How to have a Sober Halloween

How to have a sober Halloween – I love Halloween! It’s my birthday after all but it is also a day of indulgence where we get to eat lots of sweets if we want, hang out with the kids, it’s an excuse for a party or it might be the perfect opportunity to cosy up with good food, friends and watch scary movies!

However, I know that it can be a tricky time for us sober folk and you might not be sure about how you are going to have a spooky sober Halloween. It’s the first holiday of many to come, and we can feel overwhelmed at the thought of going out with friends and not drinking.

Halloween might be a big trigger for you, after all it’s the night when we get to be someone else and embrace our dark side. However, as with everything, it’s just one night and as always, we should be putting ourselves first and making sure our sobriety is a priority. That’s not to say we can’t have fun though!

So, just how can we have a spooky sober Halloween and a lot of fun at the same time?

Decide what you want, what you can handle and don’t feel pressurized to do anything but that. You sobriety is your priority – Halloween or not! Last year at Halloween I wrote about how to change your thinking from seeing alcohol as a treat to seeing it for the trickster it really is, if you’ve not seen it then you can read it here.

Start with chocolate!

Why should the kids get to eat all the sweets and treats? If overly bright jellies stuffed with so many artificials are not your thing, then go for some grown up deliciously wicked treats of your own.

Decorate

Go wild and decorate your house as spookily as you can. With the money saved by not drinking, you can push the boat out a little and create a spooky atmosphere in your own living room whether it’s for guests or just for you and your family to enjoy.

Host a Party

Host a party at your house. I haven’t had a Halloween party at my house since I was about eleven when someone got fake blood on the freshly decorated white walls but if you love hosting people and want your kids to have their friends round then having your own party means you are in charge of the drinks so you can be sure there are some gorgeous alcohol free drinks for the grownups.

Midnight Walk

If a spooky sober Halloween means you want to avoid parties, then why not go out for a scary midnight walk or visit a graveyard if you dare. This is great if you want to get away from all the hype and over excited children or you’re just not in the mood to be surrounded by too many people who are drinking.

Pumpkins

Carve pumpkins and make pumpkin soup with the flesh. Nothing says Halloween like pumpkin carving! We always have 2 or 3 little ones and it’s great fun helping the kids carve their own and seeing who can make the scariest face. Plus you get the added bonus of some lovely soup afterwards!

Biscuits

Make spooky biscuits. If you don’t fancy pumpkin carving or actually, hate pumpkin soup then there are loads of Halloween treats you can make at home. Get creative in the kitchen with your kids. My youngest wants to make a scary cake for me this year and if it all goes wrong then it doesn’t matter – it’s Halloween after all!

Movies

Binge watch your favourite scary films and TV Series. I personally want to watch all 3 series of Stranger Things, Then of course all the Harry Potter movies, plus the full Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel Box Sets I have and then Hocus Pocus……… You get the idea! I’m not going out this year and am looking forward to a scary movie fest at home.

Best Halloween Movies to Watch with the Kids:

• Hocus Pocus
• Harry Potter
• Monsters Inc
• Beetlejuice
• Goosebumps
• Casper
• Hotel Transylvania
• Ghostbusters
• Sleepy Hollow
• Death Becomes Her
• Little Shop of Horrors
• The Addams Family
• ParaNorman
• E.T
• The Witches of Eastwick

Kids

Go out with the kids. Children are what makes Halloween it’s so much fun to see them dressed up and hearing their squeals and laughter and their joy of watching their baskets get fuller and fuller as you go trick or treating. There might be organized Halloween parties or events, so find out what’s going on in your area and get involved.

Get Creative!

Get creative with your drinks, you can make some really fun and scary looking mocktails, try a gorgeous harry potter butter beer or my favourite, hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top. You can see some great ideas for delicious mocktails here.

Or, you might not be in the mood for Halloween at all. If that’s the case, then do something else entirely! It really is up to you and just because everyone else is out going crazy or hosting parties that doesn’t mean you have to. There are no rules, just do what feels right for you!

If you’re worried about what to do this year or if you’re feeling particularly triggered, then I would love for you to join me for a powerful one to one coaching session and get past your drinking triggers for good.

I’d love to hear what you’re up to this Halloween – let me know in the comments below!