Halloween 2023

Where does Halloween come from?

Halloween is a yearly celebration observed on October 31st all around the world. Samhain, an ancient Celtic holiday that was celebrated on November 1 in modern calendars, is where Halloween began. People dressed up in costumes and set bonfires on that day in an effort to fend off ghosts since it was thought that on that day, the souls of the deceased returned to their homes.

In the late 1800s, there was a movement to change Halloween from a celebration of ghosts, tricks, and witchcraft to one that was more about neighbourhood and community gatherings. Halloween parties for both kids and adults were the most popular way to commemorate the holiday at the turn of the century. Parties with games, seasonal delicacies, and festive attire.

Today, people frequently dress up in costumes for Halloween, go trick-or-treating, carve pumpkins and attend costume parties on this day!

How to throw the best halloween party

Here are some quick tips for organising a fantastic Halloween party:

Establish your budget

One of the first things to consider is your budget. Why not ease the burden and let everyone chip in to make sure you put on the greatest Halloween party ever? Simply download the Collctiv app for free and make it easy for you and your guests to pool your funds to achieve the party of your dreams (or should I say nightmares!)

Establish your theme

Halloween comes in many forms. Do you want your party to be a spooky adventure or a sweet costume contest? How you decorate the party area should be influenced by the theme you have in mind. Friendly ghosts and jack-o-lanterns are some of the more humorous Halloween characters. Witches, vampires, and zombies are far darker creatures. It's acceptable to combine the charming with the terrifying if you wish to honour Halloween's entertaining aspects. To make sure everyone has a nice time, you might even try to design two rooms with distinct themes if any of your friends are easily startled!

Send out invites

Send out spooky invitations! Invitations are much more significant than you would realise. Before the party even begins, they create the atmosphere.
People can infer from the invitation type whether the party will be fun or creepy, so choose wisely!

Make a festive punch

A punch bowl is a necessity for every Halloween celebration! Serve your beverages in a cauldron to up the ante. Even a zombie hand that can grasp a ladle for serving could be purchased if you really wanted to spook your visitors!

Girls halloween costumes

Fancy a few trending halloween costumes you could wear this year?

1. Daphne from Bridgerton - It's not surprising that Bridgerton's second season smashed records and became Netflix's most-streamed English-language season after the show's overwhelming success in its first season. Daphne, the main character of season one, searched for the ideal marriage while wearing a range of pastel regency costumes. Although she looked stunning in every ensemble, a pale blue lace dress with a crystal choker necklace stands out as one of the most unforgettable.
2. Harley Quinn- One of the primary stars in the well-known Marvel film Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn, is a perfect choice if you're looking for something a little more frightening. 

Boys halloween costumes 

Fear not gents, we have some options for you too!

1. Peaky blinders- Put on a traditional wool suit and a white dress shirt to look like the famous Brummy Thomas Shelby!  Black dress shoes, a knit tie, and a tie clip go well with the outfit. Last but not least, finish off Thomas Shelby's ensemble with a blue pea coat, a tweed hat, and a vintage pocket watch.
2. Squidgame - Netflix's Squid Game is the platform's most-watched show. Squid Games competitors had green uniforms. This Halloween, you can choose from authentic recreations that will be both instantly recognisable and quite comfortable if you wish to channel Seong Gi-hun.

Baby halloween costumes

We all know babies are the most important, especially when it comes to fancy dress, and we have some adorable options for you.

1. Baby shark- If you and your baby love the children's song and dance "Baby Shark", this is the best option for you! Baby Shark, which started out as a campfire song, soared to fame in 2016. Why not dress your baby up in a cute shark costume this halloween?
2. Baby Yoda - The Child, also referred to as "Baby Yoda," is without a doubt the genuine hero of the popular Disney Plus Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian. Get the look with a robe that comes with a helmet and hand covers!

Halloween Events 

If you don’t like the thought of hosting your own party you could always attend a halloween event to get you in the spirit! 

Dr. Fright's

An annual, all-undercover Halloween event, there are various themed walk-through scary attractions here. You will have to navigate a mysterious, twisting path to reach the exit in each attraction. You will come across amazing effects, lighting, booming sound, and, most importantly, real performers throughout the course, all with the intention of making you jump, scream and laugh simultaneously! Visit Dr. Fright’s website for more information. 

Scarefest

The award-winning Scarefest at Alton Towers Resort will return in 2022 with live entertainment for all ages and a brand-new fear labyrinth. Visit the resort on the spookiest weekends in October for all kinds of spooky thrills and Spooktacular fun.

Horror Escape Room‍

What could be a more appropriate way to mark the beginning of the Halloween season than by showcasing Horror Escape Room? Scary all year round, these awesome escape rooms are even more suited to the Halloween season, when  everything gets that bit scarier! The perfect group activity for your Halloween celebrations. 

Booking any of these attractions is super straight forward; just visit the relevant website and away you go. But have you thought of how you pay for it? Do you put it all on your credit or debit card and then relentlessly chase everyone for money? Do you share your bank details and cope with that awkward scenario of saying ‘hey, can everyone transfer £60 to me please’, with social pressure stopping you from saying ‘like yesterday, I have towering utility bills and trying to eat other than like a student is destroying my savings’. 

You can guarantee at least half of the group will need chasing at least twice, and then you can guarantee there will be at least two who won’t have paid by the time you go. What then? Accost them face to face? Or just swallow the £100 you are out of pocket?

Why not do it differently and get the money up front? Then the people who say, ‘Oh can I transfer you money’, or ‘can I give you cash the next time I see you’ are quite clear - ‘No Pay. No Play’.  

Whether you're organising a fun party or attending a frightening event, you need a quick and easy approach to allow people to donate.

How can I collect funds simply?

This is where Collctiv can help you. Simply download our free app, create a pot, share the link anywhere (via whatsapp, email, messenger - however you communicate with your peeps) and watch the money roll in. Then when you are ready to book the event, you have the money sat there waiting. 

They do not need to download the app, create an account or do any banking – they simply tap to pay, and it’s done. If they have Apple or Google Pay, it takes less than 5 seconds.

There are no mandatory fees involved – people can choose to make a donation to Collctiv when paying in, and you can make a voluntary contribution when you withdraw, but there is no obligation to do so.

Download today and see for yourself how much quicker and easier group collections are with Collctiv!

Organisers bring people together 

Since 2019 Collctiv has helped over 350,000 people from 88 countries come together by making it simple for Organisers to collect money from groups. Whether it's gifts for colleagues, group holidays or grassroots sports teams - download our free app today and start bringing people together!