Let’s take the fun indoors!

First of all, let us say that we share your main concerns: What am I going to do about this Halloween? How can I entertain my kids from home? Can this holiday still be fun? Sure, you may have others, but we want to help you achieve the one that’s keeping you up at night: How to survive your first Trick or Treating from the safety and comfort of home.

We’ve carefully thought about it and came up with Five Essential Steps every family needs to follow to keep the magic going (even in times of COVID-19). Let’s explore each and feel free to comment if you have any special requests.

1. Set your provisions

You should really start preparations. Think of snacks, candy, and decoration material. It doesn’t matter how big your house is, take advantage of every space, corner, and get ready to transform it. Remember kids love the magic behind Halloween. And us grown-ups too! So let’s make an effort to create (and maintain)
a fun illusion.

● Candy, treats & chocolate
When it comes to snacks, kids know the sky's the limit. So feel free to ask them what they want. If you need personalized treats, it’s important to make the arrangements at least two weeks before the party; especially if you want to make your own.

Not in the mood for creating your snacks from scratch? That's fine! If you happen to be in sunny Naples, you can always rely on our hand-crafted chocolates & wholesome treats.

● Decoration
Our first advice is to seek inspiration everywhere. Check out social media posts, Pinterest, DIY YouTube videos, and more. Even review your pictures from past Halloweens. Whether you want to make your children’s costumes or buy them, accessorizing is a must! Look for handy props you can use to highlight your characters.

Finally, if you have pets, include them as well with a cute makeover. Puppies in adorable costumes are always welcomed!

● Music
Don’t forget about the music! Start creating playlists and gathering the music that’ll set the tone. You can even create different atmospheres thanks to the right songs! Imagine an 80’s ambiance, followed by a Caribbean-vibe living room. And if you’re going for the creepy feeling late at night, add the best horror movie soundtracks.

2. Organize a virtual party

Since safety always comes first, let’s find opportunities instead of problems! Virtual parties are perfect for exploring a sense of togetherness even in times of social distancing. So make sure to organize one with your friends and family. Don’t worry if you’re coming up short of games ideas, here are some you can host from any online platform: Zoom, WhatsApp, Google Meet... Like we said at the beginning, it’s all about planning, creativity, and wanting the best for your loved ones!

● Halloween charades

As an ice-breaker, start with charades! You might want to perfect your drawing skills or, if you want to go all-digital, look for apps and online sites to do the trick.

● Pumpkin-Carving Contests

Why not celebrate this fun tradition? Once you figure out having a remote gathering, it’s time to decorate and carve those pumpkins! You can set a time frame for this activity, choose a jury, have stations ready to be torn apart. All in the spirit of keeping the joy!

● Share spooky stories

This will be the perfect time to turn off the lights, grab a safety blanket, and become a storyteller. You can arrange rounds increasing the intensity of the plots. Let the children share their tales, put them to bed, and then let the real horror out. It all depends on how much sleep you want to get after this session. Have you decided yet?

Remember to include little prizes or incentives for every game, and stay in character at all times!

3. Send treats to family & friends in advance

No matter where they are, let them know you’re thinking of them (and their little ones). While you organize your virtual party, plan as well the delivery of goodie bags for your loved ones. Here’s where you can think of creative ways for trick or treating from home!

We suggest the following:

- Prepare fun Trick or Treating games with the other parents before you arrange your deliveries.
- Hide clues on your goodie bags. Remember what you write down and coordinate the hiding spots with your friends.
- When the virtual party starts, announce the hunt!
- Let the children wreck your home while trying to find their treats. It’s all part of the fun.

As you can see, with a few creative tricks, you can keep the Halloween spirit going (even if you’re not going anywhere). We’re getting close to the finish line. Keep on reading!

4. Set the mood

What’s going to be your concept? Are you going for a themed-party or a mix of everything? Setting the mood from the beginning can make a difference. Take this time to decide what you want, what your children are hoping to experience, and what you need to do to get there.

Remember to use all of your assets, even your car! Decorate its trunk and make it part of the celebration. For example, you can organize a scavenger hunt. Leave clues all around the house and hide small rewards.

And what about a Halloween-themed piñata? Buy one or make a simple design out of paper mache. There’s nothing better than confetti and candy flying around after the kids smash it. And for a grand finale, a horror movie marathon might just be the
cherry on top!

5. Must-Have Halloween treats

Of course, there’s a large assortment of Halloween treats. However, we wanted to help you out with some recommendations. As you know, we are specialists in making home-made chocolate treats, and we love this time of the year!

We’ve selected 10 Basic Items for enjoying a sweet, wholesome, and fun holiday, no matter the age. They’re perfect for complementing any setting.

● Chocolate pretzels.
● Nonpareils chocolate drops.
● Peanut butter truffles.
● Chocolate gators and turtles.
● Dark chocolate orange peels.
● Salted caramel chocolates.
● Dark chocolate salted discs.
● Chocolate seashells.
● Fruity truffles.
● Cookies and Cream chocolates.

We got you covered!

Have you decided on how to celebrate this Halloween? We hope we’ve brought you useful information on planning a fun, pleasant, and memorable homemade-trick-or-treating experience. Are you ready to make your selection of chocolates? Let us know which are your favorites, and we’ll be more than happy to hand-craft them for you!

A final note from our family...

We want to close these guidelines with our shared message: No matter how hard things have been, you got through them! And years from now, when you and your loved ones look at this year’s Halloween pictures, admire all the love, care, and joy you and your family made possible. So let’s fill our days with happy actions because, in the long run, those will remain precious memories.

Happy Halloween!