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5 tips for a frighteningly fun Halloween without breaking the bank!
Whether it’s trick or treating, carving pumpkins, apple bobbing or lighting a bonfire, Halloween season can quickly become an expensive time of year for families. Following America’s lead, Halloween in the UK has gained massive popularity, with statistics showing that Britons spent £419 million on Halloween in 2018. However, the holiday for all thing’s horror, hilarity and fun does not need to break the bank every year. Primary Times have put together 5 different ways to have a frighteningly fun Halloween with the children, without the hefty price tag.
1. Homemade Trick or Treats
Whether you’re planning on heading out trick or treating on Halloween night, or just having a spooky night-in with the kids, the sweet treats don’t have to cost a fortune. You could make your own sweets by melting leftover chocolate into spooky shapes or branch out with your treat selection to offer your children fruit, popcorn or party rings.
2. Crafty Costumes
Shop-bought Halloween costumes can look great, but often come with a price tag to match. For an equally effective result, try making and sewing your children’s costumes yourself using items from around the house. A yellow shirt and some overalls can make a cute Minion, some black clothes and white tape will transform your children into scary skeletons, or simply an old sheet torn into strips and wrapped around your kids will create some seriously spooky mummies.
3. Penny Saving Party Games
Party games are a great way to add activities this Halloween without any additional costs. You could try the ‘Halloween Feel Box’, a fun sensory game where the children have to guess the different household items in the box, or ‘Pin the stem on the pumpkin’, a spooky alternative to ‘Pin the tail on the donkey’.
4. DIY Decorations
There’s no need to spend a fortune on Halloween decorations when you can instead use items you have lying around the house. Large hanging ghosts that will sway spookily in the breeze can be made easily by draping a white sheet, tablecloth or pillowcase over a balloon and tying below the head. Alternatively, scarecrows to decorate the party room, trees, patio or porch can be put together cheaply by stuffing old clothes with rags or rolled up newspapers – Don’t forget the elastic bands to create the scarecrow’s knobbly knees!
5. Spooky Snacks
Homemade baked goods can be a great way to save on the pennies whilst having fun with the kids too. A batch of delicious Spooktacular Halloween biscuits will be sure to disappear in no time – take a look at our recipe to have a go at home.
Spooktacular Halloween Biscuits
Ingredients (makes 6-8 biscuits): 100g unsalted butter, 100g caster sugar, 1 free-range egg lightly beaten, 275g plain flour, 1 tsp vanilla extract
To Decorate: 400g icing sugar, 3-4 tbsp water, 2-3 drops food colourings.
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract
4. Stir in the flour until the mixture comes together as a dough.
5. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1cm. Cut biscuits out of the dough using Halloween-style cutters and carefully place onto the baking tray.
6. Bake the biscuits for 8-10 minutes and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
7. For the decoration, sift the icing sugar into a large mixing bowl and stir in enough water to create a smooth paste. Stir in the food colouring.
8. Carefully spread the icing onto the biscuits and set aside until the icing hardens.