Halloween has changed a lot over the years.
There are incredible decorations in every store, elaborate costumes you can order with one click, giant yard displays, themed parties, and enough Halloween merchandise to decorate every room in the house.
And all of that can be really fun, but sometimes I miss the Halloween that felt a little simpler. The Halloween where decorations were made from construction paper, costumes were pulled together from whatever you could find, and the biggest event of the month was carving a pumpkin and roasting the seeds afterward.
If you're feeling a little nostalgic for that kind of Halloween too, maybe this is the year to bring some of it back. You don't have to give up the fun new stuff. Just mix in a few of the simple traditions that made Halloween feel so magical when we were kids.
Make Some Halloween Decorations
Before Halloween decorations filled every store, a lot of the decorating happened at the kitchen table. Black construction paper became bats. White paper became ghosts. Paper chains, pumpkins, spiders, and homemade signs went up in windows and on doors.
And they definitely weren't perfect. That was part of the fun.
Pull out the construction paper, scissors, glue, paper plates, markers, or whatever craft supplies you already have and make something just because it's Halloween.
These paper bats and candy corn pennants are a perfect example. They're simple paper decorations made with basic craft supplies, and they're the kind of project kids can actually help make.
You could also make paper plate pumpkin masks, spinning ghosts, jack-o'-lantern jars, or another easy Halloween craft. Kids don't need a Pinterest-perfect project. Sometimes a paper pumpkin with a crooked smile is exactly right.
Put Together a Homemade Costume
Remember when a Halloween costume didn't necessarily come in a package (and didn't cost an arm and a leg)?
A sheet could turn you into a ghost. Dad's old clothes could become a scarecrow costume. A cardboard box could become just about anything if you had enough imagination and tape.
There's nothing wrong with buying a costume, but there's something especially fun about figuring one out yourself.
Look through closets, dress-up clothes, thrift stores, and the craft cupboard before heading straight for the costume aisle. Even adding one homemade piece to a purchased costume can make it feel more creative and personal.
Over the years, we made a lot of our own Halloween costumes. You can find some of my favorites in my DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids and DIY Couples and Family Halloween Costumes collections.
One of my favorite examples of making do with what you can find was our Lego Elves costume. A last-minute trip to the thrift store turned up an inexpensive dress that became the starting point for the whole costume.
Carve a Pumpkin and Roast the Seeds
Pumpkin carving deserves to be an event. Cover the table with newspaper (do they still make those?), cut open the pumpkins, scoop out all the slimy insides, and let everyone decide what kind of face their pumpkin should have.
No templates required.
Save the seeds, rinse them, roast them, and eat them while you admire your pumpkins glowing on the porch.
It's messy. It takes longer than you think it will. And that's exactly why it becomes a memory.
Tip: If you hate the mess or don't have the energy to make carving happen, painting pumpkins is pretty fun, too!
Bring Back the Plastic Pumpkin Bucket
There are plenty of cute trick-or-treat bags out there, but it's hard to beat the classic plastic pumpkin bucket.
You know the one. Bright orange. Black jack-o'-lantern face. A little awkward to carry once it gets full.
There's something about seeing kids carrying those buckets that instantly feels like Halloween.
If you still have an old one tucked away somewhere, pull it out. If not, they're still easy to find. Sometimes the simplest things are the most nostalgic.
Tell me I'm not the only one who remembers when these only cost a dollar?
Have a Halloween Movie Night
Halloween movie night doesn't need to be an elaborate themed event.
Make popcorn, turn off the lights, grab some blankets, and watch a Halloween movie together.
Choose an old favorite you remember watching as a kid or introduce your family to one you haven't seen in years.
The movie is fun, but the real tradition is simply everyone sitting down together.
Make a Simple Halloween Treat
Halloween treats don't have to involve complicated decorating.
Make popcorn balls, caramel apples, cookies, crispy rice treats, or another recipe that reminds you of Halloween when you were younger.
My caramel apple pops are a fun way to bring back the caramel-apple tradition without committing to an entire apple. They're also a great one to make together.
They may not look bakery-perfect when you're finished, but they'll probably be a lot more memorable.
Play Some Halloween Games
Halloween fun doesn't have to come from an elaborate party or expensive activity.
Remember simple party games where the prize was a piece of candy or a little plastic spider?
Bring some of that back with a Halloween game night at home, or invite a few friends over for a casual Halloween party.
You can use my Halloween party games or Halloween Bingo, or keep it completely old-school with games you already know.
Add some popcorn and Halloween candy and call it a party.
Make Halloween at School Feel Special
For a lot of us, some of our strongest Halloween memories happened at school.
Costume parades. Classroom parties. Homemade games. Cupcakes with orange frosting. Paper decorations taped to classroom doors.
I have lots of ideas in my Halloween class party ideas post if you're helping with a classroom celebration.
But school celebrations have changed in lots of places, and you don't need an official Halloween party to make an ordinary October day feel special.
Slip one of my Halloween lunchbox jokes into a lunchbox, wear Halloween socks, spooky up your hair, make a little treat after school, or spend an afternoon making a simple Halloween craft together.
It doesn't have to be big to become something kids remember.
Walk Around and Look at Halloween Decorations
One of the easiest Halloween activities doesn't cost anything at all. Take an evening walk around the neighborhood and look at the decorated houses. You can also pile into the car and drive around looking for especially fun displays.
Let everyone choose their favorite. Look for the funniest pumpkin, the biggest spider, the spookiest house, or the most creative decorations.
Sometimes just slowing down enough to notice what everyone else has created makes the season feel more special.
Let Halloween Be a Little Imperfect
Maybe this is the part I like best about the Halloween I remember.
It wasn't curated.
Pumpkins had uneven teeth. Homemade costumes required safety pins. Construction-paper bats were lopsided. Treats didn't always look exactly like the picture.
But we were making things.
We were doing things together.
And we were excited about them.
There are so many wonderful ideas available to us now, and I certainly don't want to give those up. But I also don't think Halloween needs to become another season where we feel like we have to buy more, decorate more, or do more.
Sometimes making Halloween feel special means doing less.
Pick a pumpkin. Make something with paper and glue. Watch a favorite movie. Walk around the neighborhood after dark. Put on a costume and carry an orange plastic pumpkin from house to house.
A little homemade, a little imperfect, and a lot of fun.
That sounds like a pretty great Halloween to me.
Make Your Own October Bucket List
Want to bring a little more of that old-fashioned Halloween fun into October?
I made a simple October Bucket List Game to help.
Instead of trying to do everything, use it to choose a few fun things to make, eat, watch, or do before Halloween. See how many you can check off by October 31, or turn it into a family challenge and see who can complete the most.
The goal isn't to make October busier.
It's to make a few more memories while you're in it.
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