You can ask anyone in the Midwest or on the East Coast about their biggest complaint of Halloween, and they’ll likely give you the same answer: the cold. One slip up like picking the wrong Halloween costume for yourself or your kiddos, wearing improper shoes, or skipping the jacket can cut Halloween plans short. Better to be prepared than sorry!

If you’re tired of being cold each Halloween or perhaps you’re experiencing your first inclement holiday this year, you’re in luck. We have some tips from warm costumes to essentials so you can have a perfectly spooky Halloween!

A Brief History of Halloween & Trick-or-Treating

Just like the holiday itself, there is a fair amount of mysticism and mystery surrounding the origins of Halloween—specifically, the tradition of trick-or-treating. One commonly held belief is that Halloween stems from the Celtic celebration, Samhain, as well as the 17th Century British holiday, Guy Fawkes Night.

2,000 years ago, in the UK, it was a custom to light bonfires on the night of October 31st and pay homage to the dead. Celts would dress up in animal skins to “drive away phantom visitors” and there was often a table set with a banquet of food. Later, this tradition evolved into dressing up as ghosts and ghouls in exchange for food and drink in a custom known as “mumming”.

Modern trick-or-treating also shares ties with a British tradition, Guy Fawkes Night, in which children bearing effigies of Guy Fawkes roamed the streets asking for “a penny for Guy”. While this tradition seems to have the most relevance with trick-or-treating, Guy Fawkes Night was celebrated on November 5th, not October 31st as we know it today.

The custom of “guising” and “mumming” became popularized in America thanks to Scottish and Irish immigrants in the 1800s. Then, around the time of WWII, sugar rations temporarily put trick-or-treating on pause until the post-war baby boom and the development of US suburbs revived its popularity once again.

Halloween Costumes for Cold Weather Trick-or-Treating

While modern trick-or-treaters might not have warm animal pelts to wear on Halloween night like the ancient Celts, you can still get creative and come up with some clever cold weather costumes so you and your family or friends can look original and stay warm on the big night.

Viking Costume

Vikings, or Norsemen, were Scandinavian seafarers who raided coastal sites and monasteries along the British Isles between 800 and the 11th Century. Many modern depictions of vikings are up for interpretation because these early warriors didn’t have a written language! This has led to depictions in popular culture of vikings wearing furs, leathers, boots, helmets, and other iconic garb.

All of these elements and materials easily translate into warm costumes for Halloween. Just make sure to add some black eye paint, a braided hairpiece or beard, and a sunstone and you’ll have a warm, historically accurate costume you can wear solo or with a group of friends or your family.

Vampire Costume

Vikings may have been figures from history, but vampires are a thing of fantasy and much more open to creative interpretation. You may be familiar with the classic vampire: a black cape, a velvet vest, black pants or a victorian-style dress, if you prefer. Now all you need are the iconic teeth, and you have a classic (and warm) Halloween costume.

Pro Tip: A vampire costume will allow you to dress in robust layers. Pair your pants and cape with a heated base layer and you absolutely will not get cold no matter where or when your Halloween event is.

Your Favorite Fictional Character

You might have to pick which of your favorite fictional characters wears the warmest clothing—think Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia, Khaleesi—but there’s a myriad of classic and cult-favorite fictional characters to choose from!

Looking for something a little more niche? Try Margot Tenenbaum’s fur coat from The Royal Tenenbaums, The Dude’s cardigan from The Big Lebowski, or Jules’ suit from Pulp Fiction. Looking for a warm Halloween costume you can wear as a family? Dress up as military pilots from the popular movie Top Gun, a family of supers like The Incredibles, or The Ghostbusters.

The nice thing about dressing up as a classic fictional character—besides being able to make your own Halloween costume for cold weather—is that you probably already own some of the items you’ll need for your costume! And again, all of these options easily pair with a heated base layer so you can stay warm trick-or-treating or at an outdoor event.

A Festive Onesie

If you need a last minute option and you still want to stay warm at your Halloween event, most major retailers sell festive onesies made of warm material, like fleece or flannel, that will keep you warm and looking festive. Try a onesie with a Halloween pattern on it or pick an option like a bat, skelton, or a monster.

Unpredictable fall weather can turn a night of fun into a short-lived chilly afternoon. Heated socks and beanies are great options to add to your outfit in order to maintain your heat all night long. Vests, base layers, and glove liners are also excellent ways to wear your heated clothing in layers.

Staying Warm at Halloween Parties & Events

Halloween parties can be some of the most fun events of the year! Drinks, snacks, music, and more make up the perfect party. However, some of them can get a bit crowded. If you’re planning on going to an indoor party this year, a warm Halloween costume may not even be necessary! But for those venturing to a corn maze, pumpkin patch, or haunted house, it’s a wise idea to bundle up so you can enjoy the festivities as long as you like.

Bring a pair of heated gloves or a heated beanie to stay warm on a hayride and wear study and warm shoes so you can easily navigate a corn maze or haunted house. With industry-leading battery-powered heated clothing and accessories from Gobi Heat, you and your family are guaranteed to be toasty all night long.

Your Complete Halloween Checklist

With fall temperatures around the United States fluctuating so frequently, it’s important to remember the items you should bring on your night out. While it is fun to look festive and have your costume be the star of the show, if you’re cold and uncomfortable the entire time, your night could get ruined! Beat the cold and don’t let your night go south with this list of items and, of course, a warm costume for Halloween.

• Your costume (of course!)
• A bag or bucket for candy
• Warm base layers for underneath your costume or outfit
• Water
• Comfortable shoes
• A flashlight
• A camera
• A quality jacket (we recommend heated ones!)
• Cell phone fully charged
• Travel-sized first aid kit
• House keys/codes/etc.
• Any IDs and/or forms of payment
• Gloves, hats, and warm socks

Keeping holidays and traditions fun and memorable is one of the best things we can do! Prepare now with candy, costumes, and clothing, and have an amazing Halloween. Getting a heated camping chair, heated socks, or other articles of heated clothing can elevate your night from good to amazing (while looking great doing it!). For all things chilly, Gobi Heat is here to help you find your perfect battery-powered match to keep you cozy for Halloween and all throughout fall and winter.