It’s Halloween weekend! Unfortunately for me, Halloween isn’t much of a thing in our area of Germany. Unfortunately for everyone else, I refuse to stop trying to make it a thing. I’ve been baking pumpkin treats, carving pumpkins and watching scary movies to really set the mood. If you’re looking to get the most out of your spooky season, here are some suggestions to crank up the creepy vibes.
Watch
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The ultimate in campy teen horror/comedy fun. Both the original series and the 1992 movie are available on Disney+.
What Lies Beneath
Also streaming on Disney+, this movie is a perfect blend of crime drama suspense and supernatural events. Also, I would watch Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer in literally anything.
You (Season 3)
Seasons one and two are also recommended but season three is so fun. Maybe it’s just speaking to me because Love makes my postpartum emotions seem very, very tame? Watch it on Netflix.
Coco
Even with Dia de los Muertos as a backdrop, Coco is not scary at all but too sweet to pass up. Don’t skip this because you think it’s for kids- I sobbed the first time I watched it. You can find it on Disney+.
Hocus Pocus
Disney+ is really killing it with their Halloween offerings this year! No explanation needed, but did you hear they’re making a Hocus Pocus 2?!
Read and Listen
Nighty Night with Rabia Chaudry
I could honestly listen to Rabia read the phone book, but this podcast is so good. Every week, Rabia tells listeners an original scary story that will absolutely give you goosebumps.
Monster: The True Story of the Jeffrey Dahmer Murders
The journalist who originally broke the story (and friend of mine!) Anne E. Schwartz just released her second book on Dahmer. In Monster, Schwartz looks not just at the murders but at the lasting impact of the case today. You can find it on Amazon with options to buy it in print, for Kindle or as an audiobook!
Final Girl Support Group
This horror/comedy book is for any fans of classic horror. While imagining the lives of the last girls standing, author Grady Hendrix tips his hats to iconic films such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween. It’s a quick and easy spooky season read.
Scream Girls
I love a good podcast about movies, and Scream Girls looks specifically at scary movies through a feminist lens. From their twitter, “Great for horror fans AND scaredy cats who can’t watch but want to be in the know!” This podcast stopped releasing episodes when one of the hosts moved, but it has a great catalog of episodes on Apple Podcasts.
Mexican Gothic
This novel by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is not my favorite book I’ve ever read, but I loved it for October if that makes sense. The New York Times said, “It’s Lovecraft meets the Brontës in Latin America, and after a slow-burn start Mexican Gothic gets seriously weird.” Get it on Amazon (but skip the audio version. The narrator really irked me.)
Other Ideas
Go for a Twilight Walk
If it’s safe for you to do so, head outside as the sun’s going down! The silhouettes of the bare tree branch against an orange sky is about as October as it gets. If you live in a place where Halloween is big, this is also the best way to see all the decorations!
Carve Pumpkins
If you haven’t already, what are you waiting for?! I talked about this last year in my post on how to celebrate Halloween in a pandemic. This is fun for people of all ages, but for very young children, painting pumpkins is a great option.
Wear Festive Clothing
While I wouldn’t rule out going to the grocery store in full costume, I just mean add a spooky pop to your clothes. A little bat here or a jack-o-lantern there can really make a big difference. Get this fun sweatshirt on Etsy.
All Pumpkin Everything
Our closest Starbucks is an hour away so even though there are no PSLs in my future, I’m making everything pumpkin. I’m talking soups, cakes, casseroles, pies and even pancakes! If you have a favorite pumpkin recipe, leave it in the comments!
Turn Off the Lights
Turn off your bright, electric lights and have dinner by candle light or tell ghost stories by the fire. Trust me, every sound your house makes is 1000x scarier in the dark!
Are the little hairs on the back of your neck standing up yet?! Hopefully, but these are just a few ideas of how to up the Halloween vibes this weekend. What do you do for spooky season?
