What do you commonly associate the beloved October holiday, Halloween, with? Students may picture the sweet taste of candy corn, visualize streets lined with children’s flamboyant costumes or envision the shimmering fire behind each jack-o’-lantern. Halloween is certainly a fun-filled day for the children, but where does this leave the average Gunn teenager that has outgrown trick-or-treating but still wants to unleash their inner spooky spirit? Here are a few suggestions: 

1. Watch spooky Halloween-themed movies 

Nothing beats the comfort of staying home on an October night to take a break from the sometimes overwhelming life outside. While you may not be parading around the streets in a bulky costume, there is still Halloween spirit indoors! The spooky feeling in the air on Oct. 31makes it the perfect night to watch a horror movie. If you seek a good scare, go for the classics: Scream (1996) and Halloween (1978). That will have you on the edge of your seat…or hiding under the blanket. If horror isn’t what you like, Ghostbusters (1984) and Halloweentown (1998) are both fantasy films that are equally as entertaining. So, grab a blanket, make some popcorn and prepare to become lost in another world for an hour or two!

2. Eat Halloween and fall-themed snacks

Like most holidays, Halloween comes equipped with its own yummy themed snacks that fortunately, don’t have an age limit! If you’re feeling crafty and creative, try out some Halloween-themed recipes, many of which can be  found online. A few personal favorites of mine are the Witch’s Broomstick and Halloween Veggie Tray: they’re both incredibly fun to make and both contain vegetables (to stay healthy after eating all of that candy)! If you don’t feel like cooking, buy pre-made candy apples or pumpkin pie from any store. In a matter of bites, you’ll surely be in the fall spirit! 

3. Attend local Halloween-centered events 

Who said trick-or-treating was the only fun activity available on Halloween? No one! There are countless of local events in the Bay Area that may intrigue you. Mountain View will have pumpkin painting and carving at their Annual Shoreline Pumpkin Splash, starting on Oct. 13. For a scarier time, visit the Fear Overload Scream Park in San Leandro if you dare.Voted as the best haunted house in the Bay Area, you must be at least 15 years old to walk through dark corridors where monsters and demons lurk just around the corner. 

4. Buy a lot of Halloween candy 

A highlight of Halloween is the mountains of candy that you see piled up in every store! Why not take advantage of these bags of assorted candy, especially when it’s likely on sale? Binge-eating these sweets may not be the healthiest choice for a snack, but dentists everywhere will excuse it this one time, all in the name of Halloween. If you’d rather not eat it all, save some for the children that’ll knock on your door as they trick-or-treat. You may have outgrown the beloved tradition, but you can still make the holiday memorable for others!