5 Halloween Activities for Seniors
There is no such thing as being too old for Halloween and no one knows how to celebrate a holiday better than seniors in a party mood. Halloween is all about having fun, dressing up, and of course eating way too much candy. Here are five Halloween activities for seniors and people of all ages to enjoy this Spooktacular Saturday.
1. Classic Horror Movie Marathon
Older children and teenagers can enjoy watching old scary movies with their grandparents. Classic horror films might be frightening to small children but older children will find them campy and silly rather than scary. Seniors can tell their families where they first watched the film, how it related to the time period, and explain how the special effects were state of the art at the time of the movie’s premiere. There are classic horror movies to fit with everyone’s tastes. Vampire lovers can start with Nosferatu (1922) and Dracula (1931). Those looking for monster scares will enjoy Frankenstein (1931) and The Wolf Man (1941). Other classic films that make for a hauntingly fun Halloween movie marathon include, Godzilla (1954), The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963).
2. Have a Costume Contest
One of the best parts about Halloween is dressing up and with so many costume options available, seniors shouldn’t be left out of the fun. Some costume ideas include dressing as iconic people like Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein, Fred Astaire, or Bette Davis. Fictional characters are always a popular costume option as well. Seniors can dress up as a superhero like Wonder Woman or Superman or as a character from their favorite movie like Dorothy or the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz. Couples looking for ideas can go as classic duos like Popeye and Olive Oyl, Lucy and Ricky, or Vivian Leigh and Laurence Olivier.
3. Halloween Crafts and Games
It’s no secret that seniors love bingo. A Halloween version of the game is easy to make. Swap out the numbers with pictures of all things related to Halloween like pumpkins, black cats, witches hats, broomsticks, etc. Replace the letters B-I-N-G-O with C-A-N-D-Y. Seniors can get involved with crafting decorations as well. Carving pumpkins is a Halloween tradition but seniors may have trouble with the strength and dexterity needed to safely carve a pumpkin. An easy, fun alternative is pumpkin painting. There are many kits and stencils available to get you started or just make up your own design.
4. Themed Halloween Party
There are tons of fun ideas for a themed Halloween party. A classic Hollywood theme is the perfect excuse for seniors to dress up as their favorite movie stars. Add to the glamour by serving drinks in wine and martini glasses, even if the drinks are just fruit punch and seltzer water. Another enjoyable theme is a camping party where families can get together and roast marshmallows and seniors can tell spooky, spine-tingling stories to the rest of the family. You don’t even need to leave the house to have a camping themed Halloween party. Marshmallows can easily be roasted on the stove and turning the main lights off and a flashlight on can provide the perfect indoor setting for spooky campfire stories and shadow puppet creations.
5. Candy for Everyone
Gorging on candy is one of the best parts of Halloween. There are many sweet treats available for seniors no matter what special diets they may be on. Grocery stores sell sugar free alternatives to regular Halloween candy that diabetics can enjoy.. Families can also get together and bake Halloween treats using substitutes to regular sugar like coconut sugar and maple syrup. Baking delicious snacks together is almost as fun as eating them together.
How do you celebrate Halloween with the seniors in your life? Let us know your ideas for Halloween activities for seniors in the comment section.
