With the temperature dropping and the days closing in faster than before, there is no doubt that we have quickly transitioned from summer straight into autumn.
Of course, alongside trees turning from green to red, getting your coats and scarves out of the cupboard, and reluctantly turning the central heating on, this time of year is also well-known for that special day marking the end of October: Halloween.
Once a religious celebration honouring the saints and the recently departed souls of loved ones, the Halloween holiday is probably now best known for spooky imagery, dressing up as your favourite characters, and the consumption of sweet treats.
Halloween captures the imagination of children and adults alike, and there are many activities you can attend or participate in at home to get into the spirit of the holiday.
So, read on for five ways to enjoy Halloween with your children and grandchildren this year, featuring events in and around Wilmslow, as well as ideas for some simpler home-brewed options.
1. Go to Halloween at Quarry Bank
The National Trust property Quarry Bank Mill in Styal makes for an interesting day out at any time of the year. But, during the Halloween period, the building dating back to the Industrial Revolution gets a spooky makeover.
Walk through a ghostly trail around the grounds of the old mill, featuring fiendish fire pits, daring performers, and grinning pumpkins. Then, enter the mill (if you dare) to continue the mayhem with things that go bump in the night, before heading back outside for thunderstorms, phantoms, and a mysterious, ghostly horseman.
There will also be Halloween-themed food available, including bewitched burgers, Frankenstein fries, and loaded curly worms.
The event is running until 3 November, and there are tickets for three different times: daylight, twilight, and moonlight. This could be ideal if you need some extra flexibility rather than just going on Halloween itself, or if you have younger children or grandchildren with an earlier bedtime!
You can purchase tickets from the Quarry Bank page on the National Trust website. There are individual and group bookings available, as well as tickets for car parking. Tickets for peak times are selling quickly so it may be worth booking sooner rather than later.
2. Spend an evening trick-or-treating around town
A classic Halloween activity, trick-or-treating around the wonderful town of Wilmslow is a great way to embrace the holiday. Wandering the streets and taking in the sights of any inventive Halloween decorations you see while knocking on doors in the hope of sweet treats is perhaps the most famous way to celebrate.
While a sugar rush may be the focus for your child or grandchild, a fun and collaborative activity to enjoy with them is working together to create a brilliant costume.
Whether they want to go all in on the ghostly element, or instead dress up as one of their favourite characters, creating a costume for them to wear can really help them get into the Halloween spirit (not to mention keep them occupied for a while!)
Just remember to remind your children to be respectful of people who do not partake in the Halloween season. Not everyone will appreciate the knock on the door, so make sure they know to keep an eye out for signs that ask people not to ring the bell.
3. Head to Tatton Park for the “Skellies and Wellies” trail
Another option for a walk around a spooky Halloween wonderland, the Skellies and Wellies trail at Tatton Park in Knutsford can make for a perfect autumn field trip.
As you make your way around the 50-acre gardens of the magnificent Tatton Park estate, keep your eyes out for the many bone-chilling skeleton displays set up across the landscape. There is also a free activity sheet available for your little ones to complete as you go.
The event is running until 3 November, giving you plenty of opportunities to make the short trip from Wilmslow to Tatton Park. Bear in mind that normal garden opening hours apply, and prices are the same as normal.
Visit the Tatton Park website for more information.
4. Visit a pumpkin-picking patch
Pumpkins are famously an ever-present image at this time of year. The vegetable is now a classic part of various seasonal foods, perhaps most notably the pumpkin pies enjoyed at Thanksgiving.
You will no doubt see plenty of carved pumpkin faces across the houses and businesses of Wilmslow, complete with tea lights behind their eyes as they ward off evil spirits, so they say.
To enjoy this part of the festivities, you could take your child or grandchild to a pumpkin-picking patch. There are plenty of these around the beautiful countryside of Cheshire, so just search for one near you and head over to see where all those orange lamps really come from.
This is a fantastic activity to get young children out in the open air as you explore real Cheshire farmland.
5. Carve up your pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern
Whether you have brought home a pumpkin your child or grandchild picked with their own hands, or you buy one from a local shop, a fantastic activity to enjoy at home is carving a face into it and creating your own jack-o-lantern.
This activity is a great chance for your younger counterpart to really embrace their creative side. You could always look online for inspiration as to what spooky visage you want to carve into your gourd.
Obviously, this might not be an appropriate activity for particularly young children, as you will need a fairly sharp knife to cut the face into shape.
So, for younger children, you could instead help them scoop out the pumpkin flesh and make it into soup. You might have a family recipe for a broth that you always enjoy this time of year, or you will definitely be able to find one online.
Whichever you use, pumpkin soup is a hearty, warming, and delicious meal for this time of year. Make sure you serve it up with plenty of crusty bread slathered in butter.
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Please note
This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
