GPP 2017 - Planning Cont'd/Lists

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AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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South Bend, IN
It's Week Two on The Great Pumpkin Plan!

Sept 24 - Sept 30, 2017 = Planning Continued/List Making


  • Party Planning (If applicable)
    • There are a TON of sources on the web for Halloween party planning! But here are some basic thoughts: If hosting a party, make lists for
      • Guests to invite, when you want to invite them and how (Email? Text? Facebook?)
        • If sending paper invitations, schedule time to purchase them/make them in time to mail them
      • Decor plans
        • Review items you already have and get an idea of what you need/want to purchase
        • Add items to be purchased to budget and your Master Shopping List
        • Will you be DIY’ing any decor? Add supplies to budget/shopping list as well! AND plug in the time to actually do the DIY’ing on your calendar!
      • Menu plans
        • Research ideas for fun Halloween themed ways of presenting food as desired
        • Will you purchase paper plates, etc.? Will you buy regular or are you wanting Halloween color/patterns?
        • Add needed items to Master Holiday Grocery List and Shopping List
      • Games/Activities planning
      • Soundtrack - Will you turn on a Pandora station? Download MP3s and create a custom track? Purchase CDs?
      • If costume party, will you hand out prizes? Research fun ideas!
  • Parties to Attend
    • Will you be bringing a dish? Take time now to decide if you want to attempt something new and/or fun in a Halloween theme or if you are going tried and true.
    • Pick up glow sticks/necklaces/bracelets for your kids from the dollar store; Optional - buy extra for other little ones that will be there! Another idea, if you and host of party are comfortable with it and weather permits, is to bring some packages of sparklers for the kids!
  • Trick or Treat Planning
    • Will you be taking the kids somewhere other than your neighborhood? What do you need to take with you? The kids and the costumes are no brainers, but what about candy pails? Flashlights? Snacks? Water bottles? Hand warmers? What if it rains? Take a few minutes to think about what you’ve done in the past or things that would have gone smoother if you had XYZ with you. Make a list!!!
    • Will you be participating in a Trunk or Treat event? Begin planning now for how you will decorate your vehicle. Will you coordinate your own costume with vehicle decor? List items to be purchased and/or DIY’d.
    • Will you be camping for Halloween? How will you decorate your campsite? List items as decided.
    • Will you be handing out candy from your home?
      • If the daylight, inspect your lawn, driveway and front path for things that may trip kids up - tree roots, cracks in concrete, etc. and make repairs
      • If front yard has light up decorations, make sure electrical cords are out of harm’s way
      • Plan for path to front door to be brightly lit - or at least enough to see by - after dark; Glow sticks, luminaries, etc. would work in a pinch!
  • Family Fun
    • If attending a community event option, visit websites or call to determine hours of operation, ticket prices and any other relevant information and add info to your lists/calendar tool
    • Research and plan for any other family fun ideas; Are there items to purchase for glow in the dark bubbles or some other craft project you want to do with the kids this year? Plan for it now so it happens!
    • Locate your Halloween themed movies and have them ready to pull out
    • Locate any Halloween themed children’s books put away last year and get those ready to bring out for the kids! Optional: Get on your library’s website and pick out some fun new Halloween books to check out this year!
    • Want to serve some crazy Halloween themed food at dinner one night? Plan it now! Add items as needed to Master Grocery Shopping List! Plug in the date to serve it on your calendar!
    • Take some time and print out cheesy little Halloween cartoon jokes - cut them out and slip into your kid’s lunch boxes or their backpacks!
  • Candy Stock-up
    • Purchase at least one bag of candy during normal grocery trips this week - HIDE!
  • Decor Double Check
    • Do you know where your Halloween decor is? Find it! Wrestle it out where it will be easy to grab next week!
    • Confirm that any light up decor you own is in working order, check bulbs and batteries, replacing as needed
 
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Holiday_Mom

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    • Will you be handing out candy from your home?
      • If the daylight, inspect your lawn, driveway and front path for things that may trip kids up - tree roots, cracks in concrete, etc. and make repairs
      • If front yard has light up decorations, make sure electrical cords are out of harm’s way
      • Plan for path to front door to be brightly lit - or at least enough to see by - after dark; Glow sticks, luminaries, etc. would work in a pinch!

This is something that we scramble to do every year about 15 minutes before the children arrive. :( I never think about it until then. Not so good when you're rushing through homework, dinner and getting into costumes.

Thanks for the reminder!
 
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luludou

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AJ I took out the solar lamps from the backyard and put them to light up the driveway. Now to repeat (I repeat each year) to dh to move his car so the kids have a nice path to come in.
 
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AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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South Bend, IN
Okay, here is how I am doing:

[N/A] Parties to Host

[ ] Parties to Attend - Still need to decide dish to bring, I've pinged the hostess to see if she has any preference.

[ ] Parties to Attend - Still need to stop by $ store to purchase glow necklaces/bracelets

[/] Trunk or Treat Planning - The blow up light up dragon I bought may end up being the entire display the way I am moving these days! We plan to get it out of the box and test it this weekend. I'll be decorating for Halloween this coming weekend as well and will figure out what else we might use to decorate the truck!

[/] Campsite Decor - I need to go to Halloween store and buy a wizard hat for our robed skeleton to wear. I also need to have DH help with fixing light bulb inside one of our large plastic light up Jack o'Lanterns. I also need to pick up some more strings of orange lights.

[X] Community Events Planning - Looked up hours and ticket prices for Thistleberry Farm and plugged $ into our budget. Also have $ budgeted for trip to apple orchard/pumpkin patch

[X] Locate Halloween movies - Have them all in a box upstairs, will bring down this weekend

[X] Locate Halloween kids books - I know right where they are, will bring down this weekend as well

[ ] Print Halloween cartoon jokes for backpack/lunches - Have several saved on Pinterest, planning to print tonight!

[X] Candy Stock Up - DONE! We were at Sam's on Sunday and I got another big bag.

[ ] Decor Double Check - I meant to do this on Sunday and ran out of time. I do know where my boxes of decor are and all the other large outdoor pieces as well. Shouldn't be too hard to get it out when needed!