Halloween has traditionally been a night for taking kiddos trick-or-treating, dressing up, parties, haunted houses, and jack-o-lanterns. Candy dishes are filled with candy corn, homes smell like pumpkin pie, and door bells ring incessantly. Traditional Halloween celebrations may be the norm for many, but celebrating Halloween alternatives is a way to have a fun evening without following Halloween tradition for families without children, people with certain religious beliefs, or those that don’t want to spend the night drinking in costume or answering their door all night.

For those who enjoy celebrating this holiday the possibilities are abundant. Every bar has a costume contest, candy is spilling off the shelves at every convenient store, many cities have corn mazes or haunted houses, and there are thousands of porch lights on waiting for kids to show up and beg for candy. For those that do not enjoy celebrating this holiday or would like a year off from the old traditions, there are just as many possibilities as an alternative.

Halloween Alternatives To Consider This Season

Take a Trip

Halloween is typically a night to stay home and enjoy family time and trick-or-treaters; therefore it’s the perfect time to be on the road for those looking to get away from the flood of Halloween things. Even for those that go out or spend the night in with drinks it’s still an in-town type of holiday that you don’t even get off work. A short road trip to a bed and breakfast, a longer vacation out of state, or a trip to visit family are all options for this holiday instead of carving pumpkins or choosing a costume to wear. Not only will roads be clearer than usual but airports will be similarly less congested. Take this time for a vacation with your friends, spouse, or family and enjoy the easy travel day. Just be sure to stay away from driving at night on Halloween and into the next morning as drunk drivers tend to be more of an issue at this time as well.

Have a Date Night

While kids are trick-or-treating, partiers are at the bar or house party, parents are with the kids, and others are answering the door for trick-or-treaters, the rest of your city is bare. Leave the house, turn off the porch light, and have a date night with your significant other as your own Halloween alternative. You won’t have as many issues with reservations, getting a ticket to a movie, or waiting in line for candy or popcorn. Just be sure to steer clear of pizza parlors that deliver as Halloween is one of the top five busiest days for pizza delivery and your wait time might be longer instead. Nice sit-down restaurants and chick flicks are your best bets for a Halloween date night to stay away from crowds, long lines, or Halloween paraphernalia.

Involve Your Pet

Maybe your issue is not that you dislike Halloween but that you don’t enjoy the traditional way of celebrating. If you don’t enjoy downtown crowds and don’t have kids to take trick-or-treating but you’d still like to take part in the festivities, consider involving your pet in the festivities as a way to participate. Pet costumes are abundant throughout many stores just like any other costume for kids or adults, Halloween themed pet treats are available now, and so is trick-or-treating with your pet. Big chain pet stores give treats to dogs if you head in with your pooch all dressed up and ready for the night. Similarly, you can make dog treats to hand out to trick-or-treaters if they have a pet at home. Just be sure to be educated on how to keep your dog safe on Halloween by following leash laws and paying attention to ingredients that can harm them.

Spend the Night In

A night in front of the fire with a cup of coco and a book sounds amazing on most nights, but this option is one of many great Halloween alternatives. Cook a nice dinner, make some snacks, and watch a movie with your family instead of heading out and braving the celebration. Turn off your porch light so you don’t have to keep getting up and pausing your movie and eat a bag of candy by yourselves instead of offering it to the neighborhood kids. So many of us have busy lives that require our attention whether it’s attending functions, making dinner, or cleaning the house. Take this night to get your lazy on instead. Put on comfy sweats, make a hot drink, and ignore the doorbell if it rings – unless it’s the pizza delivery guy.

Run Errands

Well this doesn’t sound like the most exciting option for any day, really, but it can actually be one of the best times to get some errands done. The gym will probably be free and you won’t have to work out around other people or fight for a machine. Grocery shopping should be a breeze unless your grocery store offers treats for trick-or-treaters. Pick up the dry cleaning, do some Christmas shopping, or mail a letter after work. Just be sure to be extra careful during your driving hours. While there are many myths about dangers on Halloween, the real risk could be involving drunk drivers. Be more cautious than normal about pedestrians, wear a seatbelt, and don’t drive too late at night.

For the anti-Halloween or just the non-traditional Halloween participator, Halloween alternatives may be the way to go this October. Make Halloween your own by having a fun night without following tradition and stuffing yourself full of candy, spending money on a costume, or answering your door every few minutes. Instead of being overwhelmed with Halloween decor, pumpkin patches, caramel apples, and which Halloween event to attend; make Halloween a night that you can enjoy by disbanding with tradition and doing it your own way.