Halloween is nearly upon us! To celebrate the last 11 days of the countdown, Ozzie is counting down 13 nerdy ways YOU can spend this holiday if you're living in 'straya.
Stay at home with your fave scary movies
To be honest, nothing quite beats kicking back in your pajamas and watching Michael Myers stalk babysitters for the umpteenth time in a row. Even though it may be sunny, bright, and altogether un-Halloween-like outside (unless you're living in Melbourne) you can always just draw the curtains and pretend you're living on Elm Street for the night. We recommend starting with The Nightmare Before Christmas and working your way up to Trick 'r Treat.
Trick or treat... as your favourite character
Okay, hear me out. If you're reading this blog, you're probably too old to go trick or treating. There's always a solution to this if you've found yourself living with young children (siblings totally work too), or better yet if those young children still have bedtimes before 8 pm and wouldn't notice if a couple of treats went missing. The only way to make this experience more enjoyable for yourself is to throw cosplay into the mix. Halloween is all about getting to slip on a wig or a mask and transform into an entirely different person for one night, so why not transform into your favourite character? If you're going to find yourself on the other side of the door this year, that's fine, too. We have it on good authority that most children would love to call out "trick or treat!" and have Captain America answer the door.
Hit up a costume party (or throw one!)
If you haven't already been invited to a Halloween party this year, you totally have the wrong kind of friends. Costume parties are the perfect excuse to get together with your fellow nerds and do nerd stuff. If you've got the chops to try throwing your own party, you can't go wrong with a horror style mini-buffet, some themed drinks, and a best costume contest. Get your freak on: literally!
[Img source: Milwaukee365]
Get creative
If you're like us, then Halloween is a month (cough, year) long event full of pumpkin spice, crappy plastic Coles carving tools, and costume shops. There's really no better way to spend the most extra holiday in existence than by decking out your entire home. Go a little nuts with DIY projects, six foot tall animatronics, and a fog machine to turn your home into a proper haunt. Top it all off with a killer costume and you're set to have a uniquely haunting home for the holidays.
Throw a Murder Mystery
Costume parties aren't your scene but you still wanna try your hand at getting a little social? Fear not, fair introvert, for we have a solution that is pretty darn cool: a murder mystery party! Because what's cooler than a Holmes-esque mystery full of twists, turns, and betrayals that you can play with all of your friends? There are tonnes of companies that hire out hosts for these sorts of things, or there's always the option of creating your own from scratch!
Go on a local ghost tour
We guarantee that your city has one. If you can't fork over the cash for an official ghost tour, there's really nobody stopping you from checking out a list of your city's most haunted hot spots and taking a day trip there with your Ouija Board and EMF reader. You didn't hear it from us...
Go see a movie... or ten
Yeah, you could just stay inside and watch Netflix from the comfort of your own couch... but where's the fun in that? Most cinemas will hold either screenings for the latest blockbuster scare, or else some more traditional thrillers if they're feeling in the 'spirit'. (Get it? We'll walk ourselves out.) We suggest hitting up your most niche, hipster local cinema establishment and seeing if they're holding some sort of Rob Zombie or Hitchcock marathon. We're 99% sure that they are.
Stock up on NBX goodies
It's that time of the year where you definitely need to start watching The Nightmare Before Christmas every single day of the week, or else, what are you even doing with your life? Stocking up on some collectable paraphernalia is a fantastic way to tell the rest of the world what a Jack Skellington obsessed nut you are. Are you a big fan? Tell us how big in the comments!
[Img source: Ozzie Collectables]
Settle in with a spooky novel
Anne Rice, Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft and Mary Shelley are our picks if you're in the mood for a classic scare. For something more modern, try the latest release by pop culture horror author Grad Hendrix, 'We Sold Our Souls'.
Try your hand at writing something
Tired of other people trying to scare you with their words? Write something scary yourself! With #NaNoWriMo coming up, Halloween is the best time to brush up on your wordsmith skills, and what better way to practise than with a gruesome short story? Let us know what you're writing about in the comments below!
[Img source: NitWitty Magazine]
Stream your fave TV shows' Halloween specials
Let's be real: you're more likely to stay inside this Halloween if you can help it. Streaming services such as Netflix make life a thousand times easier, and we'd totally rather binge-watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine than leave our houses, too. Check out the Funko blog's list of various TV shows' Halloween specials for a fool proof viewing guide.
Head to your local Halloween festival
Does your city have one? Probably. Google it. There are tonnes of free festivals, spooky events, and pop-up haunts no matter where you are. Our pick for this year's itinerary has got to be Melbourne's Luna Dark. Where are you headed to?
Kick back with some good ol' YouTube
Last, but certainly not least, is everybody's best friend: YouTube. Catch up on some scary storytimes, marathon a DIY playlist, or settle in with the lights turned low and watch someone else get freaked out by that horror game you're too scared to play by yourself. The possibilities really are endless.
How are you spending Halloween this year? Leave us a comment below, because every week we're choosing one lucky commenter to win a bonus 100 Ozzie Coins. Remember to include the full name on your Ozzie account to have a valid place in the draw. Good luck!
Happy haunting, collectors!