As you get older, Halloween changes from a night of chasing candy to a night of partying. But many parties serve alcohol or other substances. How can you stay sober while still attending?

Why not simply throw your own?

Addiction recovery during the holidays doesn’t have to be a challenge. By throwing a sober Halloween party, you ensure the night is safe, fun, and spooky! Stick around, and we’ll tell you how to throw a ghoulish Halloween party in recovery.

1. Prepare Group Activities

It is a common perception among people in recovery that life won’t be fun anymore without substances. This couldn’t be further from the truth. While many parties will often place substances like alcohol as a centerpiece, that doesn’t mean that you have to.

By preparing sober group activities, you prove that being sober doesn’t mean you can’t be fun. Set up a spooky group scavenger hunt, or have a haunted house. Whatever you choose to do, guests will be happy to have an activity that doesn’t involve drinking. 

2. Show or Stream Scary Movies

One of the highlights of Halloween is the frights. Screening a scary movie for guests is a fantastic way to host the spooky spirit. Round up your favorite movies and have guests vote on which ones to watch. You could put them on outdoors for anyone to walk by and enjoy, or even show them in the comfort of your living room. Finish with festive snacks and non-alcoholic beverages or mocktails.

3. Watch Halloween-Themed Classics Too!

Not every guest is going to enjoy a horror flick. For some partygoers, an iconic, scary movie won’t be welcoming. One way to make the party more accessible is to screen less scary movies between the real frights. Follow up a frightful film like The Shining with a showing of The Addams Family. Whatever you choose to show at your sober Halloween party, the entertainment will be fun for all.

4. Have a Costume Contest

When you’re a kid, Halloween means that you get to put on a fun costume and dress up. Why not keep the fun going with an adult costume contest? Not every guest needs to enter, but it would be a great way for the people who put effort into their costumes to get some recognition. Not to mention, it’ll encourage everyone to dress up and become invested in the party atmosphere.

5. Make some Seasonal Autumn Snack Recipes

Autumn isn’t just the time of Halloween. It’s also a time to cook, bake, and brew with a lot of unique ingredients. Not only do pumpkin and other foods like apples, beets, and sweet potatoes come into season, it’s a fantastic time for delicious, cinnamon-spiced desserts. Pumpkin or apple muffins to share are always a crowd-pleaser. If you really want to go all in on the Halloween theme, decorate them to look like spiders, snakes, or bats.

6. Have Plenty of “Mocktails” and other Non-Alcoholic Drinks

These autumn snacks would go great with something to wash them down. Just because your sober Halloween party won’t offer alcohol or substances, doesn’t mean that you can't serve drinks at all. What better time to get creative than during Halloween? With plenty of juices to mix together, not to mention seasonal spices, you’ll definitely have some tasty drinks to get creative with.

If you can’t think of anything to serve, try out some of these seasonal autumn mocktail recipes!

7. Play Fun, Spooky Games

There’s no reason for your sober Halloween activities to be boringThere are many other avenues for fun. One great way to gather everyone together would be a horror-themed board game like Betrayal at House on the Hill. Play card games, or create a themed adventure of a table-top role-playing game like Dungeons and Dragons. When everyone is engaged and circled around the game, alcohol isn’t necessary.

8. Take Photos

The memories you make at your sober Halloween party will be ones you want to keep. Taking photos of the party will give you a record of those good times. Then, you can look at them later as a reminder of why you’re staying sober in the first place.

9. Carve Spooky Jack-o-Lanterns

Another fun, sober Halloween activity that can bring guests together is pumpkin carving. Ask guests to bring their own pumpkins. Seeing what zany and scary designs people come up with is a fantastic activity. Make sure to take a photo of everyone’s pumpkins glowing in the night.

10. Tell Creepy Ghost Stories

In the light of those glowing jack-o-lanterns, encourage guests to come up with their own frightful tales. Telling ghost stories is an activity that predates horror movies. Who knows what fun and freaky stories your guests will come up with? 

11. Plan a Ghoulish Surprise!

One real way to spice up the Halloween party might be to have a spooky prank of your own. For example, when everyone is telling ghost stories, you could have someone dressed as a real-life ghost show up to scare people! But if that sort of prank isn’t your style, then a surprise could be something as fun as pulling out a spooky-looking cake at the end. Whatever you do, the night is sure to be memorable. 

12. Pass out Halloween Candy

While alcohol at your sober Halloween party won’t be missed, guests may miss the joys of trick-or-treating. Why not let them come up to the door and engage in a bit of trick-or-treating themselves? Keep some candy there to pass out to local kids who come by, should you throw your party on Halloween night. Either way, you’ll spread joy to everyone.

13. Create a Sanctuary for Sober Attendees

Your party may not seem like much, but for people trying to stay sober during Halloween, it’ll be a sanctuary. Addiction recovery is not easy during holidays, especially when it’s such a popular night for alcohol. Announce your party on Facebook to let others know that you’re planning a bash. Or, if you want something a little more private, let your friends know separately. Either way, you’ll create a sober space to celebrate Halloween!

Celebrate Your Sobriety with Never Alone Recovery

Going out to a party on Halloween night can be dangerous for someone in recovery. But, it doesn’t have to be. By throwing your own Halloween bash, you can have a night to remember without risking your recovery.

If you’re struggling with being sober, there’s no shame. Never Alone Recovery can get you hooked up with a program to help. With drug rehab placement, we have access to the right programs for you. Follow us on social media to learn more about our free recovery support.