Alternatives to Trick Or Treating – 10 Ways to Celebrate Halloween
Trick or Treating tends to be the main event people think of when it comes to Halloween. It is when children go door to door in costume around their neighborhood while collecting treats. But sometimes we want an alternative to trick or treating. And there are many other ways to celebrate Halloween. Whether your children are too young, you live in an area not conducive for Trick or Treating, or are just looking for new ideas for this Halloween, keep reading. Here are our 10 Alternatives to Trick or Treating that your kids will love!
Fun alternatives to Trick Or Treating
Trunk or Treat
A Trunk or Treat event basically takes place in a parking lot where people park their vehicles close together. They will then open their trunks and hand out candy from them as families go from trunk to trunk collecting treats. These trunks are often decorated in creative ways. Attending a Trunk or Treat event is a great alternative to Trick or Treating as it is usually done during the day which is great for little ones. Plus it is at one location! You can even buy ready-made Trunk or Treat kits. We love these Trunk or Treat kits which make your setup super easy!
Pumpkin Party
Pumpkins are a staple when it comes to all things Halloween! A Pumpkin Party is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween and a great alternative to trick or treating. Send out pumpkin themed invitations, decorate with pumpkin décor, bake sweet treats with pumpkin (or in pumpkin shapes), have pumpkin crafts and finally, pumpkin carving! Perhaps make it into a Jack-O-Lantern contest for some friendly competition. This party is also a wonderful way to celebrate Fall. You could even host at a local farm or pumpkin patch.
Driveway Treats
Using your driveway is another alternative way to celebrate Halloween. Depending on where you live, it would prevent guests from having to hike to your front door. In fact, this Driveway Treats kit makes setting up effortless for a socially distanced pop-in or a drive-by event. It will make it simple for guests to grab a treat from your boo-tifully decorated table!
To read about our favorite alternatives to Halloween Candy, click here.
Family Movie Night
Another one of our alternatives to Trick or Treating is to have a family movie night! This can happen rain or shine because it will be from the comfort of your own home. Firstly, decide based on your family members if it will be a scary film or more of a light hearted family movie. If you have older kids, a movie marathon of a horror series could be thrilling! Lastly, pop some popcorn and have some bite sized treats and enjoy!
Host a Bonfire/Fire Pit Party
If you have a fire pit in your back yard, think about hosting a bonfire or a Halloween themed “Fire Pit Party.” In case you are worried about the risk of long flowy costumes around the fire, ask guests to dress up in funny and unique hates. Place chairs around the fire pit and spend the night experimenting with smore ingredients. For instance try different types of chocolates. Peanut butter cups taste excellent with graham crackers and marshmallows!
Plan a Family Games Night
Planning a game night is also an idea, not to mention fun! Whether your family plays on the regular or only occasionally, a game night will get everyone involved. Play one type or a combination of board games, card games, video games or party games. Another idea is to add a Halloween twist by dressing up or doing Halloween trivia or monster charades.
Monster Dance Party
Whether you chose a family or adult only event, a monster dance party will be a blast! Invite guests to arrive in costume and be ready to boogie to your Halloween inspired play list. Hang lights around the dance floor and take turns sharing your best monster moves. Host inside your house, at a venue or under the stars and dance the night away!
Glow in the Dark Party
A Glow In the Dark Party is another one of our alternatives to Trick or Treating and is super cool! Rock neon colored clothing while you serve drinks in bright cups and snacks on colorful plates. Give out glow sticks and bracelet for your guests to wear. Glow in the dark body and face paint would be a neat addition, especially if it is part of a costume! Finally, turn the lights down and have fun playing games or dancing!
Witches and Wizards Party
For a spellbinding good time, throw a Witches and Wizards party! If you are a Harry Potter or Hocus Pocus fan, this theme will therefore be perfect for you. Serve punch from a cauldron and have the little wizards and witches make edible potions or decorate their own pointed hats. To sum up, this party can be for not only Halloween, but any time of year!
Backyard Campout
Another idea is to host a backyard campout under the stars. Have your little boils and ghouls share spooky stories around a campfire, or put on a shadow puppet show inside the tent. Campouts are a wonderful way to enjoy the great outdoors and in short, make memories!
Decorate a Halloween Tree
A new trend for Halloween is creating a Halloween Tree! If you can’t wait until the holiday season to get your tree up, then this will be a Halloween tradition for you! Inside or outside, a Halloween Tree is a fun way to bring the magic of Halloween to your home. See our favorite Halloween Tree ideas here.
Things to do instead of Trick Or Treating – final note
In conclusion, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween and lots of ways to have fun without trick or treating! We hope our list of Alternatives to Trick or Treating has given you some ideas on how you can celebrate Halloween this year. Whether you only do one of the above, or several, you will have boo-tastic Halloween! For more inspiration, check out our various party ideas.
About Author
Jane Sheriff is the founder, creative director, party planner and mom of three. She started Darling Celebrations back in 2012 to share easy and beautiful ideas for celebrating the special events in life.
