Holiday seasons are often some of the best times of the year, and — at least for me — some of the most nostalgic times. As college students, we sometimes lose that childlike sense of fun and the whimsical feeling that comes with a real, classic Halloween. Here is your guide to bringing back a nostalgic spooky season!
First things first – film. You can’t enjoy the Halloween season without a night of classic movies!
- First on the list is “Hocus Pocus,” directed by Kenny Ortega and starring the iconic Bette Midler. If the line “it’s just a bunch of hocus pocus” doesn’t put you in the Halloween spirit, I don’t know what will.
- Our second movie is “Halloweentown,” a Disney classic! Nothing feels more like childhood Halloween than seeing that huge pumpkin.
- Next up is one of my personal favorites, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” With little Linus spending the night in the pumpkin patch, Snoopy flying around in his dog house and Charlie and his friends trick or treating, this one is a classic!
- As most of us know, Tim Burton is the king of spooky films, and “The Addams Family” puts me in a Halloween mood like nothing else. This film is perfect for a movie night, especially for the family!
- Lastly, make sure to tune into “Casper” to meet the friendliest ghost! Not only does this movie star Christina Ricci, our Halloween queen, but it’s also a perfect ‘90s classic!
Now that we have our movie lineup completed, it’s time to think about some spooky activities for a little bit of fall fun! Here are a couple of super fun things to do this month!
- Unsurprisingly, I’ll start this list off with the most obvious Halloween activity — a scary movie night. Whether you’re tuning into “The Shining” or just watching your childhood favorites like from the list above, movie nights scream Halloween!
- Carving a pumpkin freshly picked from the pumpkin patch is probably the most camp thing you can do during the Halloween season. Get some friends together and pick the prettiest pumpkins possible!
- One of my personal favorite childhood memories that I would recommend to anyone is going apple picking. Nothing feels more fall than picking fresh pink ladies and biting into its crisp skin when the tour guide isn’t looking.
- For those who prefer a scarier holiday season, a haunted house is the way to go. Being scared is one of the most fun parts of Halloween! Make sure you don’t eat or drink too much before you go (trust me).
- Our final Halloween activity is one of the most classic: a hay ride! Sitting on scratchy hay, drinking hot apple cider and cuddling up next to your parents is such a nostalgic feeling.
Finally, we need some snacks to seal this Halloween deal!
- If you didn’t eat candy corn every October, did you even have a childhood? Every kitchen table needs a bowl of candy corn to set the Halloween spirit – right?
- Next up, pumpkin pie! Although this is more of a fall must-have than a classic Halloween snack, I know that my October doesn’t feel complete until I’ve had a nice slice of pumpkin pie.
- One dessert that I can’t live without every October is a warm apple crisp. Take the apples you’ve freshly picked and turn it into a delicious dessert.
- Nothing says Halloween like candy apples! Whether you prefer candy or caramel, no one can deny that apples are a classic snack for spooky season.
- Lastly, a fall favorite that you can’t miss is some fudge! There are countless flavors of fudge, and it feels like such a Halloween staple. I know I get nostalgic for some chocolate fudge fresh from my local candy shop.
Between film, food and fun, I hope this list gives you plenty of ways to bring some nostalgia back into your Halloween season. You’ll probably catch me tuning into “Hocus Pocus” with some candy corn and Charlie Brown pajamas tonight! Have a very spooky season!