10 Alternate Things To Do On Halloween Night

Halloween is here, but for some of us, the idea of getting dressed up and engaging in a night of hangover-inducing debauchery just doesn't appeal this year. We've been over trick-or-treating for a while, but perhaps we're now over other Hallow's Eve tricks as well — you know, like the triple digit bar tab, and waking up with face paint on our pillows. If you too are feeling a little over it this year but still want a memorable way to spend the holiday, here are 10 alternate things to do on Halloween, no costume required, and no need for Advil in the morning.

Halloween still remains one of my favorite holidays, but I'm simply too old (and exhausted) to even envision myself going to any length to muster up a costume I'm proud of, and then stay out past 11 p.m. to make the trouble worthwhile. In college, I was the girl who had her costumes (two every year) planned out months in advance, and then couldn't wait for the big night, photo documenting them (pre-Instagram-existence) before heading out to a frat or bar. I shiver now at the thought (partly because I can't believe I wore those barely-there getups in October, or ever), and know I am entirely too old (and possibly self-respecting) to be the solo-cup-holding, sexy-Wawa-worker-costume-wearing vision I once was. So for everyone else who can preach to that, here's an activity roundup with something to entice everyone's fancies if what they're fancying isn't a costumed night on the town.

1. Indulge In A Scary Movie Marathon

There's nothing wrong with staying in, pulling on your sweats, and cozying up under the covers. Play hooky from Halloween this year, and sprawl out on your couch to rewatch the classics. If you want to add an extra element to your horror movie viewing, here's a drinking game that puts the "boo" in boozy.

2. Go Out And See A Movie

If you'd rather enjoy a horror movie outside the comforts of your own home, chances are your local cinema is having a special frightful feature showing Halloween night. If not, the box office is stacked with new scary arrivals. No costumes necessary in a dark movie theater.

3. Visit A Graveyard

Take a cue from Michael Jackson in "Thriller," and stroll through a graveyard this Halloween. Even without a zombie flash mob, your own imagination will ensure the night to be spooky and eventful.

4. Explore Something Abandoned

Nothing's creepier than a place that used to be full of life, but has now been left to languish. These settings are rich with stories, and often make for hauntingly beautiful photos. Stay on the safe side, and visit one that's been restored for visitors or turned into a museum. You can really make a trip of it, and plan to visit one of America's many ghost towns.

5. Conduct A Seance

Light some candles, burn some incense, dim the lights, and gather round. If there are no ghosts you'd like to make contact with, or you find the idea of attempting an actual seance just too creepy, host a pizza seance and get in touch with your appetite.

6. Have A Poetry Reading

Curate a lineup of creepy selections from Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson, and Rudyard Kipling, and read aloud by the glow of candlelight. Prepare a cheese plate, and wash down with wine. Glasses are good, but goblets are better.

7. Bake Something Sweeter Than Candy

Why trick-or-treat when you can concoct your own decadent desserts in your very own kitchen? Choose from these indulgent Halloween recipes, and whip up some ghoulish goodies too good to share with anyone who comes knocking at your door.

8. Go To A Famous Horror Location

Why not take a day trip to the shooting location of your favorite scary movie? These haunts make for the ultimate Halloween destination. Depending on where you live, there's likely the perfect spine-chilling venture just a car or train ride away. The Long Island town where The Amityville Horror took place is just an hour and a half train ride for New Yorkers, and the apartment building where Rosemary's Baby was conceived is right in uptown Manhattan. Just outside of Pittsburgh is the mall from Dawn Of The Dead, as well as the graveyard from The Night Of The Living Dead and The Crazies. For anyone near the nation's capital, The Exorcist house is right there in Georgetown.

9. Read Scary Stories Around A Campfire (Or In Bed)

Sit fireside, and spook your company with scary tales. Pro Tip: R.L. Stine's Goosebumps never gets old. If you prefer to read solo, you can opt for a longer literary commitment with a non-horror book that will terrify you.

10. Celebrate Christmas

If you're completely over Halloween, you can skip ahead a couple months and start your Christmas celebrating early. Heck, they're already selling all the yuletide paraphernalia you could ask for at your local drugstore. Decorate your apartment with the usual, put the Christmas music on repeat, bake up some wintery treats, and snuggle up for a cozy night in just like Christmas Eve, minus the snow. If you want, you can even stage a cinematic segue with a viewing of The Nightmare Before Christmas.

For more Halloween ideas, visit Bustle on YouTube.

Images: Pexels, Giphy (10)