When you love your holidays, you find creative ways to keep on celebrating a little longer! That’s why we celebrate Christmas in July and now Halloween lovers can celebrate Halloween in June! Yes, Halloween lovers, you don’t need to wait until October 31st to celebrate your love of all things spooky anymore. Summerween is a new summertime celebration that’s been gaining momentum and it is here to stay! Bring on all the spooky summertime fun!
WHAT IS SUMMERWEEN?
A mash up of summer + Halloween, this term was first introduced to us in 2012 by Disney’s TV Series Gravity Falls. In the fictional series, this small town community loved Halloween so much, they decided to celebrate it on June 22nd, the second-to-last Friday in June. And this the story of how Summerween was created. You can view the episode (Season 1, Episode 12) on Disney Plus. Since then, the fictional holiday has been gaining popularity and people are just having a lot of fun with it.
HOW CAN YOU CELEBRATE?
In true mash-up form, think of summer things you love and give them a Halloween spin. If the budget is tight, focus on color schemes like orange & black or black & white. There’s no wrong way to celebrate, it’s all fun!
Here are a few ideas:
Watermelon Carving Party -make Jack O’Lanterns out of watermelons, instead of pumpkins. Keep the watermelon theme with your menu and signature cocktail.
Pumpkin or Ghost Piñata – fill a piñata with candy and small tokens. I love the piñatas with drawstrings – easier for the kids and you decrease the chances of an accident.
Beach Picnic or Pool Party – plan a wonderful picnic at the beach or pool party at home! Make sure everything is Halloween themed for extra fun! If you have any skeletons, they may be floating in the pool or sipping on a drink. Order themed floaters for the kids of all ages.
Labryrinth Luau – create a maze game and/or take inspiration from the movie.
Spooky Movie Night – set out the Halloween decorations, floor pillows and blankets to watch your favorite spooky movie. Don’t forget the popcorn and add some chocolate candy bugs or M&Ms for that salty and sweet surprise!
Baking Party – baking is one of my favorite activities. Bring out all the colored sprinkles and make your favorite halloween treats with the kids. Make it a cookie-swap party for even more fun!
Themed Dinner or Party – set out your Halloween decorations and plan a scary menu. Have your guests come in costume. Play some games or fun activities. Think Little Shop of Horrors, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, Hocus Pocus, etc.
Games – pick a favorite game and change it up with a Halloween/spooky twist. Below are a few ideas to get you started:
* Pin the Wart on the Witch/ Pin the Eye on the Cyclops have fun with the old pin the tail on the donkey game
* Witch’s Hat Ring Game throw ring onto the witch’s hat
* Spider Cornhole Game cover the bags you toss in themed fabric/add spiders to the cornhole
* Eyeball Croquet paint round balls to look like eyeballs and wack the eyeballs
* Card Games buy a spooky deck of cards and play your favorite card game
* Spooky Charades limit the list to Halloween movies
* Eyeball Spoon Relay Races decorate an egg to look like an eyeball, nestle it on an egg and relay
Need ideas? Click on my Halloween section for inspiration, easy tablescape ideas, recipes and more! However you celebrate Summerween, just have fun! Celebrations are all about finding fun and new ways to gather with family.
Cover collage made from Pinterest images.
