Instead of the Daybook entry that usually takes this spot on Mondays – I spent the better part of the day putting together an album of photos from yesterday’s Halloween Party. There are too many of them to post on the blog – you’ll find them in Grandmother Wren’s Halloween Pages.
Click Here to Visit the Photo Album
I decided to revisit an old post from Grandmother Wren’s first blog - an October afternoon of crafting with the “only three” year old Miss Maya. (she scolded me at lunch today for giving her a plastic spoon to use. “Do you remember I am five? I’m not a baby – I’m a kid!”
I guess kids don’t use plastic spoons…? )
A bittersweet read for me, filled with fond memories of little girls who grow too fast -
A good craft to share for this week’s Craft It Wednesday -
Rain, Glitter and Ghosts – Saturday, October 20, 2007
A rainy day – a great day to work on some Halloween projects. We painted and glittered a tiny pumpkin, then decided to make hand print and foot print ghosts. Very Spooky! And fun. And easy.
I painted the bottom of Maya’s foot white and she painted the bottom of Grammy’s foot white. We both stepped onto a piece of black paper, then did the same with the palms of our hands.
I was prepared with a container of wet wipes to remove the paint from our hands and feet on the spot – paint footprints would be Most Unfortunate on the carpet.
We waited for the paint to dry, added eyes with a black sharpie marker and painted all over the place with silver glitter glue.
Splendidly Spooktacular!
Enjoy More of Craft It Wednesday – add a craft of your own -Visit the Blog - Click Here
These aren’t my Prize Winning Pumpkins – I didn’t craft a one of them. These are pumpkins we saw on display at the fair on Sunday. ( you know… the fair where Maya won first prize for her diorama... 
)
Some one else’s crafting can yield some great inspiration!
Get more craft ideas - Visit this week’s Craft It Wednesday – click here
If you enjoy crafting for Barbie and her friends, you might want to take a look at my Grandmother’s Dollhouse blog - I’ve added a bedroom set and some patio furniture this week – you can make them all from odds and ends…
There are a variety of reasons why some families might choose to not participate in a traditional Halloween. This doesn’t mean you have to turn out your lights and sit with your children behind closed doors trying to ignore the trick or treaters.
Your children won’t like that.
Why not start a new family tradition for October 31st? You could have a family meeting and make your plans for your special evening. Choose some fun and creative things to do – maybe a board game marathon? Give everyone in the family a special responsibility – each of you can do something to plan and prepare for your evening. Family times are too rare. Bake some cookies and make some popcorn. Have some family fun.!
One family goes Mystery Bowling as one alternative to Halloween. The bowling alley can be quite empty on Halloween. You can create your own game of Mystery Bowling. The family mentioned on the website,www.christianitytoday.com, has bowled some frames backward, some frames with a bowler’s weak hand (left for a right handed bowler and vice versa), and some frames tiptoeing to throw the ball while holding the ball above their heads like Fred Flintstone. You might require that each bowler only have to knock down three or four pins in frame one, but six in frame two, and at least eight in frame three. Any bowler who does not meet the requirement could have to wear something silly in the following frame—a dunce hat, a big curly green wig. A bowler who does meet his scoring requirement could earn a piece of candy or a bag of chips.
As another alternative to Halloween, you might create your own family film festival—making your own movie. You might make a science fiction movie, a western, or whatever you can dream up. Motorcycle helmets could be astronaut equipment, or the equipment of space aliens. If you want to make a pretend western, you could dress up your dog or cat like a horse. Give every member of the family a part and offer advice and assistance. If you have your own camcorder and can actually see your movie when you are done, the activity could be even more fun. If you don’t have one, you can maybe borrow one from a friend or your library. You might even want to show the movie to friends and relatives.
Design a “Noah’s Ark Party.” Every creature in the animal kingdom is available as a potential costume. You can purchase inexpensive fleece material in the color of the animal for the costume. Use fabric paint to add details. Instead of a mask, use face paint to draw a mouth, eyebrows, and other animal features.
If you do want to let your children go out to trick or treat on Halloween, there are still things you can do to make the holiday different and more in keeping with your family’s values. Have your children dress in acceptable costumes, like characters from history, sailors, cowboys, ballerinas, princesses, doctors, and firefighters. Accompany your children and go only to the houses of friends and neighbors. You could also find out what churches in the area are having harvest parties and take your children there instead.
Plan a progressive Halloween party in the safety of some of your friends’ homes. Arrange for children to eat a meal at the first home, play games at the next, and eat dessert at the last stop. Everyone joins in the work and expense.
Other fun alternatives to Halloween might be to take your children on a hayride, bob for apples, or even consider a nature hike with your family. First, choose a local park or trail that your family would enjoy exploring. Then, embark on a scavenger hunt for the most beautiful leaf, the smoothest rock, the most interesting stick, the perfect pine cone, or any other desirable treasures you might think of. Bring a paper bag or cloth sack for each family member to put his collectibles in. If you have a digital or instant camera, you can photograph things that can’t be taken home with you, such as the prettiest view or the ugliest bug. If you have more time to spare, pack a picnic to take with you on the walk or bring along a species guide for birds or plants to help identify your findings. When you return home, have everyone share their entries for each category and vote on the winners. You’ll be amazed at what each person has found. It might even be fun to display the winners for a period of time as a reminder of your hike.
Whatever your family’s beliefs, customs or traditions – Fun is still Fun and there is more than enough fun for everyone!
