Skip to main content

3 Ways to Celebrate Halloween as a “Big Kid”

As we grow older the thought process of Halloween changes, probably out of social acceptability and peer pressure—because, hey, if it were up to us we’d still be fully participating. (A fun costume plus a big ol’ bag of candy, minus the occasional toothbrush and pack dental floss, what’s not to love?)

So, let’s say you’re feeling a bit too old to trick or treat (as in an adult who can’t), how then does one celebrate Halloween?

Below are a few ways to embrace the spirit of Halloween sans the costume (because, let’s face it, that Superman costume looked way cuter on you when you were six).

1. While it’s no longer an excuse to dress up and act like a goon, Halloween night is the perfect setting for a scary movie marathon (even if your definition of “scary” is Monsters, Inc.). Test your knowledge with movie trivia, easily accessible online with a quick search.

Might we suggest some classics? The Shining, The Birds, Young Frankenstein, Children of the Corn, Pit and the Pendulum, It, The Silence of the Lambs are all classic scary movies (fair warning, we’d advise watching with friends or family to minimize the need to sleep with a light on).

Too scary? Try some family friendly options: It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Ghostbusters, Casper and Hocus Pocus will get you into the Halloween spirit without causing bad dreams.

2. Hosting a party or small get together? Try out a few Halloween themed games.

As guests arrive tape a piece of paper on their backs with a Halloween movie character written on it. Before the night is over, everyone must guess their character by asking other players for clues.

Ready, set, relay! Get a small jar of Candy Corn from one end of the room to another, one piece at a time using only a plastic spoon in their mouth.

Set up a ramp with books, a few spare boards (or any other materials you have around the house) and have a pumpkin race. Roll too soft and you’ll lose, too hard and the pumpkin may smash! The winner is the person who rolls their pumpkin closest to the finish line on the first try. Another variation? Squash bowling—paint pin numbers on 10 squash “pins” and use a ball to knock them down.

3. Classics are classic for a reason. Host a pumpkin carving party. Have everyone bring a pumpkin, carving utensils, and a soup or side dish to share. Carve the night away and see who can come up with the most original design (or who can master the classic Jack-O-Lantern face).