For divorced parents, celebrating any kind of holiday, even Halloween, can present some serious challenges. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), an estimated 179 million people in the United States celebrated Halloween in 2020, making it an undeniably popular holiday. Although you may encounter some obstacles after your recent divorce, there are still many ways to smoothly navigate this spooky night, even if you cannot celebrate the day itself with your children.
Tips on How to Celebrate Halloween in the Aftermath of a Divorce
Parenting plans generally address how each holiday will be handled. If Halloween is a special time for your children, your plan probably mentions it.
Here are some of the most common arrangements:
- Alternate Halloween every other year
- Spend Halloween together
- Split the Halloween holiday every year
- Determine every year how you will celebrate it
Regardless of how you choose to spend Halloween, we have some tips on how to get through it, so your children can have a scary-good time:
- Prepare as soon as you can: Last-minute plans are never a good idea, so make sure you and your co-parent understand what is expected of both of you. Maybe one of you is in charge of costumes this year and the other is in charge of buying pumpkins for carving jack-o-lanterns. Whatever the arrangement may be, confirm with your ex.
- Create a backup plan: If you have an arrangement with your ex that involves determining how Halloween will be handled every year rather than a predetermined plan, your Halloween plans could potentially conflict with one another, so be sure to create a backup plan just in case. There are plenty of Halloween activities to do throughout October, so even if you cannot go trick-or-treating with the kids, chances are there are other fun things for you to do.
- Find out about local festivities: Theme parks, malls, and community centers all often have Halloween-themed events throughout the month of October, so if you cannot celebrate Halloween with your kids, consider taking them to a local event. You may even be able to turn it into a new family tradition.
- Share pictures with your ex: There are going to be some moments you and your ex miss out on if you are not spending Halloween together with the kids, so be sure to share the pictures you take. Your ex will likely return the favor when the tables turn.
Talk to One of Our Experienced Attorneys Today!
If you are faced with a difficult family law matter, do not hesitate to reach out to the team at Family Law San Diego for the help you need. Our law firm has been helping families since 1990 and would be honored to do the same for you.
Reach out to our law office today at (619) 577-4900 to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys to get started.
