If you’re anything like me, going out is not all that it’s cracked up to be. Yes, it can be fun for a little bit, but the pressures to go somewhere on Halloween often take the fun out of the holiday. Especially because Halloween is on a Tuesday this year, you may have 8AMs the next day or simply a lot of work to do as we ramp up to Thanksgiving break. If you’re looking for a more simple night in, below are some ideas!
- Game Night
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Get some Halloween candy or your favorite snacks and grab your friends for a fun game night. For a murder mystery, play Clue! Another underrated but amazing group game is called Werewolf. Each player is given a character role that is assigned to a certain skill; some people are given the role of Werewolf. In each round, the werewolves secretly vote to kill someone off. Then, through discussion, the group has to vote out the werewolves before the game ends. Not only is it Halloween-y, but it is also super fun and can get competitive as people try to lie and investigate.
- Movie Night
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This is one of the best ways to get your Halloween fix! Simply get your friends and some delicious snacks like a mixed bag of Halloween candy or those Pillsbury Halloween cookies that I’ve seen everywhere. You can even decorate the room with cobwebs, pumpkins, and orange or purple lighting. I’m not a horror fan in any way, so I would watch movies like It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!, Hocus Pocus, Corpse Bride, or A Nightmare Before Christmas (yes, it is a Halloween movie!) If you do like scary movies though, you could also do franchise movie marathons like Scream or The Conjuring.
- Costume Photoshoot
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If you still want to show off your great costume idea but don’t want to go out, a photoshoot is the way to go! The simplest way would just be taking pictures in the dark with your phone flash on to get a spooky effect, but you can totally get more creative with backdrops and props. Pinterest always has really creative ideas that would be a good source of inspiration. Going off of the movie idea above, you can also do a photoshoot inspired by iconic Halloween movie moments like the pig’s blood in Carrie or The Shining twins at the end of the hallway. This is a really fun way to hype up your friends and get some great pictures.
- Pumpkin Carving
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This is the most classic Halloween activity! You can buy pumpkins for cheap at Walmart or Target, and you really only need something to carve it with. You can even simply paint the pumpkin if carving is too stressful or hard. I love how creative everyone is when they carve a pumpkin which makes it so fun to do with others. The best thing about carving a pumpkin is that you can make pumpkin seeds as a snack after it!
- Potluck
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For dinner and dessert on Halloween night, invite people over and have a potluck! You don’t have to make anything homemade if you can’t cook or don’t have the resources/time, but you can still bring snacks or store-bought food and have a great time. The best way to make this Halloween-themed besides decor on the table is to have different themes. For example, people each bring foods from a different Halloween movie or items that resemble Halloween symbols such as a black cat, a witch, or a spider. If you all want to dress up, people can bring foods inspired by their own costumes (beignets if you dress up as Princess Tiana, for example). Or, you can simply bring regular foods but give them creepy names (noodles are intestines, meatballs are eyes, etc). I always remember school Halloween parties always had food like that, and I wanted to bring it back!
- Take a Drive Around To See Halloween Decorations
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If you have access to a car, drive around some of the suburbs at night and look for any Halloween decorations. Some houses go all out and they are so creative and fun to look at. I did this with my friends last year (albeit not in Pittsburgh) and we had a really good time. We also told creepy stories as we drove and listened to a Halloween playlist to really add to the spooky aesthetic. This one is also great because you can be comfy (in pajamas) or really dressed up in a costume – it’s up to you!
As you can see, there are a lot of different options for Halloween instead of going out that incorporate costumes, creativity, and fun with friends! I hope this gave you some ideas for your Halloween plans and have a great holiday!