Coming up with the perfect Halloween costume:
One of the first things that should cross your mind when you think of Halloween is, what am I going to dress up as this year? This process can be as difficult or as simple as you make it! Sometimes you might have an idea of what you want to be, then all you have to do is think of ideas to complete the look whether it's finding a pre-packaged costume and accessorizing it or creating your own costume all together! If you don't have a clue what you want to do or where to begin, fear not. All it takes is a little research. When you have some free time, google "Halloween costume ideas" or browse websites like "buycostumes.com" and "partycity.com" Even if you don't find a costume you like, browsing costume ideas can get your creative juices flowing and might help you come up with something great. You can also browse local Halloween stores, check out spaces that you know stores have recently closed (did you have a local Borders?) There's most likely a temporary Halloween store in it's space. You can also check out chain stores like Walmart and Target, they usually have cheaper versions of popular costume ideas. Hot Topic and Spencers at your local mall will also have a lot of costume options. If you don't have the time to do all this browsing, just think of things you like such as your favorite movie or tv show, maybe there's a character from one of those that would be fun to be! Or maybe you have a favorite singer that you've always wanted to channel your inner diva by being. You get where I'm going with this. See some DIY Costume Ideas I've come up with in the past: Dr. Zoidberg and Ke$ha
Decorating your home:
A fun way to celebrate Halloween all month long is to decorate your house or apartment. You can get as crazy and all out as you want or you can add a few tasteful items for something more subtle. In the future when I have a house, I'd love to go all out but for now, with my small apartment, I go for just a few things. Like many others in my generation, I fell to the beanie babie phase. Once they got "phased" out, I gave most of mine away, mostly just keeping the Holiday ones for decorating. I have a ghost, bat and pumpkin that I set out every October. I also have a Halloween themed bowl that can be filled with candy. Aside from that I really don't have much else. I have been getting a lot of ideas from Pinterest for fun craft and decorating ideas and hope to implement some either this year or next. I try to wait until a holiday is over and stock up on themed decorations once they are on sale. I just haven't gotten much Halloween stuff yet. I also like to carve a pumpkin to decorate the door step, but that will be next!
Visiting the pumpkin patch {and Carving the Fruits of your Labor}:
You may think that taking a trip to the pumpkin patch is juvenile but I guarantee you can have just as much fun visiting as you did when you were a child and you don't even have to have your own children to enjoy it. Last time I went to the pumpkin patch, I was with my boyfriend and my friends that are married. The only child with us was the one in my friend's belly and we had a blast! Pumpkin patches have all sorts of activities including hayrides and corn mazes as well as the main event, picking your own pumpkin! Once you have the perfect pumpkin, you can get creative with how you want to decorate it. You can carve it, paint it, make a display, etc. Turn the process into a date or a party! Also, if you gut your pumpkin, use the insides to make some delicious fall treats like baked pumpkin seeds.
Get a spooky nail design:
If you get a manicure or pedicure this month, get a cute Halloween design! I personally went for spider web toes and I love them! Don't feel like paying for a mani/pedi? There are lots of DIY ideas out there for cute Halloween themed nails. You could go for basic black and orange or get nail art pens to try something like spider webs, skeletons, witches hats, etc.
Have a "go to" Halloween shirt and accessories:
Aside from your costume, it's always fun to have a Halloween shirt to wear on days when you're not in costume. For example, if Halloween is on a week day and your work (or class) doesn't do costumes, you can still be "Halloween themed" with a fun Halloween shirt. You can get affordable ones at places like Old Navy, Target and Wal-mart. I used to have one that was black long sleeved and had a spiderweb on it that said "Happy Halloween." I recently got an orange t-shirt with a jack-o-lantern face on it. Wear the shirt with dress pants or a skirt and a cardigan and you have a work appropriate yet fun themed look! You can also add additional accessories like Halloween jewelry to spice up the look. I have a little cleaver knife necklace (from a Mrs. Lovett costume) and a beaded pumpkin necklace.
Get the yell scared out of you:
For some reason we all love to be scared on Halloween. Visiting a local haunted house is the perfect way to get that feeling. If you're not familiar with ones in your area, they're very easy to find. Check your local newspaper throughout the month of October, they most likely have ads, coupons or reviews for different options. Groupon is also currently featuring many deals on Halloween attractions such as haunted houses and ghost tours in the Philadelphia area so I'm sure they're doing the same in other cities.Also, pretty much every amusement park does some sort of spooky spectacular during the month of October.
Become a scream queen:
Another way to get the shivers in October is to watch a horror movie. You can check out new ones in the theater such as Paranormal Activity 3 or you can have a marathon at home with classics. There are also a lot of awesomely bad horror movies out there, do some research and add a few to your Netflix que and enjoy! Make it themed by inviting friends over and serving spooky snacks and drinks.
Do the monster mash and have a monster bash:
Halloween parties are a key ingredient to celebrating Halloween. There are tons of fun ideas out there where your beverages and snacks can double as decorations. Scour the internet for spooky cocktails and party punch ideas as well as decorate snacks and desserts. Hit up the dollar store for affordable decoration ideas. Make sure you put "costumes required" on the invitation or Facebook event!
Be crafty like a witch:
Search Pinterest and Halloween issues of your favorite magazines to find fun ideas for Halloween and fall themed crafts. Once you make them, give them as gifts or use them to decorate your home!
Fall Treats:
As you're searching those magazines for craft ideas, don't forget to cut out any delicious fall recipes you may find. There are tons of pumpkin and apple treats out there that truly help you to embrace the tastes of fall. Aside from making things yourself, keep an eye out at your local grocery store, coffee shop, restaurant and bakery for delicious new fall tastes. You can also get fun Halloween shaped things to make your everyday lunch more festive. I found these great Halloween fruit snacks at Target!
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