Avoid the Halloween hangover
If bars and clubs aren’t your thing, use this guide to make the most of Oct. 31
Jennifer Lawley
Contributor
Forget waiting in line and freezing your rump in the cold. There are lots of other ways to enjoy Halloween this year. Stay in or go out — the holiday is guaranteed to be delicious, just like all of the candy you’ll be eating.
Photo illustration: Albina Khouzina
With Halloween creeping around the corner, you may be asking yourself, “Do I stay in, or do I go out?” Going out evokes the questions, “should I dress up?”, “will anyone know who/what I’m dressed up as?”, and “can I make a costume work with my budget?”.
Halloween for adults seems to predominately involve dressing up, going to bars, paying outrageous amounts for tickets to venues and waiting in lineups for hours in the freezing cold. If you are someone who enjoys the comfort of their own home and has decided to stay away from any bar crawls this year, The Reflector has brought you a few simple — yet fun and spooky — ideas for you to enjoy your 2014 Halloween.
Movies, board games and video games — oh my!
Dust off that old popcorn machine, pop some corn (with extra butter of course), and have copious amounts of junk food and pop on hand — it’s time for a movie marathon. You could go with anything from ‘80s slasher flicks, psychological thrillers, or just about anything straight-up creepy. If TV shows suit you better, start watching all The Simpsons Tree House of Horror episodes and see how many you can get through. Remember, there are 26 seasons currently, so have some coffee ready.
If movies aren’t your thing, why not play some spooky board games? Grab a few friends and play the classic murder mystery game, Clue. Or why not light some candles and try to conjure up some spirits with a Ouija board? Halloween is a night dedicated to remembering the dead, after all.
If you need a bit of technology in your life, there are numerous scary video games out there too. You can get some practice for the imminent zombie apocalypse while playing Left For Dead. Or try your hand at Silent Hill and slay all the mutant creatures that come before you.
Pumpkin everything
If you haven’t carved a pumpkin since you were a kid, this is a must do for Halloween. Carve your favourite image into your pumpkin, place a candle inside its hollowed out remains, turn off all the lights, and revel in the glow of your pièce de résistance.
But, now you have all these pumpkin guts to deal with first, right? Well, get those seeds in the oven and make a delicious and salty roasted treat. Pumpkin seeds are great to have around the house or have on you whenever, wherever. Then you can use the rest of the innards to make all kinds of delicious pumpkin desserts. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies… Delicious!
Costume party
If you like dressing up but being at a busy, packed bar isn’t your thing, bring the people to you and have a costume party. Make trophies for best costumes and even try having an apple-bobbing station. You can even have people tell ghost stories (flashlight under the chin and everything). Having a bowl full of party-sized candy and fun, spooky decorations are highly recommended.
Scream your lungs out
Sometimes staying in can cause a bit of cabin fever. If this happens and you want to get out and see what Calgary has to offer on Halloween — but still, not at a bar — check out Screamfest at the Stampede Fair Grounds. This place boasts that it’s Canada’s largest and scariest Halloween event. They have multiple haunted houses, Halloween-themed carnival games and creepy entertainment. So if you’re itching for a bit of a scare, check this place out. Oh, and bring a change of underwear — just in case.
‘Tis the season for scary, spooky fun. Whether you’ll be staying in or going out this Halloween, hopefully these tips will help make yours a bit more creative and fun. Just remember: stay safe and above all, eat all the candy and sweets you can.
