February 14^th is traditionally the most romantic day of the year – yet if you have small children and no baby sitter or if you haven’t got a “Valentine” you might feel left out.Why not take up the chance of a celebration with the people you love instead?

You could invite a few close friends, or have a Valentine’s tea with kids. From activities to games and party decorations we’ve put together some Valentine’s Day ideas for a fun filled day.

Valentine’s Party Decorations

A few simple decorations are sure to put everyone in a cheerful mood! Fill a few Valentine’s party balloons with air or helium to decorate your house. Illoom balloons glow in the dark and will create a unique party atmosphere.

Spruce up your table with red confetti and tea lights.

Valentine’s Day activities

Sealed with a kiss

If you have children they might enjoy making cards in the run-up to February 14th, so get a few craft supplies and let their imaginations run wild! They can send them anonymously to classmates or friends.

(Not so) romantic poetry

Children could also try their hand at poetry. Why not let them complete the last two lines of “Roses are Red, Violets are Blue…” and transform this old love poem with any original or funny ideas! Try these two examples to get the giggles started and creative juices flowing:

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Onions stink
And so do you

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Cashews are nuts
And so are you

Home baked treats and party food

Why not bake some love themed treats and share them with friends and relatives? For tasty home-make treats, check out our Valentine’s Day recipes. They will make great party foods, or a thoughtful gift for your partner. Our Jammie Dodgers Recipe, Valentine’s Chocolate Hearts Biscuit Recipe or Tasty Chocolate Truffles Recipe are all easy to make so kids can help you too.

If you’re having a party, you could cut your sandwiches in heart shapes with a large cookie cutter and have plenty of pink and red foods (cherry tomatoes, pizza, strawberries and so on…).

Valentine’s Day Games

With a little imagination it is easy to give traditional party games a Valentine twist. You could play musical statues or musical bumps to love songs or make a pass the parcel package with heart shaped sweets or chocolates. Here are a few more hearty games:

Heart hunt
Hide chocolate hearts, small packs of love hearts or chocolate coins around the house or garden.

Guessing games
A simple variation to a traditional guessing game! Simply fill a jar with heart shaped sweets and have guests guess how many hearts are in the jar. The person who comes the closest without going over wins the jar of candy.

Broken hearts game
Cut large hearts out of red card. Making sure each heart is unique, cut the hearts in half, making a zig zag or jagged edge. Give each party guest one heart piece and tell them to find their match by finding the other half.

Movie date

If there are just the two of you, why not stay in and have an intimate movie date. Snuggle up together with a romantic film and a pack of popcorn. If you have kids why not pop on one of Disney’s classic love stories like The Little Mermaid or The Lady and the Tramp?

More Valentine’s Day ideas…

For more Valentine’s Day ideas, read the following articles:

Surviving Valentine’s Day – Whatever your situation – single, in a new or long term relationship, this article will give you tips and advice on how to make Valentine’s Day a success.

Top 10 Valentine’s Gifts – Whether you’re experiencing the first flush of love or enjoying the adoration of your soul mate, we have put together its top ten gift guide for Valentine’s Day. From the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift – a diamond engagement ring – to a romantic walk in the country, there are ideas to inspire you and delight your loved ones.

An ideal Valentine’s cookies recipe

Card shops are ablaze with red hearts, roses and Love You teddy bears; florists are taking early orders; and restaurants are booking up fast. Yes, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!

Why not spread the love and bake some delicious heart shaped Jammie Dodgers to mark the occasion?

These Valentine’s cookies are not just tasty but look good too! They are perfect to share with with your kids, neighbours, friends or work colleagues on the 14th of February. Home-made Jammie Dodgers will make a cute romantic gift for your partner too.

The recipe is simple and ideal to keep the kids busy over half term, all you need is a bit of time, patience, some heart shaped cookie cutters and a few ingredients – listed below.

My nine year old son baked these on his own. Smaller children will love to join in too.

For more easy Valentine’s recipes take a look at our Valentine’s Chocolate Hearts Biscuit Recipe, Tasty Chocolate Truffles Recipe, or Peppermint Cream Sweets Recipe.

To make 12 to 14 Jammie Dodgers, you will need:

• Two heart shaped cookie cutters (about 6 cm and 3 cm)
• 200g (7oz) of plain flour
• 25g (1 oz) of custard powder
• 50g (2oz) of caster sugar
• 150g (50z) of butter softened and cut into small pieces
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of water
• 5 tablespoons of raspberry jam
• Icing sugar to decorate

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 160C (fan oven 150C) / 350F/ gas mark 3. Grease two baking trays
• Mix the flour, custard powder and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture to make tiny crumbs (you can use an electric mixer if you have one)
• Stir in the egg yolk and mix into a smooth dough – knead the dough with your hands when it becomes too stiff. You might need to add a little water if your dough is crumbly. It needs to have pastry like consistency
• Roll the cookie dough out on a surface sprinkled with flour and stamp out large hearts with your cookie cutter
• Cut out little hearts from the centre of half of the large hearts using the small cookie cutter and transfer the shapes onto baking trays. Squeeze the trimmings together and roll out again. You should have 12 to 14 of each shape
• Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until they are pale golden. Loosen them with a knife and leave them to cool on the backing trays
• When completely cold, spread jam over the whole cookies, top with the heart stamped ones and dust with icing sugar

Your home made Jammie Dodgers are ready to eat. Enjoy!

If you’re looking for Valentine’s day gifts, why not check out our Valentine’s balloons, Valentine’s teddy bears and chocolates? For more gift ideas, read our Top 10 Valentine’s Gifts article.

Love and romance are in the air – the new 2012 Valentine’s Me to You Teddy Bears are in!

The collection pictured above features the popular grey Tatty Teddy with patches in an assortment of styles and sizes and would be perfect to  deliver your romantic message on the 14th of February this year.

Me to You Tatty Teddy and My Blue Nose Friends in numbers

Me to You was created in 2000 by Stephen Haines who launched his Sussex based company – Carte Blanche, with a portfolio of just 12 cards. Tatty Teddy – the cute character behind the brand – became an instant success.

Over 75 million Me to You plush bears have been sold since 2000.

My Blue Nose Friends was launched in June 2008 as a range of collectable cuddly toys. In total, nearly 6 million pieces of plush have been sold, enough to fill all the seats at Wembley Stadium over 60 times.

Find out more

To find out more about the heart warming story of Tatty Teddy and how he was thrown out with the rubbish read our Me to You Teddy Bears page.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day

Want to make this Valentine’s Day a special one? Check out the following articles:

Surviving Valentine’s Day – Whatever your situation – single, in a new or long term relationship, this article will give you tips and advice on how to make Valentine’s Day a success.

Top 10 Valentine’s Gifts – Whether you’re experiencing the first flush of love or enjoying the adoration of your soul mate, we have put together this top ten gift guide for Valentine’s Day.

For those who are planning to propose on Valentine’s Day:

Marriage proposal ideas – Thinking of getting down on one knee?  Our guide to unusual ways to ask your loved one to marry you, may give you some great ideas.

These heart shaped biscuits are quick and easy to make but with some simple decorating they will look great too!  A fun Valentine’s recipe that will make a tasty gift, these biscuits are also perfect to make with children and share with the family. Yum!

For more delicious treats to make and share with loved ones on Valentine’s day and other occasions, why not also try our Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe or Triple Chocolate Brownies Recipe?

This Valentine’s recipe will make 16 to 20 soft chocolatey heart shaped biscuits.

You will need:

 For the biscuits:

• 190g of plain flour
• 100g of cocoa powder
• 1 heaped teaspoon of baking powder
• 250 g caster sugar
• 200 g butter or margarine softened
• 1 egg

For the icing:

• Ready to roll fondant icing
• 3 tablespoons of apricot jam

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 180C (160C for oven fan) or gas mark 5 and butter two baking trays
• Using a wooden spoon or a food processor, cream the sugar and butter until smooth.  Add the egg and mix well
• In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder
• Bit by Bit add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture to form a soft dough
• Using your hands, roll a small ball of dough (about one tablespoon) and place on the backing trays.
• Flatten the balls into round biscuit shapes with the back of a spoon (use a wet spoon if the dough is sticky). Make sure your biscuits are not too close as they will expand slightly
• Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. When cooked, place the biscuits on a cooling rack

For the icing:

• When the biscuits are cold, roll out some fondant icing and cut into hearts with a small heart shaped cookie cutter
• Brush your biscuits with warm apricot jam and stick the icing hearts on top

That’s it – your heart shaped cookies are ready to eat!

If you’re looking for Valentine’s day gifts, why not check out our Valentine’s balloons, Valentine’s teddy bears and chocolates? For more gift ideas, read our Top 10 Valentine’s Gifts article.

No British Christmas is complete without a traditional Christmas Cake. It can be made weeks in advance and will keep until you are ready to decorate. Our traditional Christmas cake recipe is easy to make and more importantly tasty!

For a quicker alternative to fruit cake, why not try our Christmas Cupcakes Recipe?

Ingredients:

This traditional Christmas cake recipe will serve 16 and takes about 3 ½ hours including cooking time.

• 225g / 8 oz of butter or margarine softened at room temperature
• 225g / 8 oz of dark muscovado sugar
• 225g / 8 oz of plain flour
• 4 eggs beaten
• 50g / 2 oz of ground almonds
• 100ml / 3 ½ fl oz of Sherry, Brandy or orange juice for an alcohol free version
• 85g / 3 oz of candied peel – chopped
• 85g / 3oz of glacé cherries – chopped
• 250g / 9oz of currants
• 250g / 9oz raisins
• 100g / 14oz of chopped pecan nuts (replace with an additional 100g of fruit) for a nut-free version
• Finely grated zest of one lemon
• 1 ½ teaspoons of mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

Note: If you have time and like your Christmas cake moist, you can soak the dried fruit the night before in brandy or orange juice and make the recipe the next day.

For the icing you will need:

• One pack of marzipan – we used ready rolled
• 3 tablespoons of apricot jam
• Fondant or royal icing – you can mix your own icing sugar or any ready to roll icing

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 160C / Gas 3 / Fan oven 140C. Fully line a deep 20cm round cake tin
• Cream the butter and sugar, stir in one spoon full of flour and the beaten eggs. Progressively add the rest of the flour and the baking powder until well mixed. Stir in the ground almonds
• Mix in the Sherry, Brandy or orange juice. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well
• Spoon the mixture into the cake tin, smooth to top of the tin and bake in the oven. After 30 minutes, lower the temperature to 150C/ Gas 2/ Fan oven 130C and bake for an extra 2 to 2 ½ hours, until a skewer inserted comes out clean
• Once cold remove the cake from the tin and discard the greaseproof paper. Wrap well in cling film and foil and store in an airtight container

Decorating your cake

• Warm the apricot jam and remove any fruit piece – brush over the top and sides of the cake
• Roll out the marzipan and cover the cake
• Prepare the icing according the the instructions on the package and ice the cake
• Decorate to taste!

Did you know?

Traditionally coins were added to Christmas cakes and puddings. The coin, sometimes wrapped in a small piece of greaseproof paper, was to bring luck to the person who found it while eating the cake.

In Japan Christmas cakes are simple sponge cakes, frosted with white fresh whipped cream and decorated with strawberries and maybe the occasional chocolate. It is traditionally eaten on Christmas eve.

More festive recipes

For more seasonal recipes, why not make our simple marzipan mince pies recipe or tasty chocolate truffles recipe?

Christmas gifts

If you’re looking for a unique Christmas gift for a loved one, why not check out our cheerful Christmas balloons, cuddly Christmas teddy bears and tasty chocolates?

This tasty Christmas cupcakes recipe is packed with fruit and nuts and flavoured with brandy or orange juice. The little fruit cakes are moist and full of flavour. A quick-bake alternative to traditional Christmas cake, they will make tasty gifts. If you have kids, they will enjoy decorating them too!

For more easy to make recipes ideas that will have everyone – including Rudolph the Reindeer asking for more, you could try our simple marzipan mince pies recipe or our best chocolate cupcakes recipe.

The recipe will make approximately 18 muffin tin sized cupcakes. For a more festive look you can use Christmas themed cupcake cases and decorations.

You will need:

For the Christmas cupcakes

• 200g of dark muscovado sugar
• 175g of butter chopped in small pieces
• 700g of ready mixed dried fruits (or mix your own with raisins, currents, mixed peel and other fruit)
• 50g of glacé cherries
• Zest of 1 orange
• 125ml of brandy or orange juice
• 85g/3oz pecan nuts, roughly chopped
• 3 large eggs – beaten
• 85g of ground almonds
• 200g of plain flour
• ½ tsp of backing powder
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp of ginger
• 1 tsp of cinnamon

For the topping

• 400g of marzipan – you can use the ready rolled variety if you like
• 4 tbsp warm apricot jam – heated
• 500g pack fondant icing sugar

Preparation

For the cupcakes

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2, and line two muffin trays with paper cases
2. Put the sugar, butter, dried fruit, whole cherries, ginger and orange zest into a large saucepan. Pour over the brandy or orange juice, and simmer on the hob for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.
3. Stir the nuts, beaten eggs and ground almonds into the fruit. Add the flour, baking powder and spices and sir gently until the batter is thoroughly mixed.
4. Scoop mixture into the deep muffin cases until three quarters full and level the tops with a spoon. Bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes until golden and just firm to touch. Remove your Christmas cupcakes from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

For the topping

1. When your cupcakes are cold, roll out the marzipan and stamp one disc for each cake – each round should be about 6cm in diameter. Brush the cake tops with heated apricot jam, top with a marzipan disc and press down gently.
2. Make the fondant icing and spread it on top of each cupcake. Decorate with sugar sprinkles – or whatever takes your fancy and leave to set. Your Christmas cupcakes will keep in a tin or airtight container for 3 weeks.

Please note: If you want to bake in advance, you can freeze your Christmas cupcakes without the icing.

For more simple recipes that will make delicious home-made Christmas gifts ideas, why not try our tasty chocolate truffles recipe or peppermint cream sweets?

Mince pies are one of Christmas‘ favourite treats and what better way to impress friends and family than by baking your own?

Make your mince pies extra special with a touch of rich, melt in the mouth marzipan and light lemon flavoured pastry. The recipe’s simple too so you can even get the kids to help!

The catch? If you have a large family I would recommend you bake two batches as these mince pies are very moreish – just look at Rudolph eyeing them up!

This simple mince pie recipe will take about 45 minutes (including baking time) and makes 12.

Ingredients

• 100g 4oz of plain flour
• 100g/ 4 oz of self raising flour
• 100g of butter softened
• 1tbsp of caster sugar
• Finely grated zest of one lemon or orange
• 85g / 3oz of marzipan cut into 12 small square (just enough to cover the bottom of the mince pies)
• 3/4 jar of mincemeat 300g / 11oz
• Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven at 200C (180C for oven fan) or gas mark 6 and butter a 12 hole bun tin.
2. Using your fingers or a food processor, work in the two types of flour and the butter until you have a crumby mixture. Add the sugar, the zest and 3 to 4 table spoons of water and kneed the dough until it comes together in a ball.
3. Roll out the dough thinly on a lightly floured surface. Stamp out 12 x 9cm (3 1/2 inch) circles with a cookie cutter and place them into the buttered tin.
4. Put your marzipan pieces into the bottom of each pastry case and spoon in the mincemeat. Be careful not to over fill them or your mince pies might turn out rather sticky.
5. Roll out the left over pastry, cut out star shapes and lay them on top. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Leave the pies to cool for a few minutes, take them out of the tray and transfer them onto a wire rack until completely cold. They will keep in an airtight container for a few days.

You can also prepare your mince pies ahead and freeze them uncooked. They will bake straight from the freezer in about 25 minutes.

For more home made Christmas treats, why not try our Tasty Chocolate Truffles Recipe or our Peppermint Cream Sweets Recipe? Alternatively check out our range of delicious chocolates.

Christmas is a fun time of year, but it can also be stressful when struggling to find original and affordable gift ideas. Our practical Christmas gifts tips will help you get the creative juices flowing, so you can sit back and enjoy the big day!

Small Christmas gifts for friends, relatives and teachers

Baubles or decorations as Christmas gifts

Pretty baubles, Christmas candles or other decorations can make special gifts for Christmas. It’s more personal than a box of chocolates and the recipient will remember you each year when they decorate their house for Christmas. If you have children, baubles could make a cute teacher gift idea. You could also decorate baubles with small pictures of the children to give to close relatives.

Home made treats

Home made biscuits, sweets or Chocolates are always welcome Christmas gifts. Why not make a large batch of peppermint creams, chocolate truffles or mince pies? Put a few of each in a little box or transparent food bag, tie with a ribbon and you have a supply of affordable small gifts for friends and relatives.

Decorated picture frames

For a cute inexpensive keepsake gift for grandparents, why not buy small plain photo frames and ask the children to decorate them with glitter and paint? When your frame is decorated, just insert a recent picture of the children or a favourite drawing.

Find more inexpensive Christmas gift ideas in our Budget Christmas Gift Ideas article.

Gift tips for a stress-free Christmas

Get the toys ready to play with

Children’s toys can be notoriously fiddly to get out of the packaging. Why not open your kid’s toys, remove the fixings and check all batteries are in before you wrap them up? They will be able play with them straight away and you will have time to unwrap your own presents too.

Wrap as you go

Wrap and label your presents as you buy them – this will break up a somewhat daunting task and free up time nearer Christmas.

Send your Christmas gifts

While it is an opportunity to catch up with everyone, driving around to all your friends and relatives to hand out gifts can be time consuming.

Why not lighten-up your work load and send your Christmas gifts by post? Many online shops offer free wrapping and gift messages in the run up to Christmas. So shopping online will not only save you wrapping and posting the gifts yourself,  but it will also allow you to shop at your own convenience in the comfort of your home.

Many online stores offer guaranteed before Christmas delivery dates, so you can be confident that your Christmas gifts will arrive in plenty of time for Christmas Day.

For hassle-free Christmas gifts, why not browse our range of Christmas balloon gifts, teddy bears and chocolates?

To discover more tips for a stress-free Christmas, why not read our Christmas countdown, Christmas stress management and A Christmas (Gift Buying) Carol articles?

Gift wrapping, gift tags and Christmas cards

Alternative wrapping paper

Even if you recycle, buying paper to wrap presents can seem wasteful. Why not use alternative wrapping paper, such as newsprint, or children’s art work?

You could also make the wrapping part of the gift and present your gift in a bag, vase, antique box, picnic basket, backpack or anything the recipient might enjoy or use. Fabric bags that can be re-used for shopping are also an alternative to conventional gift wrapping. For more gift wrapping ideas, check out our gift wrapping tips.

Recycled gift tags

Why not cut out old Christmas cards to make gift tags for the next year? You will recycle and save some money too!

Create your own greeting cards

If you have children, relatives and teacher will love to receive hand made cards.

You can either create your own cards with crafts materials, or for more professional results have the cards printed with your own artwork.

Ask the children to draw a festive picture (or create your own), scan the artwork and have it printed on the front of a card. Several companies offer this service online. You can also use the “photo card” service in your local supermarket to print the scanned image.

While Secret Santa is a fun way for a group of people to give and receive a gift, it can be difficult to buy a gift for someone you don’t know very well on a limited budget.

Our Secret Santa gift guide is packed with tips and gift ideas ranging from novelty chocolate pizzas to books and toiletries. With most gifts under £10.00 you’ll find something for every friend, family member or co-worker.

Buying gifts for the office Secret Santa

If you’re buying a gift for work’s Secret Santa, remember that it is often best to give gifts that offer an escape from work.

While you can choose a funny novelty Secret Santa Gift it is best to avoid saucy gifts – even if intended as a joke, they might shock or offend. You often spend more time with office or work colleagues than friends and relatives, so you don’t want to risk upsetting them!

Stick to the guide line prices – overly expensive gifts would make others feel uncomfortable.

Always have a couple extra items in stock – it would be embarrassing to realise you’ve forgotten to include someone!

You can read more on office gifts on our web site.

Funny and novelty Secret Santa gifts

Anything from a novelty shop. From naughty card games to fart machines, there are fun novelty gifts for everyone. Just make sure you don’t go overboard!

For something a little different, why not check out our novelty chocolates? Chocolate coins, chocolate pizzas are fun treats for everyone. White chocolate maggots are popular with fishermen and chocolate tools with DIY fans. You could also try putting someone off chocolate forever with creepy chocolate worms or chocolate spiders.

Our Small Traditional Sweet Shop is filled with traditional sweets and is sure to be a hit with adults and children of all ages.

Traditional gifts that always work

While these gifts are not highly original they are traditional favourites because they work. Generic enough to be suitable for people you don’t know very well, they can also be personalised if picked with thought.

• Books – paperbacks are relatively inexpensive – from novels to recipe books you can tailor your choice to the recipient’s taste
• Belgian chocolates – always popular!
• Journal or photo album
• Gift vouchers – not always a cop out, especially for people who like to shop for themselves and have picky tastes.
• Alcohol gifts – wine, champagne or their favourite drink
• Board games or card games – some classic games like Uno are relatively inexpensive and will provide useful entertainment over Christmas
• Teddy bears and cuddly toys – Christmas teddy bears can be taken out every year. While Little Uglys, Uglydoll Clip-ons, My Blue Nose Friends and The Snowman Soft Toy are all popular small gifts for adults and children of all ages
• Beauty products – bath bomb, shower gels can be tailored to all budget and are popular Secret Santa gifts for women
• Scented candles
• Plants – choose a small seasonal plant such as poinsettia

If you want to get creative

If you’re blessed with creative talents, then why not make your own gifts? Creative cooks could make Christmas cakes or other festive foods. They would no doubt make a welcome gift. You could also organise a Secret Santa with a creative theme. Usually popular with groups of girlfriends where givers need to make or customise and idet of clothing or some Christmas decorations for the recipients.

Not sure how secret Santa works?

Secret Santa, also known as Chris Kindle or Kris Kringle is a western tradition were the names of all participants are placed in a hat, and each participant draws the name of a person to buy a gift for.

Participants can also submit a short list of items for the gift-giver to choose from. Usually there is a £5 or £10 spending limit and presents are exchanged anonymously. It’s popular in offices, schools, amongst groups of friends or in large families. Sometimes people leave hints, so the recipient can guess who the giver is.

Our creepy Halloween party tips will help you add some mischievous fun to the occasion. From haunting Halloween decorations, to Ghoulish costumes and food and sweets to gross out your guests, you will find all you need for an eerie celebration.

Don’t pull the curtains, turn off the lights and hide behind the sofa all evening – join the spooky fun!

1 – Creepy Halloween decorations

The first thing to consider is the decorations. You’ll be amazed at the range of accessories you can buy- from glow in the dark pumpkins to fake cobwebs with spiders.

Halloween balloons are a quick, easy and relatively cheap way to create impressive decorations. The illoom balloons will glow in the dark and create a perfect Halloween mood. Choose from orange illooms, pumpkin illooms or the flashing ghost illoom balloon or mix all three. You can scatter your balloons on the floor or tie them up by your front door. You can even inflate them with helium for full floating Halloween lights.

Mounted on a balloon stick, they will also make an unusual trick or treat accessory.

Remember that no Halloween decorations are complete without a pumpkin.  They’re surprisingly easy to carve, just spoon out the pulp and seeds and cut out eyes, nose and mouth. Add a tea light and you’re away!

2 – Ghoulish costumes, make up and accessories

While shops are full of Halloween costumes for children and adults of all ages, you can easily create your own zombie style look with a few old clothes and a bit of make up.

Fake blood is easy to use and surprisingly realistic. See on the right an example of what you can achieve in a few minutes with white and black make up and fake blood. Rip and stain some old clothes and that’s it.

Please note – If you are using fake blood apply it at the end. You might also want to spend a bit more and buy quality make up as some cheaper alternatives can stain badly.

Remember that a few well chosen accessories will finish off your look. Wands, plastic weapons, devil horns will all compliment your costume.

3 – Spooky Halloween food 

Halloween is the perfect time to be creative with party food. With a little imagination, it’s easy to create a creepy menu that will put your guests in a spooky mood.

You can use food colourings to turn ordinary foods into devilish delicacies. Just imagine blue mash potatoes, green orange juice or red fairy cakes – just don’t blame me if your guests refuse to eat!

For more freaky food ideas check out our Halloween food for a spooky mood post. If you want to try a more conventional dish, why not prepare our pumpkin soup recipe?

4 – Crazy-scary Halloween sweets

Halloween wouldn’t be complete without sweets. Our range of novelty chocolates are out of the ordinary sweets that are sure to make everyone lose their appetite. Creepy chocolate spiders, chocolate maggots or chocolate slugs are all treats (if you can call them treats) that are sure to gross out your guests. They will also make perfect take home gifts for children if you are throwing a party.

If you don’t want to put your guests off chocolate for ever, why not try rock lollies, sherbet flying saucers or chocolate coins?

For more Halloween party tips, check out our A Tricky Problem for a Halloween Party article.