WHAT IS A BOO BASKET?
You make a “boo basket” to secretly share Halloween treats with your neighbors. There is no “correct” way to make a “boo basket” so you can let your creativity take over. However, the guide below is to help you in case you are having a hard time coming up with ideas. Once you make the “boo basket” you can leave it on your neighbor’s doorstep when they aren’t around. Once your neighbor has been “Booed”, they pass on the fun by creating a “boo basket” to gift to another neighbor. Since 2020 has been such a difficult year for many local businesses in the Capital District, I’m suggesting adding a sweet treat from a local bakery, local candy store or farm (cider doughnuts) to your basket! If everyone in the Capital District bought a few sweet treats from a local business instead of another extra bag of candy, it would go along way in helping local businesses!
SUPPLIES
- A basket or other container
- A few sweet treats from a local business
- Festive Items to fill the basket with
- Paper & Printer to create Boo Tag/Directions
- Orange Paper (15 sheets?)
A BASKET
A SWEET TREAT FROM A LOCAL BUSINESS
2020 has been a difficult year for many local businesses. Therefore, it would be awesome to support local businesses when giving a sweet treat to your neighbor. Below is a list of local businesses that sell delicious treats (cupcakes, cookie decorating kits, cookies, candy and/or cider doughnuts etc).
Sweet Treats
Bake for You– Slingerlands, NY
Bella Napoli Bakery & Cafe -Latham, NY & Troy, NY
Bountiful Bread – Albany NY
Bread Basket Bakery – Saratoga Springs, NY
Cake Street Sweets – Cohoes, NY
Cider Belly Doughnuts – Albany, NY
Coccadotts Cake Shop– Albany, NY
Darling Doughnuts – Saratoga Springs, NY
Different Blend Bakery – Schenectady, NY
Dolce and Biscotti – Clifton Park, NY
Fiorello Bakery & Deli – Albany, NY
Great American Cookies – Albany, NY
J & S Watkins Homebaked Desserts – Clifton Park, NY
Krause’s Homemade Candy – Albany, NY
Lake George Baking Company – Queensbury NY
Leah’s Cakery – Round Lake, NY
Nothing Bundt Cakes – Albany, NY
Perreca’s Bakery – Schenectady, NY
Putnam Market -Saratoga Springs, NY
Puzzles Bakery & Cafe – Schenectady, NY
Saratoga Candy Co. – Saratoga Springs, NY
The Candy Cottage and Gifts – Latham, NY
The Cookie Factory – Clifton Park, NY & Troy, NY
The Crisp Cannoli – East Greenbush, NY
Uncle Sam’s Candy – Latham, NY & Schenectady, NY
Upstate Cookie Shack – Rensselaer, NY
Villa Italia Bakery – Schenectady, NY
What’s Poppin – Albany, NY
Whisky Business Bakery – Schenectady, NY
Zachary’s Pastry Shoppe – East Greenbush, NY
Cider Doughnuts
Altamont Orchards – Altamont, NY
Bellinger’s Orchard – Fultonville, NY
Billy Bob’s Orchard – Putnam Station, NY
Bowman Orchards – Rexford, NY
Calhoun’s Farm Stand – Troy, NY
Carrot Barn – Schoharie, NY
DeVoe’s Rainbow Orchards – Halfmoon, NY
Ellms Family Farm – Ballston Spa, NY
Fo’Castle Farm Country Store – Burnt Hills, NY
Gade Farm – Altamont, NY
George’s Market & Nursery – Colonie, NY & Latham, NY
Golden Harvest Farms – Valatie, NY
Hicks Orchards – Granville, NY
Indian Ladder Farms – Altamont, NY
Kristy’s Barn – Schodack, NY
Lakeside Farms Cider Mill – Ballston Lake, NY
Lansing’s Farm Market & Greenhouses – Coloniie, NY
Love Apple Farm – Ghent, NY
McWhorter’s Orchard – Argyle, NY
Philip Orchards – Claverack, NY
Riverview Orchards – Rexford, NY
Rogers Family Orchard – Johnstown, NY
Samascott Orchards – Kinderhook, NY
Sand Flats Orchards – Fonda, NY
Saratoga Apple – Schuylerville, NY
Stanton’s Feura Farm – Feura Bush, NY
Sunnyside Gardens – Saratoga Springs, NY
Windy Hill Orchard-East – Castleton-on-Hudson, NY
Yonder Farms Cider Mill & Bake Shop – Colonie, NY
Yonder Fruit Farms – Valatie, NY
FESTIVE TREATS
Halloween Stickers
Halloween Pencils
Halloween Erasers
Halloween Socks
A cookie decorating kit from a local bakery
Glow Sticks
Glow Necklaces
Pumpkins
A Pumpkin Carving Kit
Slime
Bubbles
Chalk
Halloween Candy
A Halloween Movie and Popcorn for Movie Night
A Halloween Book
A seasonal treat from Trader Joe’s
Alcohol (for adults)
Halloween Bingo
The Supplies to Make a Halloween Craft
The Supplies to Make a Halloween Treat
BOO TAG(DIRECTIONS) & ORANGE PAPER
Below is an example of what your boo tag (directions) might say. Make sure to place the boo tag (directions) in the “boo basket” so that everyone knows how to play.
You’ve been BOOED!
The air is cool, the time is near for the Switch Witches to appear. But before their big day arrives, we’d like to leave you a little prize. There are so many kids on our street, who we think deserve a treat! Your secret friends have left it here, before you could see us, we disappeared!
Now it is your turn to be a sneaky switch. Place this note and a Halloween treat upon your neighbor’s step. Once you’ve switched there’s one more thing you must not forget. Hang your sign upon your door so all the kids will know that you were part of the great switch once more.
Directions:
- Make a “boo basket” to secretly leave on a neighbor’s step.
- Be creative about what fun treats you put in the “boo basket!” However, since 2020 was a tough year for many local businesses please put a SMALL treat in the basket from your favorite local bakery, candy shop or local farm (cider doughnuts). Example: 4 cupcakes
- Please make and deliver a “boo basket” to a neighbor within 48 hours. If you aren’t able to make a basket within 48 hours, please just pass this basket on to someone else. We want to make sure that everyone gets a basket by Halloween.
- Take 1 sheet of orange paper and make a sign that says “We’ve Been Booed.” Place the sign on your door so all the kids in the neighborhood can see it.
- Pass this white sheet of paper and all of the other sheets of orange paper onto the next person.
Happy Halloween!
