Spooky season is my favorite time of the year. The weather gets crisp. The leaves change colors. Scary movies are back on Netflix. Pumpkin patches are in full swing. Apple cider is in the fridge waiting to be paired with a pumpkin spice donut. Starbucks is showcasing its fall cold foam. All is well.

One thing that can be the most fun and most troublesome is choosing a Halloween costume. A great way to find Halloween costume inspiration is on Tik Tok or Pinterest. Simply pick a few pieces from your closet that can be used in a potential costume and try to search for some inspo. You can choose your favorite TV character, favorite actress, you can dress up with a group of friends- there is really no limit to how creative you can be with Halloween costumes. The fun of Halloween is showcasing your creativity and favorite costumes. 

Have some friends over for a mini Halloween get-together. You can host a spooky movie night where everyone brings a Halloween-themed snack. There are plenty of ideas on Pinterest, Tik Tok and Instagram. You can make mummy cookies, which are Oreos dipped in melted white chocolate and paired with candy eyeballs. You can make Shirley temples, which can use a syringe for the grenadine to follow along with the spooky theme. You can also make super cute and yummy ghost strawberries by using the same melted white chocolate and candy eyes. Target has super cheap caramel apple-making kits. In one of my previous columns, I suggested going to an apple orchard. You can use the apples from here to make caramel apples and make them super cute with sprinkles, nuts and even the candy eyeballs. 

Another fun way to prep for the spooking season is by decorating your apartment or house with fall and Halloween decor. Dollar Tree has amazing choices for decorations that are not only cute but also affordable. A super cute DIY decoration I made was a paper ghost garland that I saw on Pinterest. You take old book pages (I used a book I thrifted from Goodwill) and trace ghosts, cut them out, draw faces on, punch the top and string the ghosts on your favorite ribbon or my personal favorite: twine. This can be used in any room of the house, and it took me a total of 15 minutes to make and probably around $3 in total. Another way to get new Halloween decorations, and to save money, is to raid your parents’ attic or basement for old Halloween decorations.

My last tip for getting into the spirit of “spooky season” is to grab your roommates and challenge them to a pumpkin carving contest. Go pick out your favorite pumpkin at the pumpkin patch and carve them. You can use the pumpkins to decorate your apartment or house. You can create a super cute display on your balcony or entryway. Post Family Farm in Hudsonville, Michigan right near Grand Valley State University’s campus has affordable pumpkins and hay bales to elevate the Halloween look. 

In conclusion, with everything I have listed, enjoy the leaves changing. You know in Michigan we only get fall for so long before winter rolls in. If Halloween isn’t your thing, there are only ten more Mondays until Christmas, and I surely will write a holiday season to-do list then.