How to Get Ready for Halloween in 10 Easy Steps

Step 1) Find friends who are as excited as you are (or just encourage friends to partake if you cannot find anyone who can match your enthusiasm). Once you have a crowd, and depending on the size, assign each person a character of a TV show that you all like or at least know a little about.

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Potential Ideas: Gossip Girl, The Office, Narnia, Harry Potter, Grease
If you and a friend want to do your own thing, think of pairs of pals from your favorite shows and movies: Patrick and SpongeBob, Bonnie and Clyde, and even pairs from movies and shows.
Doing your own thing is so fun, too, so don't be afraid to pick your favorite character and go for it solo style!

Step 2) Visit online stores or flip through magazines for costume ideas, but don’t purchase, unless there is something specific that is needed. Otherwise, use these images as a reference and collect old shirts or pieces stuffed in the back of the closet that don’t have much use anymore.

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Reasons for this: you save money, and it can be fun and rewarding to create your own costume (unless things go south — if that happens, push comes to shove, maybe visit Amazon again — no shame).
Don’t be afraid to use a little ~face~ paint; you can often get away with a less extravagant costume by being a little adventurous with face paint (make sure it is the kind for your face, though) and accessories.
Find a prop that works with your outfit. Can you incorporate a hat? Or a fanny pack? Or some jewelry?

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You could truly wear all black with this face paint and still look like you put in some solid effort!

Step 3) Buy lots of candy and candy corn (but also invest in some healthier snacks).

Step 4) Make a spooky Halloween playlist, and have a camera handy!

Step 5) Go to a pumpkin patch to find an assortment of pumpkin sizes. Carve pumpkins while snacking on sweet things, but save the pumpkin seeds. Amid the cleaning-up, wash the pumpkin seeds and leave them out to roast in the sun for a day or two. Sprinkle salt on some, sugar on others, and mix them together by filling bags and shaking. This can be a nice addition to the healthier snacks pile.

Step 6) Find a large bucket, fill it with water, throw apples in, and bob for them. Wear flannels and embrace all things fall!

Step 7) Decorate the house (or dorm room) for the holiday. Start with the pumpkins, and then find cotton spider webs to attach to the walls, ceiling, or side of the house. Next, make streamers for the door out of paper or plastic strands. A supermarket nearby likely has candles and lanterns for lining driveways, along with a hand that can appear to be coming out of the ground.

Unclear if this would be in violation of Fire Safety...

Step 8) Tell scary stories and watch a scary movie. I'd recommend the Halloween series, Hocus Pocus, and Ghost Busters as good places to start.

Step 9) Remind everyone about the history of Halloween: a Celtic holiday to celebrate the end of summer and harvest and the beginning of cold and dark winter days, often associated with death, but originally meant to honor the saints.

Step 10) Enjoy the start of the holiday season! Once Halloween hits, the holidays really start rolling in so prepare yourself for lots of festive fall food and fun!