Want to throw a sober Halloween party?

 

It may seem like adult Halloween celebrations are all centered around booze, but Halloween is actually the perfect time to throw a great substance-free party because there are so many fun ideas you can do. With all the great food, punch, themes and activity ideas for Halloween, you can have an awesome Halloween party without jeopardizing your sobriety. Just make sure you plan and invite guests strategically so the focus stays on the event and not the lack of substances.

 

 

Fun Factor – Themes and Activities that Thrill

Your goal is to make sure you and your guests have an amazing time without centering the night around drinking. This is easy to do by picking a theme or activities where everyone has a blast. Go with the classics like bobbing for apples and costume contests, or spice these up a bit by getting a little creative and swapping apples for something a little creepier, like these DIY eyeballs. You can also center the party around a spooky theme like a murder mystery party. With a murder mystery party you can incorporate invitations, costumes, and the entire evening around this one theme. Or theme your party around movies or TV shows that are hot right now like Game of Thrones or Star Wars, or pick a favorite horror movie. You can keep the movie running and encourage everyone to come dressed as their favorite character. The important thing is to focus on something you and your friends all enjoy.

 

 

Setting the Scene

If you go with a theme, decorations will be centered around that, but there are limitless ideas for setting a spooky scene without a theme. Go gothic with a black raven wreath and an old timey portrait over the mantle lit by candles. Or make your house feel a little creepy crawly with spider web, plastic spiders, and bats. However you choose to decorate, there’s no need to break the bank. Many decorations can be made easily with inexpensive materials. Simple swaps like low light and colored bulbs instead of your regular light bulbs go a long way on a dime.

 

 

Freaky Food and Drinks

Halloween is the perfect time to entertain your guests with food that’s as fun as it is yummy. Check out Delish for creepy desserts and appetizers like poison apples and mummy brie. When it comes to drinks, try to avoid serving alcohol substitutes like non-alcoholic beer. Instead, have fun and get creative by serving the perfect non-alcoholic punch. Doing so celebrates your sobriety because you’re putting the focus on something everyone will enjoy rather than on what’s missing. If you aren’t into punch, you can make a really easy pumpkin bowl, like this one featured on Today, to hold soda.

 

 

Awesome Invitations

The fun begins with an invitation, so once you’ve decided on a theme and activities, pick a great digital invitation that sets the tone. Check out Evite or Red Stamp for some seriously spooky options. When creating a guest list, only invite friends who are completely supportive of your recovery so you don’t run into trouble with enablers from your past. Having a fun Halloween party without substances will only work if all of your guests are on board.

 

 

Holidays can be tricky when you’re in recovery from addiction, especially when it may seem like everywhere you look Halloween parties are centered around booze. But Halloween is all about fanciful fun, so the possibilities are endless. And when you pick a theme or activity you like, you’ll probably find this is an opportunity to be creative and truly have a good time, which you may not have done if the party wasn’t substance-free.

 

Guest post by Jackie Cortez. Photo credit: Pixabay