I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for traditions. There are definitely some traditions around Halloween, but we are a bit too old for them now. Thus, it is time to find some new Halloween night traditions for you and your best friends.
- Have a spooky movie night
-
This is everyone’s first thought at a Halloween tradition, and for good reason! Halloween movies are great, and there’s something for everyone. Horror movie fanatic? Take a trip to the movies and see “Halloween Kills.” If you’re a fan of psychological films, Netflix has some pretty weird ones, like Charlie Kaufman’s 2020 film “I’m Thinking of Ending Things.” If you’re more into childhood nostalgia, I hope you have Disney+ because they have a -large- selection. There’s so much out there just begging to be watched. All you need is to grab some friends, a movie, and an obscene amount of popcorn for a marathon.
- Snack Making (and Eating)
-
We may be too old for trick-or-treating, but definitely not too old for sweet treats. Go on a Walmart run for some ingredients, and spend the night making delicious sweets. The scariest thing about this is the potential for cavities, so if you’re not a fan of the spooky, this is perfect!
If all you can work with are microwaves, candy apples are an easy and delicious fall treat. Another idea I’ve seen is pretzels decorated as witches’ fingers. Some melted green chocolate and almonds can pull this off. You can also decorate cookies to look like tombstones, or make some Halloween-y trail mix. Blessed with a kitchen? Bake some pumpkin-flavored treats!
- Give!
-
Come Halloween night, grab some baggies, Halloween candy, and other fun treats. Just make sure that when you are buying candy, you are buying one’s without common allergies. Stay away from anything with nuts, for example. Non-chocolate candies are best for this, like Skittles, Starburst, and lollipops. You can get enough for your neighbors, other friends, or your floor. With your friends, make an assembly line to put some candy in each bag. Finally, distribute the baggies and bask in the feeling of doing something nice for the people around you! Just make sure to make a bag for yourself too, you deserve candy!
You could also research nearby shelters and food pantries and see if they are looking for candy donations. There are many nationwide donation systems as well, such as sending candy to troops.
- Buy Halloween Pj’s and have a sleepover
-
Staying in this Halloween? There’s nothing better than getting into bed with comfortable pajamas. You could buy matching ones with friends, and make it a tradition to wear them every year at Gettysburg. Then, bring over your blankets and pillows to a friend’s room for a Halloween slumber party. You could mix traditions here as well, possibly using the night to make some of the treats listed above, or watch a movie.
- Tell ghost stories at the fire pit
-
Look up some ghost stories, or think back to the ones you’ve heard in the past. Then, grab your friends and turn on one of the fire pits on Stine Lake. There’s nothing spookier than sitting at a fire listening to a scary story. Just make sure to get home safe, don’t get too scared!
- Read horror fiction
-
Maybe you want a night to yourself. Then snuggle up with some classic horror fiction like Stephen King’s novels. With a mug with something nice and warm, this is a great way to spend the night. Again, if you’re not a horror person, there’s plenty of other books out there that will still set the right mood. Mystery, thrillers, science fiction, and gothic fiction are some equally great choices.
Either way, spend Halloween doing something! It’s nice to take advantage of holidays, and you only have four Halloweens at Gettysburg! Make them count!