These Halloween you’ve been booed ideas will make you want to start this fun tradition in your neighborhood!
Have you ever received a Halloween Boo or seen a We’ve Been Booed sign in someone’s front window?
If you have, then you’re in the right place to get some great ideas (and a free printable!) to start the Halloween Boo in your neighborhood.
If you haven’t heard or seen anything about the You’ve Been Booed tradition … you’re still in the right place!
We’ll walk you through what it is, why it’s great, and how you can start this cute Halloween tradition where you live.
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How the Halloween Boo tradition works
Basically, the You’ve Been Booed Halloween tradition starts when one family in the neighborhood delivers a bag, bucket, or plate of Halloween goodies to a neighbor anonymously.
Yes, this means ding-dong ditching – something most kids absolutely LOVE to do!
Additionally, a note is included with the goodies, telling the recipient that they’ve been Booed.
The family who receives the Boo is then encouraged to pass on the favor to someone else.
Alsom, the person who has been booed puts up a sign in their window that says “We’ve Been Booed” so that they don’t receive a repeat gift.
Over the course of a few weeks, the gifting spreads from house to house – similar to the game Telephone or even a chain letter.
If you’re thinking of creating the You’ve Been Booed tradition in your neighborhood, you’ll want to start in the first half of October. This way there will be enough time to see it spread from house to house.
Free You’ve Been Booed Printable
So, where do you get a You’ve Been Booed printable letter and sign?
Right here from the Jen Bradley|MOMs Free Printable Library of course! Click right here or on the image below to get access!
Our adorable (and free!) You’ve Been Booed printable includes both signs you’ll need: the You’ve Been Booed letter and the We’ve Been Booed sign for the recipient’s front window.
The You’ve Been Booed letter says:
You’ve Been Booed!
We hope you like these treats – not tricks!
Now it’s your turn to share the fun.
Fill two bags with a few Halloween goodies, a copy of this note and sign, and pass it on!
Be sure to hang the included sign in your window too.
Happy Halloween!
Once you’ve printed your signs, you’ll want to choose who you want to surprise with a You’ve Been Booed basket.
To get the Boo off to a good start, it’s a great idea to choose two families if you possibly can.
Get a Halloween Boo bucket or bag
After you’ve got your You’ve Been Booed printables and picked who you want to Boo, the next step is to get the perfect container to hold the goodies you’ll include.
Here are some of our favorite ideas for a Halloween Boo container:
Gift bag
A simple gift bag is a great idea because it can hold a lot of cute things, it’s inexpensive, and it’s easy for kids to carry.
These cute orange gift bags also come with a sheet of Halloween stickers so kids can decorate the bag itself.
Bucket
Another great choice to hold all of your You’ve Been Booed treats is a medium-sized plastic Halloween bucket!
It’ll be good and sturdy and can hold lots of your favorite Halloween treats! This affordable 3-pack of Halloween buckets from Amazon is perfect.
Trick or treat bag
If you really want to get clever, use a trick-or-treat bag like these ones! Not only are they super festive, but they’ll also be completely reusable for Halloween night!
Once you choose your bag or bucket, it’s time to fill it up with goodies! Keep reading to see our favorite things to include in a You’ve Been Booed basket!
5 Great You’ve Been Booed Ideas
1.Include some fun printable Halloween activities
Don’t you love it when your kids get something easy, fun, and festive to celebrate an upcoming holiday?
The cute Halloween activities are available right here for free in the Jen Bradley|MOMs Printable Library. They would make a fantastic addition to your You’ve Been Booed bucket!
Halloween bingo & bingo chips
Halloween Scavenger Hunts
Related article: 5 Delightful Free Printable Halloween Scavenger Hunts for Kids to Do in October
Also, to keep the Halloween Boo moving through the neighborhood, it’s a great idea to print up an extra copy of the You’ve Been Booed printables for the recipient to use when they pass on the Boo to the next person.
(Of course, you can always direct them back to this article too!)
2. Cute Halloween picture books to include
Since kids everywhere will be getting lots of candy and sugar during the Halloween season, why not include a non-sugary treat, such as a favorite Halloween book?
These cute Halloween titles are all available on Amazon and are really inexpensive!
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson – Delightful rhyming text and endearing characters text make this book one your kids will want to read over and over again!
Click, Clack, Boo by Doreen Cronin – This clever and funny book is a Ready-to-Read book, so it’s perfect for families with young kids.
How to Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace – This USA Today Bestseller is a delight for both parents and kids to read!
3. Put in some tasty Halloween treats
While non-sugary gifts are good, there are so many fun Halloween treats, that it’s perfectly fine to include a few!
With the world still enduring the effects of a global pandemic, it’s probably best to include store-bought treats and goodies.
An even better idea is to put in a treat for the family to make themselves!
Here are some fun Halloween treat ideas:
- cake mix – look for the quintessential Halloween Funfetti cake mix for an especially festive treat!
- Halloween cookie cutters – this set comes with six adorable shapes: pumpkin, cat, ghost, bat, witch hat, and pumpkin man
- brownie or chocolate molds – one perfect mold with pumpkins, a ghost, a skull, and a bat
- Halloween cupcake wrappers – you could divide this set of 600 cupcake wrappers amongst all of your Boo recipients
- Halloween colored sprinkles – a perfect addition to anything else you’ve included from this list!
4. Non-candy Halloween goodies
- bandaids – these ghost-shaped bandaids are more than adorable
- tattoos
- stickers
- Halloween socks – this pack has six festive pairs!
- pencils
- gift card for an event – something like minature golfing, going for ice cream, or a trip to the movies
- One of the best places to look for inexpensive Halloween toys and gifts is the Target Dollar Spot!
5. Add in some trick-or-treating supplies
Finally, you can also put in a few trick-or-treating supplies that kids might need on Halloween night.
Here are a few ideas:
- glowsticks – this pack of 100 is super versatile
- pumpkin carving kit
- mini flashlights – this pack of 10 could be divided between your different bags
Related article: 19 Amazing No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas for Kids
Final thoughts about these fun You’ve Been Booed ideas
Of course, the You’ve Been Booed tradition isn’t as necessary to Halloween as costumes and trick-or-treating.
But it is a simple and wonderful way to add a new tradition to your Halloween festivities!
Additionally, it can help teach neighborly kindness and being aware of others.
Your You’ve Been Booed baskets don’t have to be anything crazy or elaborate. But the simple thought and the goodwill they promote in your community are definitely worth it!
Let us know your thoughts about these You’ve Been Booed ideas in the comments below
Related articles about Halloween fun
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21 Best Family Halloween Costumes this Year
What are some of your favorite You’ve Been Booed ideas?
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