our life? We offer you to see Halloween through the eyes of a person who has plunged into American traditions and holidays.

On October 31, Halloween is celebrated in the United States, which has become very popular in Russia over the past two decades. In America itself, it was originally celebrated as a traditional holiday in Northern Ireland and Great Britain, rooted far in Celtic traditions and culture.

The name of the holiday is an abbreviation of the Scottish phrase meaning “All Saints’ Day”. It is believed that the first reliable references to this holiday date back to the 16th century. For a long time, Halloween could not take root in America, moreover, the first generations of settlers and pilgrims in every possible way prevented the spread of this holiday.

Only much later, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, along with the growth of immigration from Ireland and Scotland, did Halloween gradually gain strength and popularity. At the beginning of the First World War, it was already celebrated throughout America.

From turnip to pumpkin

As Halloween spread across the country, it gradually became Americanized. It is in this way that the main traditional vegetable – turnip, that is, fodder turnip – which was the Celtic symbol of this holiday, was replaced by the now world-famous, but already American pumpkin. It is much larger and softer inside, so it is easier to build the obligatory Halloween symbol from it – a head with burning eyes, Jack’s lantern – and it is more convenient to place a candle there.

And the time of Halloween coincides with the end of the harvest, so there are a lot of pumpkins in any market and they are quite inexpensive. Shops are just full of pumpkins for the holiday. The same goes for corn, another vegetable commonly used by Americans to decorate their homes for Halloween.

Pumpkin face carving has become so commonplace in the United States that the industry today produces many special tools for these procedures – knives, hooks and saws, and local volunteer organizations are invited to special courses. In housekeeping classes, in various kinds of “skillful hands” school circles, American students are engaged in “artistic carving” on pumpkins or learn how to make decorative bouquets and baskets for Halloween, which can often be bought later at special school sales.

Carving pumpkin heads before the holiday has become a popular activity for many American families, especially those with small children. The houses are also decorated with colorful autumn leaves, wreaths of dried branches and flowers, yes, in fact, everything that has a specific “rustic” or farmhouse look.

Witches, skulls, skeletons

The second obligatory Halloween symbol is anything related to death, the afterlife, the occult, etc. Figurines of witches are very popular, which are made very picturesquely and skillfully, with carefully embroidered, written out or carved details of the face and costume. Witches are usually scary, with long noses, crooked teeth and disheveled gray hair, in black or crimson dresses, with a hat or a pointed cap on their heads. You can find them for every taste, color and wallet.

These figurines are cute and colorful in their own way. When my wife first saw them, she made the historic decision to collect a collection of American Halloween witches in our Moscow home. Now one of the rooms resembles a colorful witches’ dormitory – from small ones, the size of a palm, to huge ones, in raincoats and high hats with bells.

In addition to witches, all kinds of skulls, bones and whole skeletons are an integral attribute of Halloween, which are sold in abundance not only in department stores, but also in pharmacies, children’s toys stores and supermarkets. They also come in different sizes and with different functions. Some skeletons suddenly start shaking, making graveyard noises, and waving their arms when a random passer-by passes by. Skulls gnash their teeth, shout out curses in a hoarse voice, and sparkle their eyes in the darkness. If all this happens unexpectedly, you can really get scared. It’s funny to see how the Americans themselves shy away from surprise, passing through the store past the shelves with this kind of holiday goods. False “vampire” teeth, hooked noses with elastic bands, “bloody” gloves are very popular.

Various masks are wildly popular. Halloween masks can range from images of Hollywood heroes such as Superman, Spider-Man or Star Trek characters to creepy ugly people, scary old men and women, fantastical creatures, etc. Often they are accompanied by appropriate costumes or costume details.

I remember how at one time I brought several of these masks to Moscow and once put on one of them at home. My daughter Dina – actually quite a brave, desperate and fighting girl, then still about six or seven years old – was so frightened that we hid these masks away from sin in the most inaccessible corner.

Halloween: costumes, maxi, children and adults

In general, as I have noticed, almost every self-respecting American, especially if he has children, always has all sorts of Halloween supplies in the basement – from items to decorate the house outside and inside to costumes and masks, in which, perhaps, he himself went to Halloween processions many years ago.

The most sentimental residents of the United States keep for a long time the masks and costumes that they wore to such parties as students. A friend of mine has a Darth Vader helmet from the iconic Star Wars movie that’s over 30 years old and his owner wears it every year to the Halloween party in Georgetown, Washington. Another friend of mine has been dressing up as an inmate of an American prison for Halloween celebrations all his adult life, that is, not only in a striped suit, but also in real handcuffs. On his leg, he puts on a chain with a real cannonball – similar ones were once attached to the legs of prisoners in prisons in Texas and Arizona – and in this form he hobbles around his district, accompanying first his children collecting traditional sweets, and now his grandchildren. By the way, these are quite typical examples.

Of course, you can easily buy an inexpensive, bright, scary or funny disposable Halloween costume. Some do just that. But many simply from childhood or youth truly, if you like, “get used” to the image, and not just dress up in the appropriate costume. For them, it becomes a part of life, a part of their individuality. It has occurred to me more than once that many Americans, until the end of their days, remain somewhere in the depths of their souls like boys, a kind of Tom Sawyer, and it is on Halloween that they get a chance to release this boy into the wild. In American women, I noticed this much less often.

However, Russians, in my opinion, hide their, as they say in America, “inner child” much deeper, and many never show it at all. Whether this is due to the national mentality or lifestyle – I do not know. But in this regard, I have always been quite comfortable in America. Everyone here likes to fool around a little, but the daily stupid stress is still much less than in Russia.

Of course, Halloween is very popular among American children. And not only because you can dress up in different costumes and compete with friends in this, or get a rare opportunity to see your parents, adult neighbors, school teachers and local policemen in carnival costumes, help dad “get into character”, paint mom’s face with gouache or sister, pick up wigs or teeth for them. This is also the time when the house is decorated with many creepy and mysterious objects that create a completely different atmosphere in it.

Sometimes parents arrange all sorts of frightening surprises for their children, moreover, they invite neighbors or classmates to the house for a Halloween party. Often it ends only in the morning. Many Americans said that such parties or participation in carnival parades are some of the most vivid memories of their own childhood.

Halloween is a very American holiday, because Americans love mysticism and talk about the mystery of the world around them. At the same time, this is probably the most un-American holiday, as it completely contradicts the rational nature of the American mind. You can combine it only in a child’s head. It seems to me that on Halloween America seems to be turning into a country of big and small children, still unfamiliar with logic and sincerely rejoicing at the celebration of demonstrative, bright, noisy and cheerful irrationality in the realm of protocol rationalism.