How to celebrate Halloween at home in 2020

Halloween is my favorite holiday – and this year, Halloween has the potential to be EPIC. Not only is it on a Saturday (which means a whole weekend of fun), but there’s also a full moon! Unfortunately, hosting a party or even trick or treating is pretty much out of the question this year. But that doesn’t mean Halloween is cancelled! You can still have a killer time at home – and here’s a roundup of the best ways to celebrate Halloween at home in 2020.

Listen to themed music to get you in the spirit

The first thing you need to do is get into the spirit with some good tunes (see what I did there… so punny). Thriller, Monster Mash, and Ghosts n’ Stuff are some of my classic favorites. But for something a little more subtle, check out the bad ass ultimate Halloween playlist from Spotify. It has an epic indie / rock vibe – think Black Magic Woman by Fleetwood Mac, Dragula by Rob Zombie, and Somebody’s Watching Me (yes, the classic 80’s tune). In fact, I mightttt be listening to it as I write this post. 🙂

Decorate the house

The easiest way to be festive is to decorate. I’m not the biggest fan of the Halloween tree craze, so I prefer my decorations to be classic. Halloween isn’t technically celebrated in the Netherlands, so we don’t have access to all of the super cute pumpkin-themed decor that’s available in the States. But, I was really inspired by how My Style Vita decorated with stick on bats (see some you can purchase in NL below). I’m going to be living vicariously through you, so tag me on Instagram to let me know how you end up decorating! Here are a few of my personal favorite Halloween decorations.

My Etsy & AMAZON favorites

70’s horror garland, $14

Ouija cheese board, $18

Mini cauldron candle, on sale for $16

Black flame candle mat, $55

Decorative 3D bats, on sale for $12 (link for EU)

MY POTTERY BARN & WALMART FAVORITES

Get crafty

It’s kind of nerdy how much I love craft projects. I’m pretty sure it’s because I was homeschooled when I was an actress and had a LOT of time to myself. 🙂 It always comes out the most during holidays, and Halloween is no exception! I love this tutorial on making pumpkins from old socks, and this tutorial on how to carve chic astrology-themed pumpkins. Check out my Halloween Pinterest board for more craft ideas!

Dress up in a creative (comfortable) costume

Just because you can’t go out to a party, doesn’t mean you can’t dress up. The best part about staying at home is that you don’t have to worry about impressing anyone, so it’s the perfect opportunity to be creative and stay comfortable! My favorite way to dress up for Halloween (and the easiest) is actually to do cool makeup.

One year I was a pop art / comic book character, and there are also some simple sugar skull tutorials. Combine that makeup with bad ass jewelry and a cozy outfit (see some ideas below) for the perfect way to celebrate Halloween at home. Or pair it with your favorite fall fashion trend if you’re feeling extra chic. And if you are planning on going out, make sure to get a face mask that coordinates with your costume or has a cute Halloween theme, like this one.

Curl up with a good Halloween-themed book

For me fall is all about being cozy, and there’s nothing cozier than curling up with a good book. One of my husband’s favorite authors is Ray Bradbury. His style is very nostalgic and perfect for fall, and he’s written a ton of cool Halloween-esque books like The Halloween Tree (kid-friendly, US link / EU link), October Country (US link / EU link), and Something Wicked This Way Comes (US link / EU link, and I just got this epic edition from my favorite indie press). Some other classics (if you want something scary) are Frankenstein, Dracula, The Haunting of Hill House (US link / EU link), and The Shining.

Cook some delicious pumpkin themed recipes

This one is a no-brainer if you’re looking for how to celebrate Halloween at home. I love pumpkin flavored anything (who doesn’t). I will definitely be making my grandma’s famous pumpkin cream cheese bars (similar recipe here, just turn it upside down and add cream cheese frosting) and I want to try these pumpkin snickerdoodles. But if pumpkin isn’t your thing, I’m also really into the Halloween-themed charcuterie boards I’ve been pinning lately, like the one below. And if you can safely host a couple of friends or family, this spiked cider recipe is great for entertaining.

Watch a classic Halloween movie

One of my favorite October activities is watching cozy Halloween movies. And hands down my favorite Halloween movie is Hocus Pocus! It’s available on the Disney+ app, along with Halloweentown. My other favorite (which I also like to watch around the holidays) is The Nightmare Before Christmas. And lastly you can’t go wrong with It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – such a classic. If you’re okay with something a little scary, The Shining and the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise are also perfect Halloween movies.

I hope you all have a killer Halloween – have fun, and be safe this year. Remember to tag me on Instagram to show me how you’re celebrating in 2020!

Outfit details

Wearing Soludos striped espadrilles in the featured photo.

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