Have you been booed? I love my neighbourhood. Kids play in the street out front and adults drag their camping chairs onto their driveways for potluck gatherings. As everyone knows, it isn’t the houses, the roads, or the property values that make for the perfect neighbourhood, it is the people. If you are new to the area or separated by condo elevator floors, there is no better time than a holiday to get to know your neighbours.
One of the reasons I love our neighbourhood is the holiday traditions. I love that major holidays are celebrated in an out-loud way and that it only takes one small act of kindness to start a new event or tradition. Connected neighbourhoods make memories, whether it is enthusiastic Christmas light displays, community summer potlucks, or neighbourhood Easter egg hunts. My favourite tradition, however, is the Halloween boo-ing game.
In early October, ghosts start popping up on the front doors of houses. I don’t know who starts it every year, but I hope they never move. The game is to drop off a ghost and a bag of candy on the front doorstep of a neighbour’s house. Knock on the door and then run for your life because you don’t want to be caught as the “boo-er”. Talk about fun with kids! It is funny to listen to them playing in the back lane asking one another, “have you been booed yet?”
When you receive a ghost, you are responsible for boo-ing 2 houses. The game grows exponentially and soon there are ghosts on the doors of almost all the houses. I am sure the local dollar store wonders why they sell out of white cardstock every year at this time. It’s such a fun and easy-to-play game–but the ripple effect of connection and community spans farther than a simple bag of candy on someone’s doorstep.
If you want to start the game in your community, print out our instruction sheet and have fun!
Looking for fun Halloween activities outside of the home, be sure to check out the Family Fun Vancouver Halloween Guide.
