Christmas is a big deal. If holidays are kids at school, Christmas is the most popular kid of all – everyone wants to be their friend and anticipation surrounds every move they make. Once Halloween is over, all the attention is devoted to December 25th; Thanksgiving seems to be merely a speed bump on the road to Christmas. Conventional wisdom would suggest Christmastime requires strictly traditional themes and activities. I’m here to tell you there’s room for Halloween-related ideas even when it’s time to deck the halls.
The Weather Inside is Frightful
Decorations are part and parcel of both Halloween and Christmas. Just because it’s not October anymore doesn’t mean the living room can’t be macabre. Instead of snow globes, put a Santa hat on a skull. In place of reindeer, try little spiders on stretched-out sheets of cotton for a faux-snow arachnid look. Basically, take any Halloween decoration and add a little Christmas flair – or vice versa – and you’re there.
Season’s Eatings
There is nary a seasonal party without snacks. Everyone enjoys something to munch on and hors d’oeuvres can be a great conversation piece. Lil’ smoky sausages could be called Reindeer Guts. Miniature breadsticks with marinara sauce = Chopped Elf Fingers. The possibilities are endless here, so use your imagination. Silly snacks are a great way to break the ice at any gathering and the mixture of jolly and gory will give people plenty to talk about.
Ho Ho Horrifying
Christmas party attendees are often encouraged to wear ugly sweaters or elf costumes and there is almost always a Santa Claus in the house. Want to spice up the gathering? Show up as Zombie Claus – the kids will think twice about being naughty. You can also take inspiration from Tim Burton’s masterpiece The Nightmare Before Christmas – any character will do. Try mixing and matching: show up as Frosty the Snowman, but hold your head a la the Headless Horseman.
There’s no need to lament the fact that Halloween is over. You can incorporate all of your ghoulish ideas into current Christmas festivities and you may even be lauded for your uniqueness during a time when things can get fairly predictable.
[…] By Emma Rae Curtis […]