31 Spooky Things To Do This October

It’s October 1st, which means that it is undeniably the beginning of the spooky season!

There are so many ways to celebrate Halloween, from the adorable to horrifying. If you are looking for some inspiration to get into the haunting spirit, check this list of 31 things you can do this October. Happy Halloween!

Give your phone a Halloween theme

Change up your phone's background wallpaper, the icons, or ringtones! Anything goes. Make it cute or make it scary, it’s all up to you. And you don’t have to stick with only one theme for the entire month of October. You do you! And if you really want to splurge, try decorating your phone case or buying one special for October.

Give your computer a Halloween theme

Don’t stop at your phone. Give your personal computer a makeover too! In addition to a desktop wallpaper, you might be able to change the background image in your email too.

Visit a Halloween store

So many stores have gotten into the Halloween spirit, and we aren’t just talking about Spirit Halloween! There is also Halloween City, and if you can’t make it to one of them, craft stores like Michaels and Joann Fabric and Crafts also have a ton of Halloween stuff to go through.

Decorate your home

In addition to the above-mentioned craft stores, places like Meijer, Target, and At Home also have some great Halloween decor to give your home a haunting makeover.

Take a haunted tour

Most major cities have a ghost tour, but around Halloween, lots of places get into the spirit! Some museums or historical locations will also offer haunted tours during the month. It’s a great way to learn about local history as well as give yourself the chills.

Watch a classic horror movie

Horror movies are not a modern invention. They’ve basically been around since the invention of film. The very first “Frankenstein” movie was a silent classic from 1910. Other popular horror films of the silent era include “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” “The Phantom Carriage,” and “Nosferatu.” Of course, there are also all of the Universal Monster and Hammer Horror films to marathon as well.

Watch a Halloween special from your childhood

In 1966, there was “It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” “The Halloween That Almost Wasn’t” is a half hour TV Halloween special from 1979. Other Halloween specials from the 70s include “Halloween is Grinch Night,” The 1980s brought us “The Worst Witch,” “Mr. Boogedy” and “Bride of Boogedy,” and “Garfield in Disguise.” Moving forward in time, we get the Halloweentown series and the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episodes.

Watch a modern scary movie

There are so many modern horror movies and franchises that they probably don’t need to be listed here. Every October sees new horror movies released too, like 2023’s “Five Nights at Freddy's.” There are also plenty of horror comedies if you prefer to keep things lighthearted.

Go to a pumpkin patch

You don’t need to go out to the country for this one if you can’t. October is when pumpkin patches pop up in store parking lots all over cities.

Make a jack-o-lantern

Carving jack-o-lanterns is a longtime Halloween pastime. If you can’t carve one, there are plenty of ways to decorate a pumpkin using paints, plastic pieces, and other craft items.

Roast pumpkin seeds

Since you have the pumpkin, why not make use of its seeds? There are many different flavorings you can use to enliven them like garlic, masala, tajin, and more.

Read a spooky book

Like with movies, there are so many genres of spooky books. Gothic romance, classic monsters, murder mystery, paranormal romance… There are a lot of terrific kids books too if you prefer to keep it brief.

Play a spooky board game

There are a lot of monster and horror themed board games out there. Try Horrified for classic monsters, Mysterium for a ghostly experience, and Mansions of Madness to tempt the elder gods. There are also countless zombie survival games.

Attend a costume party

If you can’t find a local costume party, there is nothing stopping you from holding your own!

Have a Halloween-themed dinner party

Maybe as part of that costume party, you can have a spooky themed dinner. How about some deviled eggs using olives to make eyeballs or little triangles of red pepper for horns? Mummy meatloaf, anyone? Pumpkin cheese ball?

Decorate some spooky cookies

You’ve heard of ladyfingers. What about witch fingers? And of course there are the usual ghosts, spiders, bats, monsters, cats, pumpkins…

Make a spooky craft

Have you ever tried your hand at Halloween origami? Or made your own harvest wreath? Paper garland and creepy slime are other easy things to make.

Listen to haunting music

Spotify, YouTube, and other music streaming services have pre-made playlists or will create one for you. (Check my profile for Spotify and YouTube Halloween playlists.)

Visit a graveyard

You don’t have to do this at night. In fact, many graveyards and cemeteries close at sunset, so be mindful of the rules when you visit.

Brave a haunted attraction

Haunted houses, haunted dorms, haunted asylums, and haunted theme parks. Popular ones include Halloweekends, Knotts Scary Farm, Halloween Horror Nights, and Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, but you can absolutely stick closer to home.

Conquer a corn maze

There are usually a number of corn mazes in the country, but some people also will build a maze out of corn stalks in their yards or in an empty lot.

Sip on a ghoulish drink

Cocktail or mocktail, there are some great ideas for Halloween drinks. Some beverage companies have also started releasing limited edition Halloween drinks as well.

Send out Halloween greeting cards

Christmas is not the only time of year to send out holiday greeting cards. Make your own or purchase one at your local card store.

Paint your nails in seasonal colors

Black, red, orange, green, mummy stripes, tiny googly eyes, bat stickers… There are so many ways to decorate your nails for Halloween.

Read your fortune

Halloween past was a traditional time to get your fortune told. You can use tarot cards, of course, but there are also a number of techniques using apples, kale, and mirrors.

Listen to a scary podcast

There are lots of podcasts that read classic ghost stories, talk about the history of Halloween or other spooky folklore, and, of course, true crime and ghost hunting podcasts.

Take a yard decorations tour

Some people drive around neighborhoods in December looking at holiday light displays. Halloween yard displays have become popular in recent years too!

Go on a hayride

If you head out to a pumpkin patch, you might find that they offer hayrides out to the patch. Some regions might also have haunted hayrides. If you want to hit two birds with one stone.

Make your own Halloween costume

If you can sew your own costume, that’s awesome! But for those who can’t, or don’t have the time, costumes can be pieced together with thrifted items or things you have at home.

Bob for apples

Bobbing for apples has been a Halloween tradition for countless centuries. Sometimes this is also tied in with divining one’s future spouse.

Eat Halloween candy

It’s Halloween! Go nuts!