Halloween in a private household

Halloween can look very different when you work in a private household. What starts as a few decorations and costumes can quickly turn into party planning, food preparation, extra childcare, guest management and sometimes a very late finish. But despite the extra work, Halloween was always one of my favourite times of the year, especially when I was working as a nanny/PA. It’s actually something I really miss now.

I loved planning with the children what we were going to get up to. Visiting pumpkin patches, baking spooky cupcakes, trick or treating, doing scary make-up and sometimes even hand making their costumes. Then there were the Halloween parties, which gave everyone an excuse to let their inner child out and get creative. Decorating the house was probably one of my favourite parts. Each year we could come up with a different theme and completely transform the home. I was lucky to work with families and principals who gave me free rein and trusted me to organise the spooky season celebrations to my heart’s content. That’s one of the things I loved about working in private households. Yes, there could be a lot going on behind the scenes, but there were also moments like these where you had the freedom to create something special for the family and have some fun. Looking back, being part of those family traditions is something I remember fondly. The job can be demanding and incredibly varied, but it can also be really rewarding.

If you’re working this Halloween, I hope you get the chance to enjoy a little of the fun too, even if you’re the one making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.

Enjoy your spooky season!