Growing up, it was one of my favorite Halloween traditions to “boo” our friends and neighbors. (And no, I’m not talking about jeering at them like you hear at football games.) There was nothing more exciting than sitting at the dinner table mid-meal and hearing the doorbell ring, only to open it up and see not a person, but a goodie basket filled with treats. What added to the excitement was the mystery: “Who booed us?!” Usually, we’d try to use the goodies inside the basket to guess who it might be. Sometimes we’d figure it out, and other times it’d remain a secret. No matter what though, it would spark a desire to “boo” someone else—a “pass the plate” kind of moment, if you will. Whether you’re a pro- “boo-er” or you’ve never even heard of this spooky tradition, here are my best tricks for treating the people you love to a fun surprise.

Things to Consider:

• How many people do you want to surprise? 

This number will determine how many baskets and goodies you get when you head to the store. Many items come in packets of 3–6 (like, say, Halloween glasses or glow sticks), and you don’t want to get home and realize you didn’t get enough. Talk to your kids about who they would want to boo and write down a conclusive list. I recommend 4–8 boo baskets—any more and it starts to become too overwhelming.

• How many items do you want to include in your baskets?

You don’t have to know exactly—after all, sometimes inspiration comes when it’s staring you in the face—but If you have a general idea of how you want to lay out your goodies and how many you want to fit, that will give you clarity about which size and shape bucket you want to purchase. Moreover, it will be helpful when you’re buying items in packets. 

• What is your budget for the baskets?

Having a basic estimate for what you want to spend will help you determine what is worth buying and when it’s just “extra” filler (or too expensive) to meet your needs. You may decide you’d rather invest more money to make  one or two buckets as compared to half a dozen filled with less expensive items. (Personally, I think it’s more fun when you have more baskets—remember, it’s a surprise, so anything will be fun to receive!)

Items You Can Include in Your Boo Basket:

• Chocolates

These Holy Chocomoly! truffles are scrumptious and could be a great addition—if you get the variety pack, you can split the 12 colorful boxes of truffles between the number of baskets you’re giving away.

• Mini Halloween candy

The stores are filled with fun size Halloween-themed candy, from Zombie Sour Patch Kids to Count Dracula KitKats. (If you’re one who leans toward the healthier side of things, trail mix, popcorn, fruit snacks, or granola bars are also great options.)

• Homemade treats

Personally, I included homemade chocolate chip cookies and packaged them in “Happy Halloween!” bags. They’re easy to make and transport, and one batch makes more than enough for all my baskets. Pumpkin bread, Halloween cookies, and caramel popcorn are other homemade goodies you could include.

• Allergy-friendly snacks

I have several friends who are gluten-free, and I’m sure you do too—so be sure to include snacks even those with allergies can eat, like Harvest Snap Kids Crispy Snacks, GF graham sandwiches, popcorn, etc.

• Free “You Got Booed!” Printable and “We Were Booed” Print off 

So they understand their boo basket, can tape the little sign in their window so they don’t get double-booed, and they are inspired to carry on the fun by booing someone else! I found mine on Pinterest.

• Festive filler 

Tissue paper, spider webbing, or shredded paper all work—throw in some colorful plastic spiders for an extra spooky element.

• Festive fun items

Here’s a bulleted list of some festive ideas. Again, feel free to ask your kids for ideas or see what you can find at the store… but these are some great ideas of things to be on the lookout for:

• Halloween stickers, erasers, or temporary tattoos 
• Glow sticks or mini flashlights
• Spooky pencils or notepads
• Mini bubbles or slime
• Plastic spiders or little toy skeletons
• A cute mug or tumbler

• If you’re going for a “nicer quality” boo basket, especially for other adults—because, hey, you can boo your adult friends, not just your kids’ friends—consider adding some cozy fall items like decor:

  • Small candle or wax melts (pumpkin spice, apple cider scents)
  • Mini pumpkins or gourds
  • Halloween socks or scrunchies
  • A small decoration (ghost figurine, window cling, or door sign)
  • Halloween blanket or cozy throw

Where to Shop:

My best friend is the Dollar Tree. While not everything is actually $1 anymore (the holiday section is $1.50), they still have fun, spooky knicknacks like pumpkin glow sticks, plastic spiders, vampire cups, spidery fake glasses, and more. They also have several great options for boo baskets—while I chose a more “traditional” bucket, there were bins, trays, and more that could have also been perfect. 

Your pantry is also often an excellent place to start. You’ll be amazed at what you can pull out and use. (Ha!) My other recommendations are the grocery store (Trader Joe’s has some wonderful fall-flavored snacks!) or the Halloween section of stores like Target.

You’re all set! Happy booing! Feel free to tag us @birminghamparentmagazine with pictures of your boo baskets. We hope your boo basket adventure is filled with lots of treats… and maybe a few tricks. 😉