do you have any halloween/spooky season traditions? 🎃🐈‍⬛🍬💜

[Xara]

for those of you who celebrate halloween or even just partake in the commercialism of it, do you have any traditions? any horror movies that you watch every year, any recipes that you make, any activities that you do, trick-or-treating even?

my trick-or-treating days are long over (though i’m 5’2, so i might be able to pass as a middle schooler at best ), and i don’t really have any spooky season traditions; however, my mom and i like to watch at least a few horror movies together every year, so i suppose that’s our tradition! the horror movies we watch always vary, but we usually always watch scream, monster house, and/or the nightmare before christmas! we’ve already watched monster house, and i’ll be dragging her to see five nights at freddy’s with me on opening night, but i imagine we’ll be squeezing in a couple of more horror movies over the next month!

my mom and i also had a tradition of making the pillsbury halloween cookies together every october when i was younger, and i’ve been thinking of reviving it this year! i personally could really go for the pumpkin-design cookies… those things are heaven!

 

[.: Meri :.]

I don't go trick-or-treating anymore, but I do still love decorating for Halloween! My mom and I always spam spooky decorations all over the house and front porch ehehe, and we usually carve (or otherwise decorate) pumpkins too! Mini-pumpkins are my favorite to decorate, but they seem to be popular around here, because they can be a real pain to get ahold of.

I don't go wild on sweets because a little sugar is plenty for me, but I usually do get myself some extra treats in October! I also fondly remember Pillsbury's Halloween cookies. The Christmas ones as well, but those are for later in the year hehe. It's been a while since we've had them I think; I might have to see if we can revive that tradition again here this year too!

I haven't gone all-out on a Halloween costume in a while, but Halloween is my perfect excuse to wear hooded cloaks and not look strange for it. They're the best and I really need them to come back in fashion ok

Halloween music is a big thing for me too! Spooky Scary Skeletons always gets played ehehe, mainly the remixed/extended version but also the absolutely incredible Otamatone cover:

Thanks to the fall performance being pure spooky season vibes, Jack Jeanne has also added several Halloween songs to my usual playlist! My current user title, "!!!Ghost Party!!!", is a direct reference to one of them!

I've been participating in virtual Halloween events for years and I don't know what I'd do without them at this point! It used to be seasonal events in online/mobile games, but TBT has taken over as I've fallen out of those.

And a new tradition I think I'm forming is playing a ~spooky~ game in October! I don't see myself ever delving into hardcore horror games, but I think my playthrough of Ib last year awakened something in me. I've decided to get myself Spooky's Jumpscare Mansion on the Switch very soon (probably in the morning actually!) and I've got my eye on Pumpkin Panic too.

 

[Mairmalade]

I've made watching horror movies a tradition over the last couple of years, but I'm pretty over them now, lol.

We're planning to bring back pumpkin carving and apple picking this year. The orchards usually have some type of Halloween event going on throughout the month, too, so it's perfect.

 

[Croconaw]

First of all, I love your Lucky cat signature, @Xara ! That little guy made my night and gives spooky vibes, for sure.

I don't partake in Halloween, but I do love seeing all of the costumes! I was more interested in the costumes and the pumpkins than the sweets when I was younger. I could definitely pass as a high schooler since most people think I'm a minor, but it doesn't really interest me. Those Halloween design sugar cookies sound so delicious right now.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

My new October/Halloween tradition is seeing how far I get in a daily drawing prompt challenge like Inktober.

Last year I only made it to day 4 The year before that, I managed to do all 31 days but it was TOUGH. There were quite a lot of days where I stayed up til like 5 am to finish what I had started. Of course that's on me for not simplifying it enough so that I could finish the drawing in a couple hours!

I might as well try again this year but IDK if I will post it anywhere! It's already Oct. 1st where I am and I haven't even sorted out my prompt list yet lmao

 

[.: Meri :.]

asjkldjskldf I FORGOT about our yearly Halloween feast!! I don't know of anyone else who does it, but it's basically what it sounds like, we just cook up a lot of good autumn-y food on Halloween day and sometimes leave small amounts in the woods as a gift to the Fair Folk

 

[Zerous]

I've never celebrated Halloween before other than for forum and game events, its not really a thing where I live, but I've always liked the vibes of it! I do enjoy listening to spooky video game music, and the past couple years I've tried to draw some more spooky themed art. I've always also wanted to try pumpkin carving at some point!

 

[Pyoopi]

I don't really do much for Halloween as much as I love it. I've been slowly accumulating Halloween decor but I can't compare to the Fall/Witchy girls who have cool home decor. So far I've collected a lot of Halloween lights: I have some purple and green spider lights hung over my window, pumpkin shaped tea lights and a ceramic ghost tea light holder. I did recently get vintage-inspired cat lights but I'm not sure where to put them. Of course, these will be year round decorations, haha.

If I could do more for Halloween, I would go to more of those scare-fests but I can never find a buddy to go with me because they're too scared.

 

[Violet Witch]

I tend to just watch witchy movies in the run up to Halloween which is usually Practical Magic, Hocus Pocus and The Craft. Other than that if there's a spooky event going on in a video game I tend to make the most of it before it comes to an end.

 

[Yes-I-Can]

We make amigurumi creatures
- little ghosts and such, and accessories for them. My favourite I've made so far is a little ghostie with a wee lil pumpkin hat

 

[Kitsuragi]

Halloween is my anniversary with my boyfriend, we celebrate it by eating sushi

 

[Xara]

snip

oooooh, you’ll have to let me know how you’re enjoying spooky’s jumpscare mansion!! it’s been one of my favourite ”scary” games for a while now; the art style is so cute, the scariness and jumpscares are all great, and spooky herself is my beloved hehe though, i had no idea it had released on the switch, too!? i’ve always just played it on my computer— time to run to the eshop!!!

i’ve had my eye on pumpkin panic, too! the art style is so cute and charming, and personally i love the idea of trying to tend to my farm while monsters try to kill me LOL. i can’t remember if the creator ever plans on releasing it on the switch, but if they do, i’ll definitely be buying it!!

First of all, I love your Lucky cat signature, @Xara ! That little guy made my night and gives spooky vibes, for sure.

thank you, croc!! i had my entire halloween aesthetic planned out except for my signature, and i came across this little guy last night and everything just clicked hehe

snip

not me completely forgetting about inktober

thank you for reminding me LOL. i’ve never participated in inktober before, but i was hoping to get at least a few doodles out this year for it, since i think attempting to draw every day would burn me out a lot

good luck to you with your inktober art!!

We make amigurumi creatures
- little ghosts and such, and accessories for them. My favourite I've made so far is a little ghostie with a wee lil pumpkin hat

oh those sound absolutely adorable!!

 

[Bluelady]

Halloween is usually calmer for me in comparison to Christmas. I make sure to re-watch Hocus Pocus and The Nightmare Before Christmas at least once, which I've already done. For the remainder of the month I listen to paranormal podcasts and maybe watch a few episodes of Ghost Hunters. Then I just plan out which candy to pass out on the weekend before Halloween.

Although I am doing something a bit different this year. A few weeks ago I found out about the Teal Pumpkin Project. Basically, a person provides non-consumable treats as a possible alternative for kids that have food allergies or other dietary restrictions. I underlined the word possible because some people believe that the project would mean no candy at all for the rest of the kids; which is false. Just separate the candy from the toys/stationary to minimize contamination.

*Before anyone mentions it, yes, I'm aware that parents of children with allergies or dietary restrictions will already have a plan in place for Halloween night. Still, I want to do this and see how it goes.

 

[Rainbowhorn]

Halloween isn't really much of a thing where I live, but I like to participate on the vibe by watching as many horror movies as I can during all the month of October, I already have a lineup of spooky stuff to watch this year!

 

[Psydye]

I like to listen to spooky/horror-themed metal music: Rob Zombie...King Diamond...Wednesday 13...the 'Horror Show' album by Iced Earth...Carach Angren...etc. Good stuff! I also like to watch horror movies as well.

 

[MiniPocketWorld]

No. I'm not a fan of Halloween itself and I don't celebrate it or have anything to do with other holidays that happening at the same time as Halloween that deal with the dead.
I am an autumn fan but I don't really have traditions with autumn either, beyond a Thanksgiving dinner of some sort being held with family at some point in November.

 

[Tylerhelt14]

Me and My papa carve a pumpkin. I haven't done trick or treating in a while. ( I'm 17 years old) We usually buy Halloween candy from the store now. We also have watched It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.

 

[Halloqueen]

I have a bunch of traditions for both the spooky month of October as well as Halloween itself.

• As most are probably aware if they've been around the forums and seen my posts over the years, I marathon through horror movies throughout the whole month of October. I watch a mixture of things I've seen and know I enjoy, things I haven't seen in a number of years and need a refresher on, as well as things I've never seen before both new and old.
  
  
• I bake pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin rolls throughout the Autumn months, especially October, and also order pumpkin spice lattes. I don't generally drink coffee outside of the Autumn and maybe Winter months unless I'm out socializing with friends and we pick some up.
  
  
• One bag of Brach's candy corn is purchased, poured into a candy bowl and slowly grazed upon throughout the month of October. While candy corn is divisive, I'm one of the people who really enjoys it both aesthetically and in terms of flavor.
  
  
• I go around to various places and watch as the colors of the leaves on the trees progressively change throughout the season. Gorgeous.
  
  
• I always like to walk throughout the year, but particularly in Autumn I love walking while there are fallen leaves adorning the ground. Foggy early October mornings are one of my favorite things and I really love evening walks where I can take in the beautiful sunsets. They really enhance the mood of the season.
  
  
• If I have the spare time, since I prioritize the spare time to watch the horror movies, I like to order a horror book from the library to read in October.
  
  
• I don't tend to have time for horror games during October because my highest priority is the movies, but if I have time I like to do short games like Splatterhouse, Splatterhouse 2, Luigi's Mansion or Zombies Ate My Neighbors. Most often in recent years I just play a fangame fighting game called Terrordrome that has the various horror movie characters like Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers, Leatherface, Candyman, The Tall Man from Phantasm, Ash from The Evil Dead franchise, Herbert West from Re-Animator, and some others. It's got some issues like bad grammar, some wonky balancing, etc. but it's a fun way to spend like a half hour.
  
  
• Another thing I like to do any time of year, but especially in October, is listen to music from horror movies. Some songs really get me in the vibe for spooky month.
  
  
• I go out to a couple particular places around here in mid-October that have really nice selections of pumpkins and I get a few pumpkins for the purposes of carving. I'm not particularly good at the actual carving, mind you, but it's the thought and effort that count. Wish I could do those cool pumpkin sculptures though. People are really talented.
  
  
• Unsurprisingly, I also participate in the various Halloween events here on the Bell Tree Forums each year throughout the month of October.
  
  
• Something I wish I could still do but can't is go out to party stores and see what cool masks they have. Back when I was young, they had all these cool masks up on display on the walls of the local places and I'd gaze up longingly at them. As I got older and the years progressed, I watched as the selections shrank dramatically and became more lame. I have an affection for Halloween masks and wish they were still a thing I could find around here now that I'm an adult.
  
  
  On Halloween itself:
  
  
• I pass out candy to the trick-or-treaters on Halloween and watch a movie in the downtime between visits to the doorstep.
  
  
• Every year I intend to dress up for Halloween and every year I just...don't. Mostly because I'm going to be watching horror movies at home on Halloween and not going to a party or anything so it feels like a bit of a waste of money and effort to get a costume and not go anywhere and just have it for myself. Maybe this year? I dunno.
  
• There are certain movies that I wait until Halloween itself to watch.
  
  
• Halloween dinner is always wings from a really good local place. Why? I watch my favorite movie, The Return of the Living Dead, while having dinner and it just feels appropriate to eat wings off the bone while watching a zombie movie.
  
  
  
  After Halloween:
• In the past couple years I've made a new tradition of watching George A. Romero's classic original 1978 version of Dawn of the Dead and 1985's Day of the Dead as a way to celebrate Día de Muertos on November 1st and 2nd. No, they have nothing to do with the Mexican holiday, it just seemed like as good a reason as any just due to the name.

 

[Khaoticnoize187]

Basically just play horror game in my collection and also watch horror related media too like last year it was jigoku shoujo and this year its resident evil welcome to racoon city it sucks honestly the live action movies go with the cgi ones.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I like watching spooky movies and a few slashers before Halloween. One year I binged on all of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies that were released at the time. The remake wasn’t released for home media and streaming yet.