Candy is cool, costumes are awesome, but the best part of Halloween? The little traditions that make the holiday feel magical year after year. Whether it’s carving pumpkins, making spooky snacks, or knocking on the same neighbor’s door every October 31st, these traditions become the stuff kids remember long after the candy wrappers are gone.
Here are some frightfully fun traditions you can start with your family this year.
Boo Your Neighbors
Fill a small bag with candy or treats, leave it on a neighbor’s doorstep, ring the bell, and run! Don’t forget to include a little note that says, “You’ve been BOOed!” Families usually pass it on, creating a chain of spooky surprises throughout the neighborhood.
Spooky Movie Marathon
Every Halloween night (or weekend), pick a family-friendly spooky movie to watch together. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a classic, but you can rotate in Hocus Pocus, Casper, or Hotel Transylvania. Make popcorn, grab blankets, and boom—you’ve got a tradition worth keeping.
Annual Pumpkin Contest
Instead of just carving pumpkins, make it a family contest! Everyone gets their own pumpkin and a theme—scariest, silliest, most creative. Neighbors or friends can vote, and the winner gets a goofy prize (like a plastic crown or extra candy).
Spooky Dinner Night
Serve up a Halloween-themed dinner before trick-or-treating. Think “mummy hot dogs” (wrapped in crescent rolls), “witches’ brew” punch, or monster-faced pizzas. It’s fun, filling, and gives kids fuel before they race door-to-door for candy.
Costume Photo Tradition
Pick one spot in or outside your house and snap a photo of your kids in costume there every year. It’s fun to see the evolution—from the toddler pumpkin to the tween vampire to the too-cool teen! Put the photos together in a Halloween album you can flip through every October.
Storytime by Candlelight
After trick-or-treating, gather together and tell a spooky (but not-too-scary) story by flashlight or candlelight. Rotate storytellers each year—parents one time, kids the next. Bonus points for sound effects and costumes while you read.
Traditions are the heartbeat of holidays—they turn one night of candy and costumes into memories your family will cherish forever. Start one (or a few!) of these simple Halloween traditions this year, and before you know it, they’ll be the moments your kids look forward to the most.
