Attending Halloween parties, playing apple bobbing and visiting spooky locations, the traditions of Halloween will not be the same this year. But that does not mean the celebrations on October 31st are not happening. In fact, the pandemic edition of Halloween is giving room for our creative juices to flow. Make sure you follow all the safety precautions. To help you out, we have listed some quarantine Halloween ideas. Thank us later!
Dress up (Because why not!)
Just because you are spending the day at home, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t don the spookiest costume. Select a theme and dress up accordingly. You may even up your game with some DIY Halloween props. There are no specific rules when it comes to selecting costumes, just make sure your costume is accompanied by a mask. To up your game, you may try painting your mask with creepy faces or fake bloodstains.
Set the mood
Deck your home with all things creepy or in a yellow and orange theme. You may even use pumpkin for decoration. If you are planning a ‘pumpkin’ theme decoration, involve your entire family in the activity. Either you carve some free-hand design or some quotes, the choice is yours. Also, don’t forget to play a Halloween party playlist in the background.
Virtual celebration
Even if you cannot visit your family and friends for a celebration, you can celebrate the day together on video calls. If office meetings and lectures can happen virtually, then why not a celebration? Create a calendar and share the invite link with your family and friends. You may organise indoor decor contest or a pumpkin carving challenge. You may even play games such as charades or Halloween trivia. Bonus points for the best creepy costume.
Spread some creepy cheer
Create a hamper of Halloween goodies and drop it at your family, friends or neighbours’ doorstep. Make sure you drop a note with some interesting message and a hint to guess the sender’s name.
Halloween movie marathon
Grab some spicy popcorn, switch off the lights and scream your head off as you get ready for Halloween movie marathon. Try setting up tents with creepy props. From The Dead Don’t Die to The Strangers: Prey at Night, there are tons of options to look out for. And, if you are a Bollywood buff like us then let us tell you Bollywood has numerous options to choose from. From psychological thrillers to comic horror, choose your pick. From the classic Bees Saal Baad to Bhoot and from Raat to Pari, these movies will not let you sleep for nights. Later, don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Eats and treats
Whip up spooky snacks: Visiting fancy places for spooky treats is a big ‘no’. But you can channel your inner chef to create a spread of spooky treats. Make sure your creepy feast comprises of some feet loaf, eyeball punch, fruit cheesecake brain, etc.
Order your spooky treats: If baking is not your cup of tea, then Plate & Pint is where mischief will be made and spirits will be raised so order away and get ready for the magic to begin. From eight-legged creepy crawly cupcakes to webbed home cupcakes and from chocolate-covered spooky oreo cakes to RIP cupcakes, haunt your appetite up. To order Halloween treats from Plate & Pint, all you need to do is place orders (70453 61991) for delivery or pick up directly from the outlet. Cost: Rs 80 per piece/onwards.
Well, with the pandemic making us embrace new traditions, it is up to us how we keep the ‘spirits’ alive in difficult times too!
The Halloween-pumpkin connect
Ever wondered why pumpkins hold an important place in Halloween celebrations? Throughout the year when you munch on its seeds and cook lip-smacking delicacies of the orange fruit then why only on October 31st it gives a chill down your spine? Well, among the many stories behind carving spooky faces on pumpkins, the one story that caught our attention was about Stingy Jack, a blacksmith by profession. It is believed that Jack used to trick devils for his own gain. And when he passed away, his soul was denied entry in heaven as well as hell. Hence, he had no choice but to roam the world for eternity. All he had was coal to light. He placed the coal in a hollowed-out turnip, which he later used to scare people. Soon people started referring to him as ‘Jack of the lantern’ and then ‘Jack-O-Lantern’. Since then it became a tradition to carve on turnips, potatoes and much later on pumpkins to ward off spirits.
Recipe: Octopus in Blood
Ingredients
• 6-8 pieces of sausage (frankfurter)
• 100 ml oil
• 30 ml tomato puree
• 50 ml beetroot juice
• 5 grams herbs
• Salt to taste
Procedure: Slice the sausage (frankfurter) to make hands. Chop the wiener in half along the length. Make sure you keep one side connected. Heat some oil in a small frypan and cook the sausages so that the legs curl up. You may even consider boiling the sausage. Poke holes with a toothpick and place mustard seeds to make eyes. To make blood take tomato puree and add some beetroot juice and cook for 10 minutes.Add salt and fresh herbs and toss all the sausages in the sauce.Arrange sausage octopus on the bed of sauce and serve hot. —Recipe by Chef Kamlesh Rawat, Executive Chef, Radisson, Mumbai
