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No insane Halloween party this year? Too old to go trick-or-treating (at least, that’s what your neighbors seem to always say as they roll their eyes after seeing you at the door)? No worries. Here are a few last-minute ways to make the most of All Hallows Eve — without accidentally lighting a black flame candle and letting out a trio of soul-sucking witches, Hocus Pocus-style.
- Host a Just-the-Classics Watch Party.
If you’re not into wet-your-pants scary movies, stick to reliving your faves from childhood. Whip up a batch of Candy Corn Magic Bars or Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Bread, then catch up on the following:
Hocus Pocus
Casper (the Christina Ricci ’90s version, of course)
The Nightmare Before Christmas - Host a Carve-Off.
Grab some pumpkins (they might be on sale, given how close it is to the holiday) and invite a bunch of people over to carve the most insane Jack O’ Lanterns anyone’s ever seen. Then create your own spiced pumpkin seeds to snack on while watching a movie afterward. - Go on a Haunted House Tour.
Do a quick Google search to find tales of haunted houses or insanely decked-out homes in your area, map out a route, then go for a drive to scope out all of them. It’s like driving around to look at Christmas lights, but for Halloween. (Pssst…here are seven of the most haunted places in the U.S.) - Create a Horror Movie Drinking Game.
Mix up a Halloween-themed cocktail (might we suggest Ciderinis or Apple “Suiciders”?), then enlist a friend to make up your own drinking game rules while streaming Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, or whatever freaky film you’re feeling. - Get Bonfired Up.
Make a bonfire or fire pit, roast s’mores, take turns telling ghost stories. - Play Trick-Or-Treat Bingo.
Before kids start knocking on your door, create a Bingo sheet of all of the most popular costumes, letting everyone you’re with decide on which looks should go on their board and where. (You can print out blank Bingo boards here, or just draw a 5×5 grid on paper.) Set a prize, and whenever someone knocks at your door, mark off the character on your Bingo sheet, if applicable. - Get Crafty.
And not in the ’90s coven-of-witches movie, unless seances are your thing, I guess. Check out a local drink-and-draw or group paint class to see if there are any Halloween-themed events that night. Or just hit up a Michael’s and grab a ceramic skull to paint (or any other craft project, which will probably be 50 percent off or more), pop a bottle of wine, and get your art on.
Top Photo (Cookies): Michaela/Unsplash