Come little children, I’ll take thee away. Into a land of enchantment…
I will never forget my first viewing of Hocus Pocus. It was summer 1993 (why they released it in July, I will never understand), and in an effort to get out of the unrelenting Houston heat, my mom took two of my friends and I to see a silly little movie about three witches returning from the dead to terrorize the city of Salem. Who knew the Sanderson sisters would karaoke their way into our hearts, becoming their reigning queens of Halloween and an instant spooky classic?
And now, after nineteen looong years of waiting, the sisters are back (and there’s hell to pay…sorry, had to do it).
I can hardly believe the day is nearly upon us and I get to experience the magic of watching Hocus Pocus 2 with my own children. It’s the perfect potion — one part my childhood, and one part theirs, brewed for nearly two decades with a perfect streaming spin. Bring it Disney+.
So let’s get that black flame candle lit and get this Hocus Pocus party started!
Set the Stage
I’m not gonna lie, I will use pretty much any excuse to bust out my Halloween goodies and put on a sinister show. A celebration of a greatly anticipated spooky sequel — well that’s pretty much my Super Bowl. I raided my supply and pulled out every cauldron, bat and spider I own and grabbed a few black taper candles off Amazon because, well, what’s a Hocus Pocus party without a black flame candle, am I right? Add in a few themed plates and napkins, and I’m pretty sure even Thackery Binx would approve.
Spine-Tingling Treats
Now, my southern Mama always said you can’t have a party without a little something to nibble on, and I figure if you have to serve food, you might as well make it themed, am I right? But since I’m a mom of three with minimal time trying to fit all the festivities in between PTO meetings, spelling homework and flu shots, I cut a few corners here and picked up some pre-made fudge brownies at the grocery store. A few edible eyeballs and a little black icing, and voila! Brownie Booooooooks. Guaranteed to make me Mom of the Year…or at least until it’s time to get ready for bed.
Potion Brewing
Okay, now spooky treats and decor make for a lot of fun, but if you really want to kick your Hocus Pocus party into high gear, there’s nothing more interactive and on theme than some potion making.
I started by grabbing some dry ice from the local grocery store and putting a nice big chunk of it in one of my plastic cauldrons. The kids took turns pouring water into the cauldron, shrieking with laughter as it bubbled and smoked and we pretended to cast spells.
For the grand finale, I filled a few little glass potion bottles I found in the Target Bullseye dollar section with dish soap, baking powder, and white vinegar with a little green food coloring mixed in. Pour a little of each into the cauldrons and watch as they react and bubble over with a spell-tacular solution! My kids loved it so much we had to do it again and again, trying out different colors, adding in glitter, and even tossing in a few plastic spiders to watch them climb their way back out with the bubbles. And hey, it counts as a science experiment, so I’m going to go ahead and call this whole experience educational! Boom.
So raise your hand if you’re planning a spine-chilling Sanderson soiree of your own. I can’t wait to watch my three favorite witches return to Salem and run amuck! Amuck, amuck, amuck. Just don’t forget to close your ears when they start singing or you might find yourself partying a little longer than you anticipated…
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