How to Embrace Your Inner Child This Halloween
When you think of Halloween, there is a good chance that the image of children in imaginative costumes trick-or-treating comes to mind. It’s fun to reminisce about our first Halloween experiences, including going door-to-door collecting candy and sorting through the treasure at the end of the night.
Halloween is inclusive, and adults can have just as much fun on this holiday as any kid, especially when you learn to embrace your inner child and let them celebrate the joviality and excitement of this holiday.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween as an adult; and with the right costume and a childlike spirit, you’ll feel just as excited as you did the very first time you dressed up.
Movie Marathon
If you appreciate a low-key celebration, try gathering some candy, good food, fun drinks, and great friends, and snuggle up for a scary movie marathon.
You could watch classic thrillers like Halloween or Carrie or stick with the inner-child-theme and focus on more family-friendly films, like Hocus Pocus. You can choose to dress up or stick with comfy, cozy pajamas — either way, you’ll be sure to enjoy yourself.
Conversely, many theatres host special screenings of classic scary movies this time of year. Bonus points if you can find a local rendition of Rocky Horror Picture Show which is a Halloween classic!
Local Legends
Do a quick Google search to see what kind of autumnal activities are available in your area this Halloween.
Often times, there are celebratory events that take place before Halloween, allowing you to celebrate this magical holiday even longer.
If you catch a listing for a hayrack ride or a local haunted house, grab your tickets, put your costume on, and go enjoy the spooky celebrations!
Yes, We’re Going to a Party, Party
Throw yourself an epic Halloween bash for you and all your loved ones.
You might choose to add some kid-friendly elements and invite the whole family or stick to an adult-only theme and break out the drinking games.
You can find inexpensive, interesting decorations at your local dollar store, like fake webs and spooky spider rings. While you’re there, grab a few bags of your favorite candy and a couple of large bowls for satisfying everyone’s sweet tooth.
And one of the best elements of any good party is the party game. Have a pumpkin carving contest, a costume contest, hire a fortune teller, or gather in a circle for a round of scary stories. This might even be a great occasion to break out the karaoke machine — just be sure to start off with the Monster Mash.
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Cozied Up and Warm
Maybe you’re a bit of an ambivert or even an introvert. And perhaps the idea of going out into public or inviting the public into your private sphere doesn’t sound like the best of time.
You might even have come down with a cold or feel the stress of midterms. Whatever the reason, you don’t have to go all out to celebrate Halloween (or go out at all.)
One of my favorite hobbies is coloring, and there are many coloring books available for kids and adults alike — including some like this that have a spooky Halloween theme. Pour yourself a warm cup of cocoa, throw your most cuddly pajamas on, bust out the markers and crayons, and go to town.
This is also a great time of year to crack open your favorite mystery or thriller novel. House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski, is an especially chilling novel that flows perfectly with the ominous Halloween vibe.
Trick or Treat
If you have any little ones in your life, embrace your free pass for trick-or-treating as an adult.
This is the perfect opportunity to dress up and reminisce about the fun you had going door-to-door as a kid yourself while bringing your own kids in on the fun. If you don’t have kids of your own but want to do some trick-or-treating this year, offer to babysit your friend’s kids and take them around.
You’ll get to dress up, sneak a few pieces of candy, and be the hero to parents that would greatly appreciate a night to themselves.
Get Creative
It doesn’t matter how you celebrate this year, as long as you don’t stifle the inner child within.
Embrace the innocent part of yourself that appreciates nothing more than a spooky good time. Whether you’re dressed like a ghost at a local club or cozied up in your favorite black-cat-pajamas, you’re bound to awaken the inner child that still needs time to play and explore the world around them.
