I was laughing to my husband tonight after the kids went to bed, I am slowly turning into “that” mum! The one that celebrates everything, every birthday, Shrove Tuesday, Mother’s Day, Easter, Father’s Day, Halloween, bonfire night and I am ashamed to say I started talking about Christmas in September.
If I am honest, I’ve been talking about Father Christmas all year to my 3-year-old. We have 3 young girls who I cannot wait to share every seasonal event with them! I think I probably need an ASBO going down the supermarket seasonal aisles; it is like being in a sweet shop!
I have been good so far and purchased just one pumpkin in the weekly food shop, my eldest daughter Grace has been carrying it around the house the last few days telling anyone that listens she has a “SPOOKY PUMPKIN WHOO” tonight we have finally carved it. I had this wonderful idea after tea when everyone was still at the table we could explore it. I had roughly planned it out in my head it was going to be some sort of sensory sensation, grabbed some kitchen utensils and got stuck right in, had the washing up bowl at the ready to chuck the pulp and seeds in for everyone to explore!
Anyone else ever forget how strong pumpkins smell? How slimy the pulp is? How 1-year olds like eating everything? Also, how the same 1-year-old twins have no patience after 5 minutes?
We quickly carved the pumpkin before someone swiped a knife off the table to “help” popped a candle in the orange hollow and hid it in our dark bathroom with no light on! Then we went on a “spooky hunt” looking for the lit-up pumpkin within all the rooms with the lights off and curtains shut, each room we went into I made spooky sound effects and everyone shrieked and giggled!
Everyone was in awe of the pumpkin lit up over the bath, such a simple moment but everyone was captivated for at least 10 seconds! When we got ready for bed we kept the pumpkin on in the bedroom with a few Halloween songs on, chucking pillowcases over us pretending to be ghosts, dancing away to the Scooby doo theme tune and belly laughing. At bedtime Grace asked “can we do this again tomorrow mummy it was so much fun?”
It then struck me when I sat down, it wasn’t the commercial plastic fantastic toys they want, they are just the props to the scene, it is the quality time that made it awesome, the bonding, eye contact, communication, just different activities to break up the mundane of everyday life! We even joked to dad when he came home from work that there is pumpkin pie in the oven and dad pulling a big face and protesting for everyone to giggle and be in the joke!
With all this ever-changing advice and regulations with Covid 19, it is the year to get creative and enjoy life in the safety of our own homes! Take the pressure off of going to events and places if you’re not comfortable, a few simple activities at home can be just as effective.
I have already fallen down a rabbit hole this evening online looking at Halloween activities at home and cute outfits to play spooky scavenger hunts in the garden, obviously whilst picking off pumpkin seeds and pulp off my kitchen chairs and adaptive seating!