A Basic (Yet Necessary) October Bucket List

There's something about the start of October - actually, a lot of things - that instills a childlike excitement in me. Growing up, October 1st was the day that broke up the post-summer dullness and suddenly gave me several things to look forward to: a full month to celebrate Halloween (movies, parties, costumes, decorations and spooky treats included); a change in the weather (a blessing to us Floridians, who eagerly cling to any excuse to break out our sweaters and boots); delicious seasonal comfort foods, like butternut squash soup and pumpkin bread; and all the #basic fall festivities, followed by two more months of holidays to celebrate. It might be 90 degrees outside, but for me, it's still the start of fall - and you better believe I'm channeling my inner North Easterner by participating in all of the autumn and Halloween-themed activities a South Florida girl waits all year for.

Here's my October/Fall Bucket List (join me, will ya?): 

1. Go to a Pumpkin Patch (and don't leave without a cheesy photo and a pumpkin of your own).

2. Carve aforementioned pumpkin (save the seeds!) and set it by your door as a piece of decor.

3. Those seeds? Rinse 'em, season 'em, roast 'em, eat 'em.

4. Get lost in a corn maze.

5. Go for a horseback hayride (but do your research and make sure those horses are being treated fairly!).

6. Have a scary movie marathon (I'll be sharing a list of my favorites soon, but in the meantime, you can find some fun options in this list). 

7. Create your own Halloween playlist to play outside your front door for Trick-or-Treaters.

8. Master a go-to fall cocktail and recipe. On that note ...

9. Go apple picking (or bobbing for apples), then use the apples in a recipe.

10. Host a Halloween party (bonus points if it's a Murder Mystery Party), complete with a candy bar, decor, costumes and themed treats.

11. Pick fallen leaves and use them as fall decor.

12. Visit a Haunted House (my favorite way to do this: go to Universal's Halloween Horror Nights).

13. Walk around a local neighborhood where the homes are decked out in Halloween lights and decorations.

14. Create a costume utilizing only clothing and items you already have in your closet/home.

15. Spend an entire day eating and drinking at Epcot during Disney's Food & Wine Festival.

16. Return to your Alma Mater for a tailgate + football game (#GoKnights!).

17. Channel your inner child and take a kiddo Trick-or-Treating (a kiddo you know and whose parents gave you permission, obviously). 

18. Help host a Halloween event at a local hospital, nursing home or shelter.