Harold's Cross

This is going to be a Halloween like no other – but it will still be Halloween. There will be no constant calling door-to-door of children shouting “trick or treat”. So, what can the children of Harold’s Cross this October 24th and 31^st?

Make a Pumpkin for Halloween with Niki & Tanya

Join Niki and Tanya to make beautiful, joyful pumpkins using a handful of wool and a bit of yarn. The workshop would take an hour.

If you do not have materials? Just ask Niki what you might need.

Sat 31st 11.30-12.30   Draw a funny, silly or scary mask

The workshop takes an hour. If you do not have materials? Just ask Niki what you might need.

Traditional Halloween Games

You can also go back to the games of your grandparents and great-grandparents, because, 70 years ago there was no “trick or treat”. These were the Halloween games and customs of that far away time.:

Snap Apple:
An apple is suspended from a string and children are blindfolded. The first child to get a decent bite of the apple gets to keep their prize. The same game can be played by placing apples in a basin of water and trying to get a grip on the apple without too much mess!

Carved turnip
OK – you can use a pumpkin if you want. In Ireland, people commemorated the evening by carving a hollowed turnip with a scary ‘face’ and lighting it with a candle. Over the centuries, Irish immigrants to America continued the tradition using easier-to-carve brightly coloured pumpkins, thus the trend spread across the world. Like we say – use what you want – and put it in the window.

Colcannon for Dinner:
Boiled Potato, Curly Kale (or cabbage) is the traditional Irish Halloween dinner. Boil and mash the spuds. Chop in about the same volume of cooked kale. Add salt, pepper and a big lump of butter. Clean coins can be wrapped in baking paper and placed in the mash for children to find and keep.

Barmbrack:
In the past the brack contained not just a ring but also a coin, a rag and a match-stick – with the head removed! So why not put these in your brack? If you get the rag, then your financial future is doubtful. If you get the coin, then you can look forward to a prosperous year, getting the ring is a sure sign of marriage, and the stick meant you would live to a great old age.

Roast nuts
Roast nuts, particularly hazelnuts (we don’t have Irish chestnuts, but they are much nicer, so go ahead) traditionally on the open fire, but on the gas is fine.

Dress up and send in your photo

Finally, if you want to dress up, do so, and email the photos to  haroldscross2025@gmail.com When you’re emailing photos, can you let us know if we have permission to display it on www.haroldscross.org. Just leave their initials on the photo – not the full name. Thanks.

There are also lots of events on at the Bram Stoker Festival from the 30th October until the 2nd of November.