For those who are easily frightened, Halloween can be a spooky time, indeed.

Story by Kaiti Neuman

While all your friends are going to haunted houses or watching scary movies, you might be determined to avoid any and all things that could give nightmares for at least the next week.

ORANGE Magazine has a list of activities to help you avoid unnecessary adrenaline rushes when you turn out the lights at night. Hopefully, these non-spooky activities will still help you celebrate the fall spirit.  

Marathon Disney Channel Original Movies 

Was there any Halloween storyline Disney couldn’t pull off? Memorable movies include “Twitches,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Mom’s Got a Date With a Vampire,” and of course “Halloweentown” and its sequels. Not only are these movies entertainment at its finest, but since they were made for a younger audience, the scare level is nice and low.

Watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”

A tradition in many families, the gentle humor and sounds of this lighthearted classic is the perfect reason to cuddle up on the couch with a soft blanket and warm mug of tea, coffee, cider or whatever hot drink you’re into.

Carve a Pumpkin

Carving a pumpkin can be an opportunity for some solid bonding time with friends as you argue over who has to scoop the guts out or make it into a contest to see who can pull off the craziest design. If playing with a vegetable isn’t really your thing, don’t forget that there are other crafty options for the spooky season, especially on sites like Pinterest. There are also plenty of instructions for making ghosts, cats, spiders and other Halloween-inspired crafts.

Hit Up a Pumpkin Patch

If you like doing things with plenty of photo ops, here is the fall activity for you. Not only do you get to hang out with pals and pick out the perfect pumpkin to carve or bake with later, but you can also take plenty of pictures to put on Facebook for your mom’s friends to comment on, giving your self-esteem a little boost in the process.

Visit the Texas Renaissance Festival 

While this one isn’t exactly in the spirit of  “Halloween,” it happens in October and you get to dress up and eat delicious food! Texas Renaissance Festival is a yearly event and this year, it will take place from Oct. 7 through Nov. 28. That means if you couldn’t make it because you and your pals were studying for midterms, you’ve got some extra time.

Attend the Día de los Muertos Festival

Día de los Muertos is a popular Mexican holiday that has historical importance in Texas as well. It’s centered around a Mexican tradition of honoring loved ones who have passed away. The festival, officially named “Viva la Vida” here in Austin, will be hosted by the Mexic-Arte Museum for the 34th time. Complete with interactive art activities, artist demos, live music, a parade and traditional foods, this event is a perfect opportunity to have fun and learn more about this important part of traditional Mexican culture.

Tim Burton Movies

Tim Burton has mastered the art of dark children’s movies. Any of them could be considered appropriate for Halloween. While some can find Burton’s style a bit too dark for their taste, if you can handle the creepy aspect, Jack Skellington is more than ready to welcome you to Halloween Town.

DIY a costume and party with fellow low-key celebrators

Nothing beats getting together and completely ignoring the scary aspects of this time of the year. There are more than plenty of options for costumes that are cute or quirky and thousands of makeup tutorials just waiting to be watched. Once you’ve got your costume together, you can gather your pals for a chill night in.

Here’s to those who just want to have an old-fashioned good time. Happy Halloween, y’all!