What is Halloween and why is Halloween celebrated?
One of the oldest festivals in the world, Halloween is observed in the majority of nations on October 31 each year. The word “Halloween” refers to a “holy evening” or “hallowed evening,” or an evening to honour the dead.
A growing variety of traditional Halloween activities are becoming more publicly accessible in Singapore as the holiday gains popularity.
A crucial Halloween pastime is trick-or-treating. When trick-or-treating in the past, it was typical for kids to prepare a quick show for the neighbourhood residents’ enjoyment, such as reciting a poem or singing a quick song.
Many shopping malls, community centers, and tourist destinations often host family-friendly activities in the second half of October when kids are invited to play games or complete tasks in order to win treats.
While this hugely popular holiday doesn’t have any real roots in Singapore, thanks to the popularity of the horror niche, Singaporeans have developed their own unique way of celebrating Halloween over the last few decades. From creepy shopping mall decorations and spooky-inspired menus to the Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios and Spookytown at KidZania, Singapore has fully embraced the spirit of Halloween.
Fall/autumn decor to feel the mood
It doesn’t take much to add some fall coziness to your home! Think outside of the box and find something fun and seasonal that you can use for kitchen storage. Look through Pinterest and Instagram for ideas as well!
You can upcycle and repurpose not only things you can find inexpensively at the store but also things you already have! You don’t need to get everything brand new. A lot of times, paint and a few embellishments create a whole new life for a piece of decor! For instance, using old food jars from pasta sauce or kaya. Use soap and hot water to soak those babies and get a satisfying experience peeling off the labels. Then use them to decor as you wish.
Whilst we don't have acorns and large pumpkins in Singapore. We can always incorporate rich earthy tones to create the look and feel of autumn. Think pumpkins, fall linens etc. It doesn't have to SHOUT halloween, but create the general mood for fall.
Products Featured: Village Candles
Horror movie marathon
If you’ve already given your Halloween costume and its accompanying Instagram caption some thought, that officially means spooky szn is upon us. Pop some microwave popcorn, gather your khakis, and scream your head off while you stream classic Halloween movies.
Some halloween movie marathon lists you can check out here
Halloween crafts
From spiders and bats to pom pom pumpkins, host garlands and even popsicle witches. There are crafts catered for every level of enthusiasm. Pintrest is your best friend on this. There are thousands of boards collating Halloween Crafts.
Visit Hell’s Museum
Image credit (www.hawparvilla.sg)
Specially curated displays provide comparative insights that will give visitors a better understanding of the commonalities across the world’s major belief systems – and how different communities around the world, as well as in Singapore, draw meaning from death and dying.
Stretched over 3,800 sqm, Hell’s Museum also provides a deeper understanding of Haw Par Villa’s infamous 10 Courts of Hell. Discover how concepts behind the graphic representations of sins and punishments in the afterlife evolved as ancient civilisations shared their cultures across time and space. Visit for an eye-opening experience and have a hell of a time!
Operating Hours:
Wed - Sun: 10am - 6pm (last entry: 5pm)
Open on all public holidays
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
Estimated Duration:
2-4 hours, depending on interest level.
Your ticket gives you access to the museum up to closing time.
Ticket Price:
$18 / Adult, $10 / Child
Free for children aged 6 and under
(Not recommended for children under 9 years old)
More details at https://www.hawparvilla.sg/hells-museum/
Escape room horror themed with your friends
Image Credit (www.tripadvisor.com.sg)
escape room
noun
plural noun: escape rooms
a room in which people are locked in order to play a game requiring them to solve a series of puzzles within a certain amount of time to accomplish a goal, typically finding the key to unlock the room.
"they will have to race against the clock and decipher clues to find their way out of the escape room"
While escape rooms are not new, it doesn't seem to be the activity of choice for many Singaporeans. There are a couple of long time escape rooms in Singapore. They offer both scary and non scary scenarios from murder mysteries to solving a mysterious disappearance. If you have been waiting for a push or a reason to try out the scary scenarios, do it this Halloween!
6000 square feet, 7 game themes, 42 game chambers at city center! Being The First, The Largest & The Most Popular Reality Room Escape Game Provider in Singapore, Xcape Singapore has proudly hosted over 200,000+ groups with more than 1,000,000+ players by the end of August 2022. As one of the most well-known city attractions, Xcape Singapore was ranked No. 1 on Tripadvisor in Fun & Game category and has been featured by multiple media including The Straits Times, Channel 5, Channel 8, Channel U, 833 & 933 Radio, My Paper, 联合早报, 新民晚报 & 联合晚报!
Address: Bugis Village, 161 (Ground Floor) Rochor Road, S188436
Email: support@xcape.sg
Tel: 6908 1918
Prices may vary for different themes.
More info on their website: http://www.xcape.sg/
Go trick or treating
If you’re planning on trick-or-treating in Singapore this year or you want to hand out sweets and treats to trick-or-treaters, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Halloween is becoming bigger and spookier every year, with plenty of people getting into the ‘spirit’ of things. However, not all types of housing or suburbs are created equal when it comes to trick or treating in Singapore. It’s best to plan your route in advance to maximise the chance that your little scary skeletons will be greeted with a smile and a handful of candy.
Woodlands, Chip Bee Gardens and Opera Estate are well known areas that welcome trick or treaters
See this guide from finder.sg for a complete trick or treat guide with helpful tips on etiquette
https://www.finder.com/sg/halloween-singapore
Attend Halloween Parties and Events
Why not treat yourself to a night of thrills this Halloween weekend by attending one of the spookiest Halloween events in Singapore. All you need to do is purchase your tickets, and come in costume.
Check out our detailed list of Halloween happenings this October!
COMING SOON
Throw an unforgettable halloween party
If staying in is for you - check out our tips on throwing your own party at home
COMING SOON
Shop our Halloween collection: https://www.spectrumstore.sg/collections/halloween