How To: All Saints Day Party

A FAVORITE CATHOLIC TRADITION FROM CHILDHOOD

Are you ready for this? I let our kiddos trick or treat. We even dress up in cute costumes and decorate the house. I know, I know, but hear me out. Halloween IS a Catholic holiday. The word Halloween itself comes from Hallowed ("Holy") Een ("Eve").

I'm of the mindset that living in extremes is more dangerous and tricky than finding that sweet spot in the middle. So alas, we trick or treat...but we also celebrate All Saints Day and all of the amazing Saints our Church has recognized over the years.

It was a tradition my parents started and it's one I look back on fondly. They managed to tie our faith and the essence of the holiday into the overly commercialized one our nation and many neighbors celebrate today. Making it fun, memorable, and a part of the holiday festivities. Here's how...

DECOR:

• Be A Heart All Saints Day Party Plates

• More All Saints Day Party Decor

• All Saints Day Printable Banner

• All Souls Day Halloween Print Decor

GAMES:

• Have everyone come dressed as a Saint (yes, parents included. Young kids want to see you doing it as well. It holds weight.)

• For the adults: try to give some defining traits or characteristics about their Saint while the others try to guess.

• For the children: "show + tell". Encourage them to show off their costume and share something about their saint, a photo of their saint, etc.

• Play games like "Clothe the Poor": set up 3-4 baby dolls, put out a diaper and a onesie for each one, and then set a timer and race to see who can effectively clothe the baby quickest. It can be extra fun if you have the participants do it blind folded.

• Bob for apples

• Pin the sword in St. Joan of Arc's hand

• Pin the shamrock on St. Patrick

• Pin Mary on St. Juan Diegos Tilma

• St. Cecilia Musical Chairs

• Paint pumpkins: have every guest bring their own mini pumpkin to paint, lay out a large sheet in the backyard for kiddos to pain on.

• Catholic Saints Coloring Pages

• Catholic Saints Bingo

• All Saints Day Coloring Wheel Craft

• All Saints Day Activity Bundle

• St. Francis Animal Toss: collect a bunch of smaller stuffed animals and set up 2-3 large bowls or baskets and have kiddos toss the animals into the basket.

• Saint themed guessing jar: smarties for St. Thomas Aquinas, Swedish Fish for St. Peter, Caramels for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Peppermint sticks for St. Nicholas.

• Donut Halos: attach donuts to a string and hang from a tree, ceiling, etc. have participants try to eat the donut off of the string

FOOD:

• Make cupcakes and attach saint cards to popsicles sticks and stick into each cupcake.

• With a sharpie, draw two black eyes and a black mouth on a mozarella cheese stick to resemble a ghost.

• Make gingerbread men cookies and decorate them like skeletons by using white icing as bones/skeleton.

• Use fruit or veggies on a charcuterie board to line up like a cross.

• Draw jack-o-lantern faces on the tops of mandarin orange cups or peach cups.

• Turn peeled clementines into little pumpkins

• Send off guests with candies and treats that nod to various saints: Smarties for St. Thomas Aquinas, Swedish Fish for St. Peter, Caramels for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Peppermint sticks for St. Nicholas, Goldfish for St. Anthony (multitude of fishes), Animal Crackers for St. Francis of Assisi, 3 Musketeers for the Holy Trinity