Have you chosen to not celebrate Halloween this year? While our website is brimming with Halloween activities and events to enjoy, I wanted to send you some alternatives to have a fun and festive October with your family without partaking in Halloween (for whatever your reasons may be). Read on for some thrilling—but non-scary—ideas.
Goodbye, Halloween and spooky things! Hello, fall fun and cinnamon buns!
1. Have an evening of fall baking frenzy! Alright folks… PJ’s on, baking pans out! Turn on some calming music (“Autumn” by Vivaldi, perhaps?), and call everyone into the kitchen to make fall festival foods like candied apples, caramel popcorn, and pumpkin bread. Baking can be a good way to relieve stress, bond with family, and fill your kitchen with aromas that make your heart melt. For the candied apples, set out yummy toppings like Oreos, sprinkles, and M&Ms. A bowl of caramel popcorn pairs well with a movie, and warm pumpkin bread tastes better with cold milk. To bake an extra-heartwarming loaf: throw some chocolate chips in the batter.
2. Stuff your own scarecrows. Don’t skip this one! These are not a Halloween thing (and they’re not hard to make). Scarecrows were designed to keep the birds out of the cornfields, and they’re a perfect staple for fall decor. To make one of these smiley yard-guarding friends, all you need is straw (who knew?), a couple of wood planks, a single pillowcase, and some old clothes—or new clothes, if your scarecrow must be rocking top-of-the-line fashion. Alongside your scarecrow, place a pumpkin or two and some bales of hay for an extra autumn-y scene.
3. Make pumpkin-themed crafts. If you’re feeling crafty (and not the sly kind), get out some art supplies and find yourself a pumpkin. There are so many ways you can transform one of these ubiquitous fall gourds into your own unique masterpiece. Carve a pumpkin, dress it with paint, or make beaded pumpkins, draw or watercolor pumpkins on canvas, etc. Maybe even roast the seeds for a light snack! Precede this activity with a trip to a pumpkin patch, and you’ve gotten yourself a two-in-one deal!
4. Host an autumn poetry / story reading. Right now, we’re in such a lovely season to soak in some relaxation with family and friends. Light a candle, open the windows, and lay out a few pastries on the coffee table. Invite everyone over to read aloud autumn-themed poems and picture books. We love Owl Moon, Pumpkin Jack, and Poe’s Tell-Tale Heart.
5. Attend a fall festival. What better place to be festive than at a festival? It’s wonderful that The Woodlands and adjoining areas has a whole lotta autumn celebrations going on each year. Get the fam dressed up and attend one of these events, such as the Texas Renaissance Festival.
6. Make someone’s heart happy. Goodness, it’s getting chilly out here! Turns out, the best way to make your heart warm is to serve others. Put together homeless treat bags and distribute them in the more impoverished areas of Houston. Or take advantage of other opportunities to serve in The Woodlands, and participate in a local Thanksgiving food drive. Take time to spread the love this sweet season!
7. Spend an afternoon face-painting. Ever tried face-painting? Me neither (if your answer is no)! ’Tis the season for stepping into new things! Buy a face-painting kit and have fun playing around with face makeup trying your hand at different designs. I’d say it’s a golden idea: You’ll be learning a new skill and getting your hands busy, and your kids will probably think it’s a blast.
8. Family time around the fire. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire… Oops, sorry, we’re not quite at winter yet. But it sure is cool enough to light up a pile of logs. Get the fire started and have a wiener roast and s’mores night. Time to turn up the heat!
9. Make it a movie night! Blankets, pillows, and food, oh my! Movie nights are the best way to get some extra z’s without anyone noticing—err, I mean, have some chill family time. Spread out some blankets and settle down by the big screen for some all-time favorites, such as The Addams Family or The Wizard of Oz. It’s a good follow-up activity for idea #1.
10. Design old-fashioned crafts. Looking for some crafts to do, but don’t feel like dragging around pumpkins to decorate? I’ve got you! Find yourself a sewing pattern, cozy fabric from Hobby Lobby or Joann, and stitch together some Waldorf dolls. If you love to bake, sew yourself a pair of mittens or an apron (or you can drop them off for a friend). It might be too early to be humming about roasting chestnuts, but you definitely don’t have to wait to start making Christmas ornaments. Now’s the time to be creative!
11. Plan a fall-themed coloring party. Pick up cutesy coloring books from the dollar store, and let the kids scribble away at leaves, pumpkins, and scarecrows—and don’t forget the adult coloring pages! Ask Alexa to set the mood with some classical music, and relish in this stimulating activity on a cool autumn afternoon.
12. Set-up a scavenger hunt. Or better yet, just print out a list of fall-related items and take a walk through your neighborhood. A few things to find are speckled pumpkins, acorns, a scarecrow or two (maybe you’ll have one in your front yard by now!), mourning doves, blue jays, a dozen yellow oak leaves, and a pumpkin-shaped cloud (good luck with that one). Throw on a jacket and get some fresh air this season!
13. Play some classic games… but autumn style. Gather the gang for some family fun! Pull out a white board for fall-themed Pictionary, or set up Scrabble with a seasonal twist. Fall-themed Scrabble is just like the regular version, but you can only spell words that relate to autumn. It works the same with Charades too! If you can get the kids invested, it’ll be just like getting in some extra school (you know, Art Class, English, Theater?). Okay, that might be a stretch, but at least the games will be enriching.
14. Cha-cha down a cakewalk. Want to get your autumn groove on? Say no more! (This is our last idea, but it might just be the best one.) Turn your living room into a dance floor, and swing the night away with a cakewalk. Buy a variety of different pastries from the H-E-B bakery, and then bust some moves with your family for a chance to win a dessert. It’s really a piece of cake!
