When trick-or-treating, what does a teal pumpkin mean? Blue? Orange? Oh mighty and powerful ChatGPT, help me! Halloween seems more complicated than I remember—more elaborate, even. Maybe it was always this way, but as a kid, I didn’t have to plan for multiple costumes, candy, games, allergy awareness, weather, strangers in the neighborhood, blow-up lawn ornaments, or yard decorating contests. Now, as an adult, there’s a lot to manage. Since it’s October, let’s brainstorm together for Halloween with the help of ChatGPT.
If you’re new to this blog, I’ve been learning to use ChatGPT as my personal assistant. There’s plenty of advice on how to use it for crafting work emails, proofreading school assignments, and summarizing white papers. But there’s less guidance for using it around the house. Understandably, as a large language model, ChatGPT can’t physically clean my floors!
Throughout the year, I’ve asked it to help with cleaning routines, affirmations, meal ideas, and more. Early in this adventure, I wasn’t always specific enough for it to deliver exactly what I needed on the first try. Like many of us, I wanted ChatGPT—or any AI tool—to read my mind. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work that way! However, if you’ve been following AI progress, this technology is improving in “reading minds” and understanding context. I recently read that this is a feature of Apple’s new iOS update. But I digress.
As I prepare for Halloween, it’s time to enlist ChatGPT for brainstorming and planning. I need to get candy, plan costumes, and carve pumpkins. Fortunately, we’re not hosting any parties this Halloween, but if you are, don’t hesitate to ask ChatGPT to help plan your Halloween related snack, age appropriate drinks, and your other party planning questions.
Tips for Prompting ChatGPT
When prompting a large language model, remember to:
- Identify the subject and provide context.
- Task and instruct the AI.
- Clarify or ask further questions if you need more information.
Candy Preparation Prompts for ChatGPT
Prompt:
I’m a busy mother planning for Halloween, which is four weeks away. When is the cheapest time to buy Halloween candy at the grocery store? How much candy do you recommend for about 100 houses in my subdivision?
Response:
The best time to buy Halloween candy is typically one to two weeks before Halloween when stores begin offering sales to clear inventory. If you’re looking for deals, you may also want to check after Halloween for next year! As for how much candy to buy, a good estimate is 1–2 pieces of candy per trick-or-treater. If you assume each house has 2–3 kids and most participate, you’ll need candy for around 200–300 kids. To be safe, aim for around 600 pieces if you plan to hand out two per child.
Clarify : Next time, I might specify how many pieces I want to hand out when instructing the AI.
Other Candy Preparation Prompts:
- How do I get my kids to eat less sugar around Halloween?
- What candies have the least amount of sugar?
- What are the most and least popular candies to pass out?
- How can I preserve Halloween candy to prevent it from spoiling?
Pumpkin Preparation Prompts
Prompt:
We are a family with young kids, and we look forward to carving pumpkins each year. How long does a carved pumpkin last before rotting, and how many days before Halloween should we carve it?
Response:
A carved pumpkin generally lasts 3–7 days before starting to rot, depending on the weather and how well it’s cared for. To prevent early rotting, aim to carve your pumpkins 3–5 days before Halloween. In cooler weather, they may last a bit longer. You can also apply a bleach or vinegar solution to the carved areas to slow mold growth or store them in a cool, dry place when not on display.
Clarify: This answer is straightforward, no clarification needed.
Other Pumpkin Preparation Prompts:
- How do you bake pumpkin seeds?
- Can I save pumpkin seeds to grow pumpkins next year? If so, how do I process the seeds?
- What is the best way to carve a circle in a pumpkin? Tight corner?
- We are not planning to carve pumpkins, what are other ways to decorate a pumpkin?
Costume Preparation Prompts
Prompt:
I’m a middle schooler unsure about dressing up for Halloween. What are five costume ideas I can make with things around the house, and what are five ideas if I have a $30 budget?
Response:
Here are five costumes you can make using items from around the house:
- Mummy – Wrap yourself in toilet paper or white sheets and add some dark makeup around your eyes for a spooky effect.
- Ghost – Drape a white sheet over yourself and cut out holes for your eyes. You can carry a lantern or chain for extra effect.
- Scarecrow – Wear flannel and jeans, stuff straw or paper in your sleeves and hat, and use makeup to draw on a stitched mouth.
- Tourist – Wear a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, sunglasses, and carry a map or camera.
- Superhero – Use a towel as a cape and create a mask out of paper or fabric.
If you have $30 to spend, here are five more ideas:
- Zombie – Buy cheap makeup (white face paint and fake blood) and wear torn clothes.
- Cat – Get a cat ear headband and use makeup to draw whiskers. Wear black clothes.
- Witch – Buy a witch hat and green face paint, and use black clothing.
- Harry Potter – Buy or make a wand, add a house-color tie, and wear a white shirt and sweater.
- Pirate – Buy a bandana and eye patch, wear old, torn clothes, and add face makeup for a rugged look.
Clarify: I’d add some context about my middle schooler’s preferences to avoid eye-rolls.
Other Costume Preparation Prompts
- What are some good family costumes?
- What are good couple costumes that are not romantic in nature?
- Does regular makeup remover, remove Halloween makeup?
General Halloween Preparation Prompts
Prompt:
I’m a parent wanting to explain the history of Halloween to my kids. Could you give me three versions of a synopsis tailored to different school levels: kindergartener, middle schooler, and high schooler?
Response:
Here are three Halloween history versions based on age group:
- Kindergartener: A long time ago, people celebrated a night called “All Hallows’ Eve,” which turned into Halloween! They thought friendly ghosts visited, so they dressed in costumes and played games. Today, we still dress up, but it’s mostly about fun and candy!
- Middle Schooler: Halloween started as the Celtic festival of Samhain when people believed spirits could visit on October 31st. Immigrants brought this tradition to America, and over time it became the Halloween we know today, with costumes and trick-or-treating.
- High Schooler: Halloween’s roots trace back to Samhain, a Celtic festival marking the end of harvest. The Catholic Church adapted this pagan celebration into “All Hallows’ Eve,” which eventually became secularized into the costume and candy-filled holiday we celebrate today.
Now go, make your Halloween Simple!
Halloween made simple with Grace
Give yourself the space to make Halloween easy and manageable this year. By using ChatGPT to help plan Halloween, you can free up some time for you to focus on yourself, your kids, your job, or whatever else is on that to-do list. Halloween planning doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
Halloween made simple with Wit
Who knew ChatGPT could be the ultimate Halloween wingman? From candy math to costume hacks, it’s like having a spooky season assistant that doesn’t even need a costume! Or maybe has a robot costume.
Further Reading:
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