You know the meme. In Tyra Banks fashion, we are looking to make the most out of this Halloween season. We’ve scoured the internet (and our brains!) for ways to make this October 31st one to remember. We’re going after big moments, hearty laughs, and points of genuine connection. Because even though there’s going to be some notable changes, there’s still opportunity to have a Happy Quarantine Halloween. The best part? Like the gifting fairies we are, Team Greetabl has done the heavy lifting for you.

First things first, we know you’re wondering about this Christmas x Halloween crossover. Before you say it’s too early to think about anything related to Santa, hear us out. We’re drawing on inspiration from the most wonderful time of the year to bring THAT level of joy into October. Trust us on this one! 

So before your people even have a chance to grumble about the lack of Halloween traditions during COVID, start a new one that will change the course of the conversation. 

Follow our ideas below to replace trick-or-treating and in-person gatherings with the ultimate Halloween gift exchange:

Secret Santa

Starting with the most obvious, we love the idea of creating a Secret Santa gift exchange in October. Maybe you change the name to “Secret Spook” or “Anonymous Monster” (these are working ideas, people). The main takeaway: draw names with your best goblins and ghoulfriends and host a virtual gift exchange. We know you’ll miss the in-person gathering to select names out of a hat, but using a virtual Secret Santa generator makes this process super easy and painless! 

Once your names are emailed out, book a Zoom Meeting to open your gifts together. Easier than ever, mail your gifts to your recipient and have everyone hold onto the package until the night of your event. We recommend each participant open their gift one by one and place their guess on their Secret Santa. The other details are up to you, but we recommend going as big as you can. Show up in costumes! Pull out old pictures from Halloweens past. Create an evite to drum up excitement. 

You’ll ultimately decide how to scale your event, but remember these universal tips to nail Secret Santa: 

• To eliminate potential awkwardness, it’s a good rule of thumb to decide on a spending limit beforehand. 
• Make sure your gift doesn’t include the sender’s name on the packaging. What a bummer to have the guessing aspect taken out of the evening!
• Keep the secret. It ruins the fun when others are spilling the names of those they drew. Have everyone take an oath… no matter how excited they are for the event, they will not tell a soul.
• Encourage a little buffer time for the mail. With deliveries at record highs, it’s a good idea to ask your friends to order their gifts a bit early. You don’t want anyone left out because their package was delayed!

If you’re wanting to take the virtual gift exchange to the next level, everyone can order from the same restaurant (or pick a food theme). We miss pizza parties with our friends, but even virtually, camaraderie is inevitable when everyone opens their takeout and eats together. If you’d prefer to keep things simple, that’s totally understandable! Have everyone bring their favorite Halloween candy to munch on throughout the exchange. 

You might be thinking this sounds like an awesome idea, but you’re unsure what gift to give. Greetabl is perfect for virtual events, as we truly take care of it all. Once you complete your order, we’ll handle the shipping with our friends at USPS. Your name will not be on the shipping box and will only be included in the card if you choose to include it (so don’t sign your name!). Even better, Greetabl is known for having beautiful packaging. No ugly brown Amazon packaging here! 

To get your wheels turning, check out our countdown of spook-tacular Halloween gifts. I mean…have you seen anything cuter than the Mini Ghost Pinata? (Bonus: it’s filled with confetti!)

Remember: Secret Santa is a great idea for children, too! If your little monsters are saddened by their lack of trick-or-treating this year, a virtual exchange with their friends is a fantastic way to combat the blues. Bring the costumes and the candy! 

You’ve Been Booed

If you haven’t already heard of the “You’ve Been Booed” gifting chain, 2020 is the year to get on board. This resource from The Spruce outlines the details, but simply put: this is gifting spontaneity in truest form. While you might not be going door to door, you can totally implement this trend with a Halloween gift in the mail. (Hello, this is what we DO!)

As mentioned, Greetabl allows you to send anonymously AND you can make a custom message on the inside to let your recipient know they’ve. been. booed. This would be a perfect and unique way to exchange gifts with your children and their friends. What better way to get the kids excited by stirring up a little mystery? 

Secret Sister 

This tradition is like Secret Santa, but with a twist. Secret Sister tends to be ongoing gift exchanges for a longer period of time. There’s usually multiple gifts exchanged throughout the duration of the time, ranging in scale from simple to a little more extravagant. So if your group is looking for something to encourage continued connection beyond one evening, this is a great option to do so. Halloween would be a perfect time to kick off the exchange!

Interested in learning more? To get started, participants generally fill out a questionnaire of their favorite things. This could include favorite candy, salty snack, drink, or store. The person who draws their name will then send things throughout a pre-designated amount of time (ie, two months). It’s like built-in, guaranteed encouragement. Who doesn’t LOVE that?

Looking for further ideas for a specific person on your list? Check out our Halloween gift guide for more!