Halloween Romance

What makes Halloween romantic? Mystery and suspense and a little bit of naughtiness that we all love to love. Whether you love having the shit scared out of you, or eating the candy, or dressing up and being someone else for a day, everyone has a reason to fall in love with this romantic holiday.

So what’s the history of Halloween? The legend of All Hallows Eve says that a thinly veiled boundary between this world and the next allows witches and otherworldly creatures more power on this night. “It’s just a bunch of hocus pocus,” right? Whether you believe this or not, it has become a traditional night for tricks and treats, spooks and sweets.

If you want to make this holiday romantic with a significant other, there are some perfect Halloween activities. Haunted houses are often fun and a great bonding experience, plus you may end up physically holding onto each other. If being scared isn’t for you, there are hayrack rides and pumpkin patches that can bring excitement and decor to your relationship. It’s also bonfire season, which is an economical, low-key date.

As the weather gets chilllier, it’s also nice to enjoy indoor pursuits like watching football or movies. Some epic romantic Halloween movies include Hocus Pocus, The Addams Family, Scooby-Doo movies, Warm Bodies, and Blade.

How to Make a Spooky Haunted House

One of my favorite things to do with my husband is make a haunted house. We used to do it where he worked. Then we did it in our driveway. I’m not sure how we want to do it this year.

We start by gathering all the random Halloween decorations my mom has passed down and I’ve collected over the years. (That’s a lot. I mean A LOT a lot.)

After that, we categorize and pick a theme based on our budget and if we’ll need to buy things. I love to check dollar stores and Goodwill for Halloween things. I also keep an eye out at garage sales. And I do invest in inflatable decorations if they’re adorable or unique enough.

Then we make sure to incorporate all the senses in whatever design we come up with. There has to be a containment of some kind, whether it’s an event tent or small fencing or lights on the ground… whatever. Something to make people feel trapped or limited.

Then you add something for audio-sound effects, music, laughter-and put it together with lots of visuals from lots of directions. We tape Halloween ghouls and ghosts to the walls of a tent and street bones and body parts along the ground. Last year we put The Nightmare Before Christmas on a TV with a strobe light.

Adding an element of touch can be tricky. We’ve used slime and spaghetti in a hidden box you have to reach your hand in. Also hanging draperies that touch people as they walk by. Running a fan randomly can have a literally chilling effect. It also makes things move in interesting ways.

Using smell can be something as simple as candles or garbage, depending on the aroma you’re going for. A fog machine hits smell, straw has an odor, and dirt are all things we’ve used to create distinct smells in areas like a creepy dock, or a graveyard.

We used to make it a lot scarier. But then we had kids and it’s gone more family friendly. It adds excitement, teamwork, and brings the romance into the holiday.

So enjoy the romance of Halloween, as it brings mystery, excitement, and many things we love to fear to life!