Your ghoulishly fun guide to enjoying the Halloween season. Click any date to see more.
It’s officially the first day of the Halloween season. So waste no time and get to your decorating! More than likely you’ve been collecting unique Halloween props year after year. Now is the time to put them out and show them off to your friends, family and neighbors. I know…I know. Pulling stuff out of your dirty garage can be a pain in the butt. But just think about it. One day of manual labor for a month long of enjoyment isn’t a bad deal at all. Once your living space is decorated for Halloween you’ll have the perfect base camp to watch all those scary movies, read spooky stories, and host a ghastly Halloween party.
If you need some motivation to get off the couch and decorate for Halloween why not invite some friends over to help you? You can bribe them with a case of pumpkin beer! Most stores stock up on pumpkin flavored beer towards the end of September so you can surely find some suds for your friends to enjoy while they are putting up gravestones in your yard.
From The Archives
More stories on Halloween decorations straight from our archives.- How To Build Halloween Tombstones
- How To Build flickering LED Candles
- How To Build Graveyard LED Spotlights
- Proof The Laser Vortex Exists!
- Making Halloween Mason Jars
- How To Make Spooky Glowing Eyes
- Create A Killer Yard Haunt
- September Is Prop Building Time
- Buy Some Haunted Portraits
On those cool Autumn evenings just before Halloween there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting on a cozy chair in front of a fireplace and reading spooky stories. It’s the perfect way to get into the Halloween mood. There are so many books and stories you could read, but I suggest you don’t rush through them. It’s better to pick a couple your most interested in and really take your time to read them slowly. That way you get a chance to get fully immersed in the elements of the stories your reading. That will also allow your imagination to conjure up images of witches, ghosts and magic that are written into the pages. So, grab a book, curl up with a warm blanket, sip your hot chocolate and dive in to a frightfully macabre story.
Recommended Reading
In order from top left: Dracula (Bram Stoker); Salem’s Lot (Stephen King); The Halloween Tree (Ray Bradbury); The Raven and other Poems (Edgar Allen Poe); The Graveyard Book (Neil Gaiman); The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Washington Irving); Haunted House (Jan Pienkowski); Making A Monsterous Halloween (Chris Kullstroem); Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark (Alvin Schwartz); Something Wicked This Way Comes (Ray Bradbury); Room on the Broom (Julia Donaldson)
If that’s not enough for you, here is another big list of excellent books to get you into the Halloween mood: GoodReads.com Best Books For Halloween List
From The Archives
More recommended reading or book reviews straight from our archives.- Monsterland – Book Review
- The Best Worst Halloween Ever
- Putting Gothic Back In Fairy Tales
- The Monster Ring – Book Review
- Scariest Illustrations Ever
- Halloween Poem To Get You In The Mood
- A Literary or Cinematic World War Z
- Creepiest Twins Of Them All
- Summer Reading “The Dunwich Horror”
- Gris Grimly Secret Book ‘Acrum Secretum’
- Book Review: Massacred By Mother Nature
- Mad Magazine’s Horror Roundup
- Carols For The Horror Fans
- Are You Afraid Of Haunted Dolls?
- Legends Of The Quija Board
- Favorite Ghost – Madame Leota
- Gator Car
- Worst Halloween Costumes
- These Tricks are for Kids
- Time For A Haircut Dusty
- Bizarre Behaviors: Horsemaning The New Fad
- Step Right Up…Carnivals And Freak Shows
- The Meanest Parents Of All
- Scary Haunted Houses
- Beware Of The Black Eyed Children
- Can Children See Ghosts?
- Beware of the Devil Baby
- Coffee Shop Magic
- Finding A Creepy Crawl Space
Halloween is becoming more and more popular which is great because now there are tons of really cool Halloween events to participate in. If your unorganized, you’ll miss out on all the fun so spend today looking through websites for local Halloween events. You should be able to find horror movie festivals, zombie walks, pumpkin patches, and haunted houses that you can attend. Once you’ve written down all the events that sound interesting, make a bucket list of events for the whole month. I like to attend 1-2 new events each year just to change things up.
Major theme parks and zoos are even getting in on the Halloween celebrating. Sometimes it’s fun to go to these events with big groups of people that are easily scared. Theme parks celebrating Halloween get very crowded towards October 31st so sometimes it’s better to plan to attend earlier in the month so you can really enjoy it.
If you have time and the money to travel you might want to turn your vacation into a Halloween/Horror event itself. Like taking a trip to Salem, Massachusetts to see where the witch trials took place. Or traveling all the way to Romania to see the castle of Vladimir the Impaler. In any case by having a bucket list of activities will help you to maximize the fun of the Halloween season.
From The Archives
More articles on Halloween events straight from our archives.
- Orange County Hearse Procession
- Zombies Infest Downtown Long Beach
- My 2011 Halloween Events Wishlist
- One Pumpkin Patch To Rule Them All
More articles on festivals straight from our archives.
More articles on theme parks straight from our archives.
- Disney’s Halloween Time Is Back!
- Walkers have Taken Over Universal Studios
- Room For One More at Disney’s Haunted Mansion
More articles on travel straight from our archives.
More articles on Horror conventions straight from our archives.
- Highlights From Monsterpalooza 2016
- Son Of Monsterpalooza Convention 2013
- Monsterpalooza 2012 Part I
- Monsterpalooza 2012 – Part Deux
- Horror News From Comic Con – 2011 (part 1)
- Horror News From Comic Con – 2011 (part 2)
- Horror News From Comic Con – 2011 (part 3)
- Fangoria Convention 2009
- Post Comic Con Wrap Up!
There are lots of shops that put out fantastic Halloween merchandise each year. Going Halloween shopping will not only get you into the spirit of the season, but can also give you great ideas for decorating. Make it a holiday tradition to visit the shops early in the month and scope out the goods. Look for things you might need like flicker candles, skulls, or bats. Lots of stores also have pumpkins, fall leaves and Autumn lanterns. Of course while you’re out there look for ideas for your Halloween costume. Below is a list of our favorite stores to visit for Halloween goods.
Stores With Halloween Merchandise:
- Halloweentown
- Rogers Gardens
- Pottery Barn
- Pier One
- Michael’s
- Party City
- Halloween Illusions
- Spirit Halloween
- Target
- Walmart
- Crate & Barrel
The Horror Classics
Frankenstein (1931)
It’s alive! It’s alive! Boris Karloff’s career certainly was “alive” after he played the iconic role of Frankenstein’s monster in the 1931 Universal Pictures film. It’s the movie that made him an instant star. Loosely based on Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein wound up becoming one of Universal’s greatest horror films ever made.
Dracula (1931)
It’s hard to picture Dracula as anyone but the Bela Lugosi version from this film. His performance was so frightening that it was reported several people actually fainted during the movie premiere. His handsome yet mysterious, suave yet menacing performance coupled with his thick Hungarian accent helped shape and define the character of Dracula forever.
The Wolf Man (1941)
Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be a good samaritan. Larry Talbot should know. After trying to rescue a man who is being attacked by a wolf in the woods Larry is bitten in the chest. Life will never be the same for poor Larry because now he will transform into a werewolf and terrorize the village at night. The worst thing is, he is totally unaware of his condition. The local gypsy fortuneteller warns him what is happening but Larry also suffers from denial. Lon Chaney, Jr was extremely proud of his role as the Wolf Man as he should be because it was such a wonderful and significant film about werewolves.
The Mummy (1932)
The tomb of the real Tutankhamun (King Tut) was unearthed in 1922. Ten years later, audiences flocked to the movie that depicted Boris Karloff as Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian priest who was mummified for attempting to resurrect his forbidden lover, the princess Ankh-es-en-amon. Reading from the Scroll of Thoth awakens Imhotep from his sarcophagus and the mummy is now free prowling the streets of Cairo in search of his beloved princess.
The Invisible Man (1933)
Being invisible seems like it could be one of the greatest superhero type skills one could have. The possibilities for what one could do are endless. For chemist Dr. Jack Griffin, it’s no different except that he wants to use his newfound power to dominate the world. So it’s up to the police to stop him. Problem is, how do you catch a man who is invisible?
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
“To a new world of gods and monsters!” What an appropriate toast for there will be a new bride in town. After all, Frankenstein’s monster is a sad lonely creature who desperately needs company. Dr. Frankenstein and his former mentor, Dr. Pretorius will work together to bring the Bride to life. But will the new bride (played by Elsa Lanchester) accept the monster or reject him like all others have. The film now identified as director James Whale’s masterpiece scored big with audiences and is considered a superior film to even the original Frankenstein.
Nosferatu (1922)
Nosferatu is the oldest film on our list and was an unauthorized adaption of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. In fact the Stoker heirs wound up suing over the making of the film and ordered that all copies of this movie be destroyed. Fortunately copies survived and we now have one of the creepiest versions of the Dracula character ever put on film. The vampire’s name is Count Orlok played masterfully by the German actor Max Schreck. Nosferatu is now regarded as a masterpiece of cinema.
The Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954)
From the depths of the the Amazon lives an amphibious beast unknown to man. This gill-man type creature has emerged from the “Black Lagoon” a beautiful paradise from which no one returns. The creature is following a group of expeditionists especially the beautiful Kay Lawrence (Julie Adams) who are excavating in the area. Strange encounters begin to occur and the group finds themselves in grave danger. This black-and-white film was presented to audiences in 3-D!
King Kong (1933)
Who could ever forget the scene where King Kong is atop New York’s Empire State Building fending off the attacks of military airplanes all while carrying Fay Wray gently in one hand. Or how about the scene when Fay Wray is kidnapped by the natives and offered as a sacrifice to the legendary beast known as “Kong”. Her shrill cries for help have cemented her in history as the original scream queen of horror.
Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1931)
It is said that in every man there exists good and evil. Dr. Henry Jekyll was certainly a believer in that theory. He created a drug that he began to use to release the darker evil side of his personality. His alter ego, Edward Hyde, was a violent and menacing homicidal maniac. Dr. Jekyll’s life begins to spin out of control as he can no longer control the monster he transforms into. Fredric March won an Academy Award for his performance as both the desperate Dr. Jekyll and frightening Mr. Hyde.
Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
It began as an innocent joke on poor Barbra. “They’re coming for you Barbra. Look there’s one of them now!” Well turns out THEY were coming for Barbra and everyone else they could find. THEY were the living dead, corpses that had reanimated and were searching for human flesh to feed on. Barbra finds Ben and together they try to fend off the zombie horde. George Romero’s classic film stunned audiences and angered others because of its gore. It also became one of the highest grossing horror films of the time.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
With so much serious horror, it was time to break things up a bit. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, the most famous comedy duo of the 1940s and 50s, did just that. In this classic horror comedy the pair come face to face with the “Big Three” Universal Monsters. Frankenstein, Dracula and The Wolf Man all make appearances in this film and are certain to give Abbott and Costello the scare of their lives.Modern Horror Classics
The Exorcist (1973)
This is the big one. The movie considered by many to be the scariest movie ever made. I would have to agree with that. It’s the story of a little girl who becomes possessed by a devil and endures the process of rotting away from the inside out. Sounds horrible unless you’re her mother who helplessly watches her daughter change from an innocent little girl to the most unholy and terrifying beast you dare imagine. Only an Exorcist can help, but it will take everything he’s got. The special effects might seem silly to some people today, but let me tell you. Those award winning effects and make-up scared the living crap out of movie goers for generations. I had nightmares for years because of this movie. The girl’s mother played by Ellen Bernstein did such a convincing job of being both helplessly depressed and horrifed throughout the film she earned herself an Oscar nomination. The movie was re-released sometime in the early 90s with never before seen footage. It scared the crap out of every single person in the audience. Still sends chills down my spine.
Halloween (1978)
This is hands down the best Halloween horror movie ever made. It has become a tradition to watch this film every year on or around Halloween. The sleepy town of Haddonfield, Illinois gets terrorized on Halloween night by Michael Myers, the mysterious man who wears the notorious white mask (that was meant to look like William Shatner as Captain Kirk). He’s just escaped from a psychiatric hospital for the murder of his sister 15 years earlier. Now he is on the loose and returns to Haddonfield to continue the killing. Only Dr. Loomis, Michael’s psychiatrist knows of his intentions and tries to stop him before he kills again. John Carpenter’s classic film debuts a very young Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, the woman Michael Myers has returned to stalk on Halloween night.
Psycho (1960)
How much trouble can one woman on the run get into after she’s embezzled money from her employer? Apparently alot especially after she pulled into the Bates Motel for the night. Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) is the unfortunate victim of the incredibly disturbed Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) who lives with his mother in the big house on the hill and manages the Bates Motel. At first he seems like a pleasant and kind fellow, but there is something very very wrong with this guy and his relationship with his mother. Psycho is praised as one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best films and is considered one of the greatest films of all time.
The Shining (1980)
After watching The Shining, it was difficult for people to see Jack Nicholson as anything other than the psychotic dad that chased his family through a hotel wielding an axe while delivering that iconic line, “Here’s Johnny!” Yep, the Overlook Hotel will do that to a person. After all, your all alone in the middle of a winter blizzard and couped up in an old haunted hotel filled with ghosts. It’s bound to make a man go crazy. This film, now regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever made was based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same name.
Jaws (1975)
Jaws made an entire generation fear the ocean to the point of becoming a cultural phenomenon. The movie that posed the greatest technical challenge of Steven Spielberg’s career wound up becoming one of the deepest and most intense psychological thrillers of all time. Unsuspecting beachgoers in the small New England island of Amity have just endured a brutal shark attack. The shark strikes again during the busy Fourth of July weekend. There seems to be no end to the terror this shark brings to the community of Amity. In desperation, it is agreed that the local police chief, a marine biologist and a shark hunter will go out to sea to try to put an end to the terror this creature of the deep brings. Jaws was an incredible film with a universally recognizable theme song created by John Williams that will forever remind people that Jaws is near.
American Werewolf In London (1981)
If ever your hiking through the English moors be on the lookout for a pub named “The Slaughtered Lamb”. For it was here that David Kessler and his best friend Jack were first warned to stay on the road and to beware of the full moon. They didn’t listen and as a result were attacked by a beast in the night. But it wasn’t just any beast, it was a werewolf. David survives the attack but now must deal with the effects of being bitten. The result is one of the best werewolf transformations ever filmed and an Oscar win for special effects designer Rick Baker.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
If Rosemary and husband Guy had never met the Castevets, life would have been much simpler for them. The eccentric Castevets live in the same apartment building and have taken a great interest in the couple and especially Rosemary. It’s all a little weird but when Rosemary passes out and has a dream of being raped by a demonic spirit in front of Guy, the Castevets, and other tenants of the building, you can understand why she would start to suspect something was wrong with them. Things get more suspicious after she learns that she is pregnant. Will her baby be safe from harm or will it be the spawn of satan? Pregnancy is already a sensitive subject but when you couple it with satanic cults, things get really disturbing.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
What a grisly story. A group of friends fall victim to a cannibalistic family in central Texas. Among the killers is a man called Leatherface. He is most famously known for wearing a face mask made of human skin and using a chainsaw to hack his victims to death. This film, directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, was originally marketed as a true story to attract a wider audience. Well, it worked and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre gained a reputation as one of the best horror films in cinema history.
The Fog (1980)
After his success with the movie Halloween in 1978, director John Carpenter released his next film The Fog. The small coastal Californian town of Antonio Bay was about to celebrate it’s 100th anniversary at the stroke of midnight. At the same time a mysteriously glowing fog rolls in off the coast and quickly engulfs the town. That’s when bad things begin to happen. In the fog are the vengeful ghosts of mariners who were killed in a shipwreck there exactly 100 years prior. The original six founders of the town had deliberately sunken the mariners ship, murdering them and stealing their gold cargo which was used to build Antonio Bay. Now the creatures in the fog will have their revenge.
The Omen (1976)
What a little demon. I’m talking about Damien of course. No really he is the spawn of Satan. But his parents don’t think so. They think he is a good little boy. That is until evil things start happening around him. Like when his nanny commits suicide by publicly hanging herself during his 5th birthday party. Or when he almost kills his mother by purposefully knocking her over a second floor railing with his tricycle. No amount of spanking will cure the evil inside of the Antichrist, right Damien?
The Birds (1963)
We usually think of birds as beautiful melodic creatures that peacefully fly from place to place. What would happen if all we knew about birds changed and for some unexplained reason they began to attack humans from above? This question was answered in Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller The Birds. No one was safe, not the old farmer, not the school children, and not even the man pumping gas at the gas station . Birds could sweep down and attack people with such ferocity and in such large numbers that humans stood no chance. This is the film that made Tippi Hedren a star and put the sleepy California seaside town of Bodega Bay on the map for horror enthusiasts. It received critical acclaim and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Special Effects created by Walt Disney animator Ub Iwerks.
Carrie (1976)
Let’s face it. High school can be downright awful, especially for Carrie White. Carrie is homely, innocent, quiet, shy and unfortunately the number one target for high school bullies. What they don’t know about Carrie is that she has supernatural powers but just hasn’t yet learned the full extent of them. All she really wants is be left alone and be accepted by her peers but she is constantly met with cruelty. That’s when bad things begin to happen. Carrie’s problems don’t end at school though. Her mother is a religious nut job who constantly abuses her both mentally and physically. Suddenly Carrie’s spirits soar after she is invited to the prom. What seems too good to be true actually is. This is all just a big dirty prank on poor Carrie. Well it’s the last prank the high school will ever play on her. Carrie will have her ultimate revenge and all will perish. Carrie is the first film adaption of a Stephen King story and is widely regarded as one of the best films of 1976.
The Amityville Horror (1979)
When unspeakable murders have occurred in a house does that leave the home itself vulnerable to evil forces? According to the Lutz family the answer is yes. After they moved into their new home at 112 Ocean Ave, Amityville New York, strange things began to happen. They were unaware that a mass murder had been committed in their house some years before. The Lutz family began reporting frightening paranormal events that were taking place in their home. Visitors became violently sick and the matriarch of the family learned that her little girl had an imaginary friend named Jody. When she looked out the little girl’s window she’s met with scary red eyes peering back at her. Was this one of the evil forces causing the tragedies around the house? The film’s effects don’t hold up as much today but the question on whether the house was really haunted had been debated for a long time. The mass murders that happened in the house was a true story but the claims of supernatural activity experienced in the home by the Lutz family had always been met with disbelief. Many people felt the Lutz family were trying to capitalize on the fame of the murders and created their own ghostly encounters so they could sell the story to Hollywood. This movie was one of the results. Real or phony. You decide.
Poltergeist (1982)
After little Carol Anne placed her hands on that TV screen transmitting static and uttered the now infamous words to her parents…“There here”…life for the Freeling family would never be the same. She innocently was referring to the malevolent spirits, or poltergeists that would invade her home, paralyze her family with absolute fear and abduct her in the process. Poltergeist was written and produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper of Texas Chainsaw Massacre fame. It was a major critical and commercial success and considered one of the best films of 1982. It was so good that it was nominated for 3 Academy Awards and the clown attack scene is considered one of the scariest movie moments in history. It is one of my personal favorites and is considered by many one of the scariest movies ever made.
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
While we’re on the subject of scariest movies ever, a nod must be given to Wes Craven’s A Nightmare On Elm Street. Seriously, this is one of the scariest movies I’ve ever seen. And Freddy Krueger is without a doubt one of the most terrifying villains in cinema history. This movie was brilliantly crafted to take viewers to the most disturbing places of their minds. No one is safe because this bogeyman waits for you in your dreams, a place you can’t avoid and from which you can’t really escape. I know people who were literally afraid to fall asleep after watching this film. That burned face, that red and green striped shirt and that glove with the five steak knives for fingers are now the staples of nightmares. A Nightmare On Elm Street broke new ground in the horror genre and redefined how effective a horror movie could be on an audience. It was an instant success and catapulted Wes Craven’s career putting him on the map as a one of the great horror directors of the time.
Alien (1979)
When science fiction and horror collide the result is hopefully a movie like Alien. In this film the crew of a spacecraft is stalked by an extraterrestrial creature. This creature, a disturbing thing found in only the darkest of nightmares, was created by Swiss surrealist artist H. R. Giger. The alien is huge, strong, and utterly frightening. One by one the crew members meet their fates in the most horrible ways such as the famous alien bursting out of the chest scene. What makes it so terrifying is that “in space no one can hear you scream”. Alien is a phenomenal film. It won many awards including an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and is considered one of the greatest films of all time.
The Changeling (1979)
Synopsis coming soon.
Creepshow (1982)
Synopsis coming soon.
Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
Synopsis coming soon.
Scream (1996)
Synopsis coming soon.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Synopsis coming soon.
Nightbreed (1990)
Synopsis coming soon.Newest Horror Greats
- Hereditary – (2018)
- The Witch – (2015)
- The Conjuring – (2013)
- Trick r’ Treat – (2007)
- Jeepers Creepers – (2001)
- The Babadook – (2014)
- The Ring – (2002)
- A Christmas Horror Story – (2015)
- 28 Days Later – (2003)
- The Mist – (2007)
- The Descent – (2006)
As the weather begins to change don’t you feel like getting all comfy and cozy? Sure you do. Nothing says comfort more than a hearty bowl of soup and a delicious drink to warm you up. October brings an abundance of pumpkins, butternut squash and other autumn gourds you can use to make into soups. Below we’ve suggested some of our favorite soup and drink recipes that will make you feel like Fall is finally here.
Fall Soups
Pumpkin is just one of the many soups you can make that are both healthy and delicious. Below are some of our favorite hearty soups that you can enjoy throughout the month. Click on the title to find the recipe.
Warm Drinks
A bowl of soup is not complete without a warm drink by it’s side. Fall is the perfect time of the year to enjoy a mug of warm apple cider or hot chocolate. Here are some of our suggestions.
From The Archives
A few more food recipes straight from our archives. We’ve made the pumpkin soup and it is oh, so delicious. Keep those seeds so you can make them into a sweet snack!
A few drink recipes straight from our archives. If you want to make a stiffer drink than apple cider, check out these savory ideas:
If you need more creepy foods for inspiration, read these:
What is your favorite Halloween song? You know…the one that as soon as you hear it catapults you into the spirit of the season? For me it’s Michael Jackson’s Thriller. If ever I need a Halloween boost, that’s the one song that will do it immediately. Of course there are many other great songs that are fun to listen to that can liven up a party or just be ear candy for you to enjoy while your doing all those exciting Halloween activities.
Halloween Music Playlists
The Ghoulie Guide has created a few good Spotify playlists for you to listen to each and every Halloween. The Halloween Theme Songs playlist includes classic theme songs from Halloween movies and TV shows. The Halloween Classical playlist includes instrumentals and classical songs that have been associated with Halloween or horror. The Daytime Halloween playlist is an eclectic mix of Halloween hits that would be perfect background music while your carving your pumpkins, decorating your house or cooking some sweet treats for Halloween night! Finally the Halloween Dance Party playlist includes songs that are Halloween classics that will get your guests to move their feet to the beat.
Halloween Theme Songs
Halloween Classical
Daytime Halloween
Halloween Dance Party
Halloween Radio Station
The playlists above are great but just in case you get bored listening to these tracks there is another great way to tune in to good Halloween music. HalloweenRadio.net is a great little site that plays Halloween music 365 days a year! In fact they have several channels you can choose from similar to the playlists above . Click on the banner below to visit their site and you can open a music player where you can listen to tunes all day long.
Halloween Audio Stories
If you’ve had your fill of music and you want something that is a little more intimate, we’ve created a special playlist of audio narrations of spooky tales. Each story is narrated by Horror legend Boris Karloff and is the perfect way to awaken your imagination.
From The Archives
Articles on Halloween music straight from our archives.
- Ultimate Halloween Music Playlist
- Tunein To Halloween Radio
- Tales Of The Frightened By Boris Karloff
Articles on Halloween videos straight from our archives.
It’s time to celebrate the quintessential symbol of Halloween…the pumpkin! Sometimes cities will put on a pumpkin festival for everyone to enjoy. And they are a lot of fun! Of course you’ll find pumpkin carving, pumpkin pies, pumpkin beer, music about pumpkins, pumpkin arts and crafts and sometimes even a pumpkin slide for the kiddies. Since it’s a festival you most definitely will hear bands playing music. Overall a pumpkin festival is a great way to celebrate Halloween in a safe friendly environment for the whole family.
From The Archives
More stories on pumpkin festivals straight from our archives.
This October invite some friends over, make a big batch of popcorn and prepare to scare yourself silly while you watch your favorite horror movie. You’ll have so much fun hosting a horror movie night, that you’ll want to make it an annual event! It’s really easy. Just follow the steps below to help make your party a total success.
1. Pick A Movie
So first, you need to pick a great movie for your horror movie night. You might want to pick a movie that you’ve already seen but your friends haven’t yet. That way you can enjoy watching their reactions when they get scared! You might want to choose an older classic film that you know will automatically put everyone into the Halloween mood. Maybe you’ll be hosting a movie night for a younger audience and you want something good but not too scary. Below you’ll find some movie suggestions for kids and for adults. If you need more movies ideas, check out the archives links at the bottom of this page.
Movies For Kids:
In order from top left: It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (1966); The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993); Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983); Beetlejuice (1988); The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949); The Witches (1990); Hocus Pocus (1993); Halloweentown (1998); Garfield’s Halloween Adventure (1985); The Worst Witch (1986)
Movies For Adults:
In order from top left: Halloween (1978); Trick ‘r Treat (2007); The Shining (1980); Dracula (1931); The Fog (1980); Young Frankenstein (1974); Salem’s Lot (1979); Night Of The Living Dead (1968); The Exorcist (1973); The Wolf Man (1941); Poltergeist (1982); The Omen (1976); The Birds (1963); The Blair Witch Project (1999); The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974); Jeepers Creepers (2001); American Werewolf In London (1981); A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
2. SET THE MOOD
If you’re going to have guests over be sure to set the appropriate mood for your horror movie night. You should have all your Halloween decorations up so be sure to plug in your orange lights, turn on those flicker candles, or even change out a regular bulb for one of those blue, green or red ones to make things a bit scarier. You can also require that your guests dress the part for the movie you will be watching. For example, if you’re watching The Blair Witch Project have your guests bring their sleeping bags and wear a beanie. Get creative!
3. PREPARE THE TREATS
Now this is the fun part! Try to theme your goodies to match the movie you’ll be watching. For example, Devils Food Cake Cupcakes would go perfect with the movie The Omen. I bet your guests would love drinking Red Blood Martinis for the movie Dracula. Again the more creative you are, the more your guests will appreciate it.
From The Archives
Articles on horror movie reviews straight from the archives.
- The Horror Of It All
- Let Me in
- Zombieland: Time To Nut Up Or Shut Up
- Don Knotts in “The Ghost And Mr Chicken”
- Paranorman Rocks
- Red Room Riddle … rocks!
Articles on horror movies straight from the archives.
- Host A Horror Movie Marathon
- 19 Facts About The Exorcist
- Scariest Thing About Cropsey Is It’s True
- Dark Night Of The Scarecrow
- A Literary or Cinematic World War Z
- Mad Monster Party
- Happy Shark Free 4th
- The Halloween Tree Cartoon
And just for fun:
There are some neighborhoods that enjoy Halloween so much they selflessly turn their homes into Halloween yard haunts. Haven’t you noticed that people are taking decorating to all new levels? Whether its powerful fog machines, cool fluorescent lighting, or unique special effects, there is no denying people are getting more creative with decorating their homes for Halloween. Some are turning their front yards into fully animated shows and others are creating elaborate mazes in their backyards for people to walk through. It’s really an exciting time and possibly becoming a new Halloween tradition that might spread to your own neighborhood. Make today the night you go out and visit those Halloween yard haunts!
Yard Haunts 101
One of the greatest things about Halloween is that it’s totally a social holiday. And there is no better place to socialize during Halloween than at a Halloween party! If you get to attend a Halloween party then your in luck. It’s where you get to dress up in a costume as something cute, wicked or weird. Lot’s of Halloween parties have costume contests so make sure yours is awesome. Also usually Halloween parties have deliciously creepy treats to eat. Of course the spooky decorations go without saying. Oh and expect to play games and do some dancing. My aunt took the prize in our family for throwing the best Halloween parties. One year she even had a real casket in the backyard. Guests took a lit candle, walked single file through the dance floor to the backyard and stood around watching as the casket opened. Who came out? Dracula of course! I love Halloween parties and love throwing them too. They’re a lot of work so get your lazy friends to help you decorate to make things easier!
From The Archives
More stories on Halloween parties straight from our archives.
“Give me something good to eat!” Just like the witch from Hansel and Gretel, it’s time for you to get in that kitchen and bake up some delectable goodies! After all, Halloween is a time when we all get to splurge a little on sugary treats. Think of a few desserts you would like to make, bake them up and then have friends or family over to enjoy them. You might want to host your own Halloween goodie bake-off contest. There are so many creative ideas now on the internet for spooky food recipes you could try. Bon appetit!
Traditional Treats
These are some of the classic treats that have traditionally always been a part of the Halloween season. They are timeless, delicious and will always remind of the sweet joys of Halloween.
Creepy Goodies
Nowadays there are so many more creative treats people are making and sharing via social media websites like Pinterest. It seems there are treats that are becoming the new classics for Halloween. Like the witch finger cookies below. These are so fun to make and to share with your guests. It might be a cool tradition to make one new Halloween goodie each year. I’m sure your family and friends will totally appreciate it!
Gone are the days when pumpkin carving consisted of using a sharp knife to cut out basic triangles and squares. Today there all kinds of pumpkin templates to choose from and the knives have been replaced by safer pumpkin cutting tools. Thank god! Books of pumpkin patterns can be bought at local grocery stores in the Halloween section. Or you can find online templates like my favorite site Zombie Pumpkins. They have amazing patterns that range from beginner to advanced in skill level. Every year we carve at least one each and judge them on Halloween night! My brothers are becoming carving masters. Speaking of carving masters there are several TV shows that showcase how far you can go in the art of pumpkin carving. Food Network has a whole slew of specials where artists showcase their talents at carving pumpkins and other creepy creations. Get inspired, get a tool and start carving! Don’t forget to keep the seeds for a tasty treat.
From The Archives
More stories on pumpkin carving straight from our archives.
