Over the weekend, while running routine errands, I added “Halloween goodies” to our list. The kids, of course, asked what that meant, I explained that we would be “boo’ing some of our friends and neighbors.”
The concept is simple. You put together a little treat or even just a small bag of candy, leave it on your neighbors’ doorstep with a little note, ring the doorbell and run.
Like the old childhood classic ding dong ditch (also sometimes called ring and run), but way better.
To say the kids were down with this nighttime frivolity would be an understatement. In fact, as we were gathering our goodies to head out, Madeline went to the hall closet and got us all hats and gloves so we could better disguise ourselves a bit and go more undetected.
We pulled up in front of our friends’ houses, cut the lights on the car, and the kids crept to the front doors as quietly as they could. They placed the little Frankenstein baskets on the doorsteps, rang the door bell, and then hid in the bushes to watch the reactions.
Because that’s pretty much the best part.
As they raced back to the car, they would collapse in fits of giggles.
We filled the little baskets with simple items. A life-like spider. Fun glasses with fake noses. A severed plastic bloody foot. Halloween cups. A couple pieces of candy (not many since Halloween is right around the corner). A Hallmark card wishing them Happy Halloween. And the “boo note” explaining what it was all about.
Honestly, the kids could not have had more fun doing it. So much so that we did it for two nights in a row. We boo’d five houses in total, and only one knew it was us.
Which thrilled the kids to no end.
Boo’ing neighbors is something I’ve known about for years, but I never quite got around to doing it. Halloween is such a busy time of the year, the activity would get pushed to the side or quickly forgotten.
It was the perfect way to add a little extra fun to our week … and it’s already on the calendar as a reminder for next year. Since Halloween the last two years pretty much didn’t exist, this has been an awesome way to make up for it.
Taking it one step further, it would be a fun thing to do year ’round. Put a basket of homemade muffins on a door step with a handwritten note. Ring and run. A flower bouquet just because. Ring and run.
Totally a movement I can get behind.
Looking for more creative and fun ways to celebrate holidays, special occasions, and the normal every day? Right here. Tons of inspiration for the taking.
Tomorrow? We celebrate Halloween.
Next week? The Sahara Sam’s post that was originally slated for today.
*This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hallmark. The opinions and text are all mine. Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.
Hallmark wants to know why it’s important for your family to create new memories and commemorate them. Visit Hallmark.com/Explore for product news and special offers. Life is a special occasion.
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