Make it a tradition
The Night of Lanterns
30 October
Halloween's answer to Christmas Eve. Light lanterns in the garden, drink hot chocolate, tell spooky stories and exchange one small Halloween gift.
What you need
- LED or flameless lanterns
- Hot chocolate or another warm drink, checked for allergies
- One small gift per person
- A garden, a balcony, or a darkened room if you have no outside space
- If you use real candles: jar lanterns, and matches kept by an adult
How to do it
- Keep 30 October shorter than Halloween itself, so people still have energy the next day.
- An adult places the lanterns. LED lanterns are the ordinary choice. Real candles, if used, stay in jars, are lit by an adult, and stay clear of costumes.
- Drink something warm and tell one spooky story you can soften for a younger child.
- Exchange one small gift. A sticker, a biscuit, or a tiny decoration is enough.
- Switch the lanterns off together so the evening has an ending.
One household's version
They line jam-jar LED lights along the path. Hot chocolate is made with the allergy-safe milk. The story is about a polite ghost who only wants the last biscuit. The gifts are wrapped pencils. A parent switches the lights off at bedtime.
Safety note: Use LED or flameless lanterns. If you use real candles, an adult should light them, use jar lanterns, and keep them away from costumes.