The most wonderful time of the year might be Christmas, but Halloween comes in a close second for me! With the days leading up to the holiday bringing colder temperatures, cozy sweaters, and pumpkin flavored everything, this time is difficult to hate. Every region in the U.S., from San Diego to Salem, has their own special traditions leading up to Halloween time, each just as great as the next. Growing up in northeastern Pennsylvania, I was lucky to experience Halloween time to the fullest, shaping me into the “Hocus Pocus” loving, candy corn binging, black cat owning girl I am today. For all of my Halloween time fanatics out there, enjoy the spook-tacular (too much?) list of the greatest things Halloween season brings to us.
The 13 Nights of Halloween
No true fan of the holiday misses a movie on Freeform’s ‘13 Nights of Halloween’. For the last 13 days of October, the television network airs Halloween movie favorites like The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Addams Family, and of course, Hocus Pocus. Cozy up with your black cat, gather some snacks, and watch out for the Sanderson Sisters, it’s that time of year again!
Pumpkin Patches
Whoever first thought to market off of a bunch of pumpkins growing in a field was near genius. With many pumpkin patches having fall activities such as hayrides and corn mazes, catching the feels for Halloween time couldn’t be easier. Plus, when it comes to making jack-o-lanterns, you get acres of pumpkins to choose from. Also if you’re puzzled on where to take your first date, a pumpkin patch is a great choice!
Wearing Costumes
Separate from events like Comic Con or most music festivals, we don’t get much of an excuse to go all out with costumes. Thankfully, Halloween was bestowed upon us allowing us to transform into the characters we could never be otherwise. Parties are much more fun with ghosts, witches and vampires- you name it! Sometimes assembling a costume can be difficult, however- we’re not all Heidi Klum. If you need some inspiration, eCampus.com has put together a fantastically extensive list of ideas to look through. But remember to be respectful to races, cultures, religions, and people in general this year!
Scary Movies
Okay, so Freeform plays some fantastic Halloween movies, but none are going to exactly give you nightmares. For the brave souls who can make it through all of the Halloween movies, bless you. Watching scary movies around Halloween is an annual rite of passage to amp up the scare. Networks like Netflix and AMC curated super scary watch-lists to give you your worst nightmares. After watching The Shining and The Exorcist, two horror classics, I recommend sleeping with one eye open.
Haunted Houses
Who doesn’t love subjecting themselves to walking through dark corridors littered with horrifying things that jump out at every corner? I know I certainly do. Arguably one of the best things about Halloween time is the trauma of entering a haunted house. Every year, old buildings around the United States are transformed into these attractions designed to make us scream, shake, and sometimes wet our pants. If you’re feeling gutsy, make plans to visit one of the many haunted houses here in the United States. Good luck!
I hope you enjoy all of the fun things that come during Halloween time. What are your favorite things to do around Halloween time? Leave us a comment below!