The October air never fails to awaken a wild spirit in me. My witchy senses begin to tingle, and I cannot contain my excitement. 31 glorious days to allow my bold, mystical, unique alter ego to shine. How to make the most out of such a short amount of time? The second the clock strikes midnight on Oct. 1, my mood and demeanor change. To properly accompany my enthusiasm, my environment must be transformed immediately. My LED lights have to be made darker, my phone background has to be made spookier and my socks have to be made more festive. Glancing down at my phone screen and catching a glimpse of two cats holding witches’ brooms and jack-o’-lanterns brings me instant joy. I enter the notes application on my phone at approximately 12:10 a.m. on Oct. 1. I title the blank page “31 Days of Halloween.” I proceed to write a list of Halloween costume ideas, movies and TV shows, songs and activities. As a special Halloween treat, I will now share my wisdom with you all and leak this highly regarded list.
Halloween Costume Ideas
In my opinion, the best Halloween costumes are the ones that can be remade many times in unique ways. Often, these are considered more “basic” costumes, like witches, cats and fairies. While these costumes are frequently repeated year after year, no two are usually the same. Putting your own spin on a classic is one of the best ways to elevate a Halloween look. Envision how many ways a witch can be portrayed. If one wished to recreate an iconic character look, it would have to be presented flawlessly or with a unique twist to be respectable. A good example of this is putting a modern twist on Disney princesses. This costume idea ensures that there is room for inaccuracy in the character portrayed and makes the costume that much more different and customizable. With this view in mind, a few of my Halloween costume ideas for this year consist of a disco ball, Ice and Fire, a ballerina, Frog and Toad and Marie Antoinette.
Halloween Movies
The perfect list of movies to watch throughout October must consist of a variety of genres. Ranging from Disney originals to classic Horror movies, my watch list movies convey the whimsical feelings of Halloween on screen. At the start of my list are the Disney movies, Twitches, Halloween Town, The Haunted Mansion and Hocus Pocus. Of course, Tim Burton, the king of Claymation Halloween movies earns a spot on the list with The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. The classic horror movies, Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and Halloween take their rightful places alongside the others. Finally, Casper, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, Little Shop of Horrors, Coraline, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Addams Family are sure to put you in the Halloween spirit.
Halloween Music
To cover all media bases, I had to include a list of songs to listen to throughout the month of October. Halloween music sets the tone for the month, so I compiled a list of classic songs, iconic theme songs and modern pop hits to add to my spooky playlist. Starting with the classics, “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell, “I Put a Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins,“Superstition” by Stevie Wonder and “Monster Mash,” by Bobby Pickett & The Crypt Kickers absolutely embody the sound of Halloween. The soundtrack hits “Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, “This is Halloween” from The Nightmare Before Christmas and “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr. repeat over and over in my head during the spooky season with their catchy upbeat choruses, obliging them onto this list. A few modern pop songs that I also feel deserve to be in a Halloween playlist for their spunky spirits are “Disturbia” by Rihanna, “all the good girls go to hell” by Billie Eilish and “Monster” by Lady Gaga.
Halloween Shenanigans
The Halloween season would be a waste without spending some quality time with my friends and family. Some must-dos for me before the end of the month are grabbing a friend and going to the nearest Halloween shop, attending a horror movie showing and immersing myself in a haunted experience by searching for local haunted attractions. Wandering through a corn maze or carving and painting different designs on pumpkins is also a goal of mine this year. Regardless, I will surely be munching on Halloween-themed cookies and candies while having a TV show Halloween specials night. I do plan on tricking and treating my favorite people throughout the month as well (but don’t tell them that).
No matter how you choose to spend your 31 days of Halloween, prioritize embracing your eccentric side this month! Wear that Halloween hoodie to class and encourage others around you to lean into that spooky spirit. Have a happy Halloween!
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