Approximately one thousand years ago, in early April of this year, I put together a short list of ideas on how one might make the most of the sudden influx of Friday and Saturday nights spent at home. I blush to read it now. How cavalier I was, blithely declaring this to be the dawning of a new age for introverts! How naively droll! Nearly eight months into this thing, it’s wild to look back and remember when our altered way of living felt temporary, worthy of a blog post to celebrate its novelty. The warmer months may have offered some reprieve, with patios and backyards and other outdoor spaces where we could gather safely. But as we move deeper into autumn and watch the temperature dip while the daily Covid case numbers spike, a return to the 2020 status quo feels all but inevitable.
By now everyone is probably well enough versed in the dubious art of weekending at home that there’s no longer a market for my burgeoning Introvert Consultancy Practice– for ordinary weekends, that is. But what about this upcoming weekend, which happens to be a holiday weekend, the Halloweekend? Perhaps I won’t declare bankruptcy just yet.
In normal times, a year in which Halloween falls on a Saturday night would be a king-sized chocolate bar of a treat– no confusion about when to hold your party, everyone in the spookiest of spirits. This year, October 31st also happens to be the Full Blue Moon. I don’t know if that actually adds any real value to Halloween, but it does sound appropriately eerie. No matter what the calendar or the lunar cycle suggests, All Hallows Eve 2020 promises to be a largely underwhelming affair, without the traditional large parties, the hordes of trick-or-treating children. Still, there are a few ways to preserve the ghoulish magic of the season even if you can only celebrate with your personal little coven, in your decidedly un-haunted house.
An Evening of Witch CRAFTS
Allow creative spirits to possess you and be astounded by the results. Michaelangelo once said he didn’t carve the David out of marble, but rather he carved away everything that was not the David. Dress yourself in 1. comfy, seasonal colors and see if you can’t project that same attitude towards your 2. pumpkins. Or, if you want to avoid the mess, just cover them in 3. glitter. You can make a simple, spooky 4. centrepiece with just a few items from the dollar store, or 5. the cutest lil pumpkin bats if your crafting supplies are more substantial. Freak yourself out by playing episodes of 6. My Favorite Murder while you work, and calm yourself down with a 7. candy corn martini. Handfuls of 8. Halloween chex mix should sustain you throughout your crafting flow.
Boo!-vie Night
Personally I have never cared for scary movies, or the feeling of being scared in general– my favorite part of any roller coaster ride is the part where you get off it. However, I am willing to make an exception for 1. the films of Alfred Hitchcock, or 2. Jordan Peele’s 2017 masterpiece Get Out. Another route might be to eschew the screams and lean into the supernatural aspect of Halloween, either with a 3. Harry Potter marathon, or witchy classics like 4. Hocus Pocus or 5. Practical Magic. Stock your personal concession stand with 6. apple nachos and 7. pumpkin pie dip. Wearing 8. an oversized unicorn onesie will make your movie watching experience all the more magical.
Black Magic Dinner Party
If the above nights sound too casual for you, there’s always the option of pulling a Beetlejuice and hosting an intimate dinner party. 1. Black candles and free flowing red wine are a must, as is 2. a kitschy pumpkin shaped cheeseball and 3. an entree with enough garlic in it to repel vampires. 4. A caramel apple skillet cake is a suitably decadent conclusion to your feast. A warning that if you pull off this entire menu, people will probably accuse you of practicing witchcraft, and if you’ve pulled it off while wearing this minimalist cottage-core 5. black dress you’ll have looked great but only made the case against you stronger.
Ainsley MacIntyre 
Ainsley, you just added an extra special touch to this Halloween. Thanks for sharing. I have a pot of apple cider with cinnamon sticks simmering on the stove. Our socially distanced table of treats are sitting outside our door (hopefully the little ones get their bags before the older ones take more than one). I will sit by the window and listen for the excited voices of the little ones as they proudly wave at me as I sit by the window. I was always that “one” who asked for a trick or a song before giving out a treat. Not this year! Enjoy your night. You always make every event extra special.
On Sat, Oct 31, 2020 at 12:10 PM Ainsley MacIntyre wrote:
> ainsleymacintyre posted: ” Approximately one thousand years ago, in early > April of this year, I put together a short list of ideas on how one might > make the most of the sudden influx of Friday and Saturday nights spent at > home. I blush to read it now. How cavalier I was, blithely ” >
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