Many of us have such great memories of the Halloween traditions we took part in when we were children. While you’re in your adoption wait, think about the Halloween traditions you’d like to establish with your future child.

If you’ve created a Facebook page to spread the word about your adoption hopes, posting photos and videos of you enjoying Halloween traditions is a great way to show birth mothers what family life would be like for her child in your family. Since it can sometimes be challenging to figure out your own unique family traditions, today we’re offering you five ideas for inspiration!

1. Pumpkin Patch
   Visit a pumpkin patch to choose any size or shape of pumpkin you want. It’ll also make an adorable backdrop for fall photos! Consider visiting a pumpkin patch that has other Halloween-related activities such as hayrides, crafts, games and petting zoos.

2. Cookie Cutter Jack-O-Lanterns
   Make pumpkin carving easy: instead of using sharp knives, get some Halloween-themed cookie cutters. Grab a rubber mallet and pound out some fun shapes into your pumpkins!

 

3. Roast Pumpkin Seeds
   They’re so delicious! Here’s a great recipe:
   Ingredients:
   1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds
   2 teaspoons butter, melted
   A pinch of salt

   Preheat your oven to 300 degrees, then toss the seeds into a bowl with the melted butter and salt. Evenly spread the seeds in one layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
    

4. Give Back on Halloween
   While you’re in the adoption wait, you might participate in a charitable activity, like visiting the pediatric ward of your local hospital with gift baskets. Or, carve an extra pumpkin for someone who wouldn’t normally carve one for themselves, such as an elderly couple or a widow/widower. After you adopt, you might take your children trick-or-treating at a retirement home: the residents LOVE seeing all the kids in their costumes.

 

5. Have a Scary Movie Night
   Cuddle up on the couch with some snacks, and a scary movie. A few kid-friendly scary movie suggestions include “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Ghostbusters,” “Addams Family,” and “Monsters, Inc.”

Lifetime adoptive mom Stephanie shares, “When we adopted our daughter, it was important for us to establish holiday traditions unique to our family. We wanted to create cherished memories for years to come. Our annual pumpkin patch visit is something she looks forward to each year!”

It’s especially important for adoptive families to start traditions that create loving family memories. This repetition builds warm moments to last a lifetime! This Halloween, be committed to creating authentic traditions to share with your future child. You will be glad you did!

Written by Heidi Keefer

Heidi Keefer is a Content Creator for Lifetime Adoption and has 15 years of experience in the field of adoption. An author of thousands of blog posts over the years, Heidi enjoys finding new ways to educate and captivate Lifetime’s ever-growing list of subscribers.

Heidi has a keen eye for misplaced apostrophes, comma splices, and well-turned sentences, which she has put to good use as a contributor to Lifetime’s award-winning blogs. She has written and published hundreds of adoption articles which explore the various facets of domestic infant adoption today.