By Milvian Prieto

October’s spookiest day is around the corner, which means it’s time to get creative and put together a halloween disguise. Now, you may be thinking that going door-to-door around the neighborhood and yelling “trick-or-treat” might be a thing of the past for you. If that’s the case there’s no need to panic!

Whether you’re scrambling around for a last-minute costume or you’re just tired of the idea of trick-or-treating, there are many alternatives to celebrating Halloween that don’t include knocking on doors across the neighborhood and asking for candy.

With October 31st slowly creeping upon us, here are four alternatives to trick-or-treating on Halloween night.

Decorate a Pumpkin

‘Tis the season of pumpkin spice and everything nice. What better way to celebrate Halloween night than to make a visit to your local pumpkin patch. Find your perfect pumpkin and then purchase a carving kit and begin decorating. You can print free stencils online or put your artistic skills to the test and carve your pumpkin freehand. If you’re feeling competitive, a pumpking-carving contest can be a great contest to have amongst your friends.

Have a Scary Movie Marathon

the_nightmare_before_christmas_2944550316 — The Nightmare Before Christmas

Ditch the scary costumes and put on a few scary movies. Set the mood by getting some popcorn and turning off the lights. If you’re watching with friends, see how long you can go without getting spooked. Perhaps you can turn it into a drinking game and take a shot every time someone screams. But if you’re not into scary movies, try putting on some Halloween classics such as “Casper” or “The Nightmare Before Christmas” to get you in the Halloween spirit without all the jump scares.

Host a Halloween Party

Try bringing the festivities to your home. Put together an epic monster music playlist and have your family and friends arrive in their best costumes. Entertain your guests with a bunch of halloween-themed games and activities such as “pop goes the pumpkin” or “bobbing for apples.” Instead of going door-to-door for candy around your neighborhood, spread halloween cheer by purchasing a bunch of treats and having your guests indulge in all of the sweets. You can even host a contest to see who has the best costume.

Have a Spooky Bonfire

If you’re not feeling a halloween party, you can enjoy the crisp autumn air by cozying up with some friends in front of a bonfire. Make this low-key night a festive one by heating up some s’mores and pouring out some warm apple cider or hot chocolate. Grab a hoodie and a scarf, kick back and relax, and exchange spooky stories.

Avoid the doorbells and doorsteps this halloween. Whether you feel like you have outgrown trick-or-treating or are just looking for something different to do this year, spend your evening with these fun alternatives.

Milvian Prieto is a contributing writer for YourSitch.com

Twitter: @MilvianPrieto

By Tina Cherrillo

Put down that pumpkin spice latte and untie that flannel from around your waist. Yes, you. If you or anyone you know is in danger of becoming basic this fall, do yourselves a favor and try some of these highly sophisticated fall activities.

1. Have a Pumpkin Guts Food Fight

What’s better than kicking off the fall season by carving a little orange bundle of joy? Having a pumpkin guts food fight afterwards, that’s what! Why be basic and throw away all those perfectly good pumpkin guts when you can show your friends and loved ones just how much you care by pelting them with pumpkin seeds? It’s not only fun, but also one of the best ways to bond AND work off any pent-up anger you may be harboring this pre-holiday season. Safety Disclaimer: Protective goggles are probably a good idea if you plan on going ham.

2. Build Your Own ScareCROW

Add a new twist to this fall-favorite activity by decking out your homemade scarecrow in Crow (i.e. Game of Thrones Man of the Night’s Watch) attire. Gather up as much warm, black clothing as you can. If for some reason you can’t seem to find the thick, black cloak you’ve been saving for when winter finally comes, a fuzzy black blanket will suffice. Your Jon Snow scareCROW may or may not scare away the annoying black birds, but it will definitely bring all the wildlings to your yard.

3. Go Pumpkin/Apple Slingshotting

Don’t be basic and make apple or pumpkin pie this fall. Instead, fling those fruits (yes pumpkins are fruits) through the air and use them for target practice. Most farms have slingshots set up and give away prizes for hitting the bullseye. If you have the misfortune of living near a basic farm that does not have a slingshot stand, you have my deepest condolences.

4. Purposely Get Lost in a Corn Maze

Who says the proper way to participate in a corn maze is to find your way out in the quickest amount of time? Screw the rules set up by the farm lords! Here’s what you do instead: Split up into teams of two and go up to random strangers in the maze and tell them to follow you if they want to find the way out. Purposely lead them around in circles, getting them even more lost and confused. The team that gets the most people to blindly follow them wins!

5. Volunteer to be an Actor at a Haunted House/Haunted Hayride

Nothing’s better than scaring the pants off people for a good cause. Only basic betches say boo, so get creative with your scare tactics. Grab your ghoul gear and strap on a GoPro to capture your best/most hysterical scares. Who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky and get to appear on Ellen for the amazing viral video you created!

6. Headless Horseman Barhop

Fallify your basic barhop, headless horseman style! It’s exactly like your run-of-the-mill barhop, except when you hop from bar to bar, you tuck your head under your shirt so it looks like you’re headless. Assign each horseman a DWP (designated walking partner) so you don’t run into people and/or things along your path to the next bar. Drink and walk responsibly!

Tina Cherrillo is a contributing writer for YourSitch.com

Twitter: @TinaCherrillo

Tag: Fall

4 Alternative Ways to Celebrate Halloween