Whether you celebrate Halloween or not, there’s no denying that it’s an event steeped in history. Halloween is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. In the eighth century, some of the traditions of Samhain were incorporated into All Saints’ Day (1 November), a time to honour saints and martyrs. The evening before it became known as All Hallows’ Eve, and later Halloween. Today, it’s all about the fun of dressing up, carving out pumpkins and trick or treating for candy. Here’s our guide to all you need for the fun and the frights.
Where to buy party products
Besides regular haunts (pun intended!) like Marks and Spencer, Candy Empire, Giant, Cold Storage and FairPrice supermarkets, you can stock up on your Halloween party supplies at the following locations:
Chin Giap Soon Trading
This spot is well known to party planners and event organisers as a place for buying party supplies in bulk. Come by the store and browse the Halloween toys and decorations. You can now order online too, and have your items delivered right to your doorstep!
#03-18 OneKM Shopping Mall, 11 Tanjong Katong Road
6297 0075 | chingiapsoon.com
Daiso
Where else can you shop where everything is just $2? Pick up decorations, pumpkin treat-holders, as well as an array of toys and little trinkets to give to kids who come knocking. Daiso has 15 stores, including at ION Orchard, VivoCity, Parkway Parade and Plaza Singapura.
6376 8065 | daisosingapore.com.sg
Bug’s Party
Don’t have the time to go to a store? Check out Bug’s Party online store. It offers a wide selection of Halloween props with well-priced shipping.
bugsparty.com
Groovy Gifts
Stop off here for decorative ware, from skulls to spiders and frogs. Best of all are the tricks and gags, including prank tape, fart bombs, squirt rings and fake cockroaches.
#02-03 Cluny Court, 501 Bukit Timah Road
6875 0430 | groovygifts.com.sg
Party City
This outlet stocks everything for a spooky party, from table-covers, cups and plates to plenty of tricks.
Shophouse 277A Holland Avenue, Level 2
6462 6011 | partycity.sg
Spotlight
Well known as a craft mecca, Spotlight sells all manner of decorations, fancy dress, table dressings and all the arts and crafts materials you could ever want or need.
Level 5, Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Road
spotlight.com.sg
Where to buy costumes
While there are many clever folks who love making costumes for their kids (and themselves!) each year, others fall back on the classic last-minute costume – a white sheet with two peep-holes! (Don’t worry, we’re guilty of it too!) If you’re not up to making something or you don’t have the time, head to one of these fancy dress stores to rent or buy a costume. Many of them also have cool accessories to pair with your outfit.
Spooky food ideas
Aside from scrolling through Pinterest and food blogs for Halloween ideas, check out these fabulous recipes, which most importantly, have all been tried and tested! Have a look now and get ready to whip up a storm!
Not-so-scary films for kids
There are countless horror films for adults to enjoy (if that’s the right word!) – from the newly released thriller It based on Stephen King’s book to classics like The Conjuring and Annabelle. Here, though, are some suggestions to watch with the little ones, so they don’t miss out on the spooky (but child-friendly) fun.
- Goosebumps is based on R.L. Stine’s children’s book series. It’s not overly graphic and will offer plenty of fun for kids aged five and above.
- Hotel Transylvania (1, 2 and now 3!) will get your kids giggling with their host of eccentric monsters (and, not forgetting, one loveable human) and their crazy antics.
- Change things up with a black-and-white film this Halloween. Frankenweenie, a stop-motion film by Tim Burton, tells the story of a young boy named Victor Frankenstein and how he uses electricity to resurrect his dog Sparky. Though it’s generally kid-friendly, the film has some scenes that could be potentially frightening, so it’s perhaps more suitable for tweens.
- Go on a spooky adventure with Scooby-Doo and friends as they solve mysteries and meet monsters, ghouls and more.
- Based on a novel of the same name, Coraline tells the story of a girl who finds a secret world behind her a mysterious door in her new house. Voiced by Dakota Fanning, this animated fantasy film can be a little scary for younger ones so it might be best for tweens and up.
- Monsters, Inc. is charming, funny and exciting all in one. The two main stars of this fun cartoon are monsters, but not the scary kind, so it’s perfect for little kids. Anyone over the age of four is sure to love this one!
- The classic Casper offers the perfect mix of Halloween and kid-friendliness. Casper the Friendly Ghost and Kat, a normal teenage girl, quickly become friends and go on adventures together.
- Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie is suitable for all ages; after all, honey-loving Pooh would never scare anyone!
- Hocus Pocus is perfect for tweens. It features three witch sisters on the path of revenge.
Easy face-painting
All you need is a palette of face paints and some patience to create these party faces. Here are some ideas for you and the kids!
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