Halloween Fun For All The Family

Every year, the spooky supernatural event of Halloween is celebrated in the UK on October 31st. Our modern day tradition is inspired by customs that date back over 6000 years, as well as the 2000+ year old Celtic pagan religious festival of Samhain – which honours the harvest and the 'dark half of the year'.

For many people, Halloween is one of the most exciting days on the calendar. Once night falls, it's time to dress up in outlandish costumes and makeup, to go out trick-or-treating, and to enjoy scary surprises with family and friends.

If you have samhainophobia (the fear of Halloween) you may not be quite so delighted by the prospect of having a night of frightful fun. Following the traditional Mexican prayer and remembrance festival of the Day of the Dead, on November 2nd, may be far more appealing to you.

For All Ages:

Impress In Fancy Dress

The fancy dress tradition originated in ancient Celtic times, when men and women wore demon inspired, animal skin costumes in order to scare off evil spirits during Samhain.

Dressing up in spooky costumes sets the tone for Halloween fun for the whole family. You can buy or hire a fancy dress outfit, or make it yourself. While it's custom to dress up as a ghost, zombie, mummy, goblin, witch or warlock for Halloween in the UK, Americans love to dress to impress as favourite superheroes, cartoon characters and animals, and to wear wild and crazy outfits that are inspired by pop culture.

Explore Spooky Places

There are many historic cities, towns and villages, dotted all over the UK, that feature haunted houses or creepy attractions that are worth a visit on Halloween.

You can have a bone-chilling experience walking through the dimly lit creeky corridors and rooms of an old property, on a ghost hunt. If you're not feeling brave enough, you can always join a Mystery Trail that visits a famous scary location, such as Hampton Court Palace's Haunted Gallery, a secret wood or a cemetery. You can also enjoy terrifying thrills on a haunting tour around your neighbourhood, or while exploring the local meeting place of witches.

Scary Storytime

Listening to eerie tales of ghostly characters and spine-chilling events is a popular activity that is enjoyed by all ages on Halloween night.

Get into the spooky spirit with friends and recount hair-raising tales of horror and terror. Take turns telling stories about ghosts, monsters, creepy creatures and things that go bump in the night. You can tell classic and timeless stories, or use your imagination to make them up on the spot.

Fun For Youngsters:

Traditional Halloween Activities

Children of all ages love to get involved with Halloween preparations and dressing up as goblins, ghosts, pirates and princesses. Help them create themed arts and crafts, and to carve the family's pumpkin jack-o'lanterns. You can also bake mini cakes together and have fun decorating them with black and orange icing.

Parading from house to house, knocking on doors, calling out "Trick or treat!" and scaring the neighbours with their painted faces or creepy masks is the perfect way to keep youngsters entertained on Halloween night. Keep them safe by joining them on the spooky quest to fill up their bags and pumpkin shaped buckets with sweet treats.

Teen Appeal:

Horror Movie Marathon Sleepover

Teenagers will be excited to host (or attend) a horror movie marathon sleepover. Help them choose the best movies of the horror film genre to screen for their friends.

Create a viewing schedule featuring iconic classics like Hitchcock's Psycho, The Shining, and Vincent Price's The Raven, or modern spine-tingling serial chillers that include A Nightmare On Elm Street, Scream, and of course, Halloween. Be sure to have a supply of popcorn and sleeping bags at the ready.

Fright Night Club

If you live in or near to a city, it's a good idea to check local castles and Gothic historic venues for details of themed Halloween events and Fright Night Clubs. Many theme parks also host an annual Halloween event that features terrifying scare zones and magnificent mazes, as well as the usual thrilling and exhilarating rides and attractions.

For Adults Only:

Throw A Masquerade Bash

If you love Halloween, invite your friends over to your 'haunted house' for a Masquerade Party with a spooktacular twist. Swap the traditional dress code of ball gowns, tuxedos and Venetian masks for fancy dress costumes that are wickedly witchy and daringly demonic. Theme your food and drinks accordingly, and offer a prize for the most creative costume.

You could also club together with a group of friends and hire a party venue, like a stately home, castle, dungeon or vault.

Solve A Murder Mystery

If you prefer celebrations that are a little more intimate, you can host a Murder Mystery party and invite friends to investigate the crime scene for clues and evidence gathering. Each guest takes on the role of a murder suspect character, and has to dress appropriately. You can choose a downloadable Murder Mystery game or buy one that's boxed, or you can write your own story and script.

Consult The Spirits

During Halloween, it's believed that the ethereal veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is at its thinnest. This makes communication with spirits much easier.

Swap the Ouija board for a Victorian style séance at home. Book the services of a local professional psychic medium offering personal tarot readings, palm readings, or tasseography.

Alternatively, you can have a private 1-2-1 reading with one of our experienced psychic medium readers for instant connection with the spirit realm on Halloween night.