{{an autumnal photo from a few years back}}
There is magic in the night when pumpkins glow by moonlight.
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October greetings, dear friends!
My heart is filled with such happiness as I look out my window to a tree filled with golden goodness. Autumnal beauty is slowly creeping up all around us...our nights have been so cool and crisp, and the leaves are surely becoming all the more beautiful because of it. Driving through town and running errands becomes a feast for the eyes as so many trees are boasting gorgeous shades of gold and crimson red and bright orange pumpkins are on front porches and doorsteps everywhere. Halloween decorations are out in full swing, too. Autumn is really, truly, finally here and I couldn't be more grateful for this season and all the beauty, coziness and fun it brings.
Halloween has been a favorite holiday of mine since I was a little girl. Dressing up each year and going around the neighborhood with friends (and our parents, for safety) is one of the most wonderful memories of my childhood. I was a black witch for many of those years, simply because I loved the costume so much. However, I did also dress up as a bride one year and as a nurse another. And even though I'm "all grown up" now, I still love celebrating Halloween and enjoying some festive spooky fun all month long.
Throughout October, I love popping in a spooky movie every few nights. I grew up with all of the titles I'm going to share, but they truly are perfect timeless movies for anyone of any age to enjoy. I don't do anything horror-related, so no need to worry about scaring the bejeebers out of yourself. These are just good, festive movies with a touch of some spooky fun and oodles of Halloween vibes.
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Halloweentown
Halloweentown 2: Kalabar's Revenge
Halloweentown High
The Halloweentown series has been a favorite in our house since the movies debuted when I was a little girl. We have watched them most years since and they remain a tradition that cannot be missed. Halloweentown is one of the coolest fictional towns and I just love how festive everything about these movies is. There is a fourth movie in this series, but we didn't care for it, so we just stick with the original three.
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
Okay, so I grew up in the era of the Olsen twins. I've watched literally every single one of their movies at least a handful of times. And their Halloween one is definitely a Top 3 favorite for me. It heavily evokes nostalgia and memories of my childhood and it's just so darn fun to watch. Again, a yearly tradition in our house that we can't miss!
Hocus Pocus
I'll admit that I watch this one purely for nostalgia and all the festive Halloween vibes. Personally, I don't think it's the best movie out there and I much prefer the storylines of the other titles I've shared. But this one is just so Halloween-ish that I enjoy watching it for that reason. And no, I haven't seen the newest one...I don't think I'm going to. I don't like messing with classics and all that.
Harry Potter
So, Harry Potter for me is perfect for all the cozy months and holidays...autumn and winter alike, Halloween and Christmas equally. So, I love just watching them sporadically and slowly throughout these months of early evenings, cold weather outside, cozy home comforts and warmth inside. They're about as perfect as it can get...but I'm sure most of you already know that much.
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Another way I love to spend my evenings in October is by watching all the Halloween episodes of a couple favorite shows. There aren't too many shows that have lots of seasonal episodes, especially nowadays. I really love the way certain shows make a point and have a festive Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine's Day episode, and even better the shows that follow a seasonal or yearly pattern. The Middle and Home Improvement are two shows that do these festive episodes wonderfully. In the entire series, there are a handful of Halloween episodes and every single one is unique and different and just as fun and festive as the others. Some other shows that have a couple Halloween episodes are Full House and 7th Heaven. Oh, and Reba has one of the best Halloween episodes E V E R !! These, too, have been favorites of mine since I was very young.
Finally, when it comes to watching festive things, we love cozy mysteries in our home. Hallmark does a few of these series so well. And October, as well as all these autumn and winter months, just call for a good cozy mystery in the evenings with a snack and mug of tea alongside trying to figure out "who done it". Our favorites are...
Aurora Teagarden
Garage Sale Mysteries
Chronicle Mysteries
Murder, She Baked
Mystery 101
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As far as Halloween reading goes, I've not yet found many stories that I love enough to share. However, a real favorite of mine and one I never tire of sharing about is First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen. It is the most perfect October read, as it goes through nearly the entire month and ends on Halloween night with a special party to celebrate the first frost. It's not entirely Halloween-ish, but I still think it's the best. Magical, enchanted, mysterious, and lots of small-town charm and autumnal festivities make this book even more of a beloved favorite of mine. Seriously, if you haven't read it, you simply must. And one can't forget the Harry Potter books. Again, perfect for all these cozy months. Mystery books just seem so suitable for this time of year, too. I've enjoyed slowly gathering a collection of cozy mysteries over the past year...nothing too scary or gory for this gal.
And, fellow book lovers, if you have any Halloween novels that you've enjoyed, please let me know. I'd love to add some to my list to try out next year. I love middle grade books as well as just general adult fiction. Not too much into the YA books, personally.
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And finally, our October concludes on Halloween night with a cozy meal and festive seasonal dessert. Chili is always a go-to and some sort of apple or pumpkin home baked treat. We just hang out at home, enjoy a yummy Halloween feast, and watch movies or some festive episodes of a show whilst we munch on our dessert and hot tea or hot apple cider. It's casual, comfy, cozy and lots of fun.
Oh, and some years we carve a jack-o'-lantern, but usually we like for our pumpkins to last until Thanksgiving, so we don't always do that. But when I was younger, that was a yearly stand-by. My dad would carve out the designs my sister and I drew on and then we'd place a candle inside, turn out the lights and all stand around and admire the glowing faces of our pumpkins. Halloween was always a highlight!
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Well, that's all my Halloween favorites, dear readers! I would love to hear your traditions for Halloween and any recommendations you have for festive movies, shows, books, activities...so do please share in a comment or message.
May your day be magical and filled with delight...